An Early Grad Suffers Withdrawal.

• Author: FLADVID, JESSICA
• Position: High school graduate - Brief Article

HARTFORD, WISCONSIN--You need only a certain number of credits to graduate from Hartford Union High School. Meeting that requirement by the first semester of my senior year, I chose to end my high school career a little early. I graduated in January, and I thought I would be jumping for joy. High school had been a challenging experience, and the bad times often seemed to outweigh the good. But the last day of my education wasn't so joyous.

I made the decision to graduate early for the most common reason: I need money. I plan on attending the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater starting this fall. I worked during all of high school, but that money disappeared into my 1989 Chevy Baretta GT. Right after graduation, I switched from part-time to full-time at the local Ponderosa restaurant, a job that I really enjoy.

I thought I would be able to walk away from high school and be better off for leaving. I faced a lot in high school, which I am sure everyone can relate to. These are difficult years of our lives. They are emotional and exhausting, and they have a lot to do with the shape our lives will take, which can be stressful. I doubted that I'd be able to make it through another semester of essay exams, book reports, PowerPoint presentations, or group projects.

However, I'm coming to realize how much of an impact high school has had on my life. I often complained about how ridiculously some of the people there behaved, but a few individuals had a phenomenal impact on my life. I learned a great deal from my teachers and textbooks. I learned even more about life from my peers. There are memories created while at school that are irreplaceable. Now...