By Lindsay Young

Course selections mean new classes, new teachers, and new challenges. By now most of us have already made our course selections. Students throughout the school are probably wondering if they’ve made the right choice, or if they can switch out at the last minute. The only exceptions are graduating seniors, who will spend their days enjoying the end of their high school careers and worrying more about colleges than high school courses. But for those of us who will still be attending Berlin High School next year, it would be great to know what to expect for next year.

Whether you’re a freshman, sophomore, or junior, no one is sure what’s coming next year. Freshmen are generally excited about the future right now, but to them graduation seems very far off. Since they have the most time left in high school, they can select classes based on what they think is interesting, rather than what they think colleges will be specifically looking for in the future. Sophomores are starting to take life a little more seriously, thinking about their future more now. Because junior year is rumored to be one of the most important to colleges, many juniors are thinking about their goals and dreams when choosing classes. Graduation is just one year away and by now some have an idea of what they want to do in life, or at least definitely know what they want to do in life. So which of your classes are going to be your most enjoyable and which ones are tedious, but necessary?

Probably the most popular classes in the school are business ones. Whether it’s because there are more business selections than other types of classes or it just happens to be most kids’ first choice is undetermined. But it seems like a lot of people are taking business courses. This may have something to do with the teachers. Miss Nelson and Mrs. Wicklund can be easygoing, but they’ll make you do your work.

Business classes are also popular because they are related to what people want to do in life. A senior Sarah Hanson explains why she’s decided to take business courses throughout her high school career, “The wide variety of business courses that are offered to students at BHS have allowed me to explore different spectrums of the business world and find out which interest me. One of my favorite classes has been accounting. I hope to take what I have learned with me to college and carry it with me for the future.”

While business is an interesting class, on the other side of the spectrum are the art classes. Sometimes thought of as more relaxing classes, art classes can sometimes be incredibly important to a person’s future. A junior Jillian Tara, a future interior design major, has taken art classes all through her three years of high school. Says Tara, “I’ve wanted to be an interior designer since I redid my own room. Taking Drawing this year has really improved my drawing skills, something very important for my future line of work.”

For others, unsure of what they want to do in life, taking art classes can be an interesting option. An art class could also be a good idea for people with already heavy course loads. However, if artistic abilities are not a talent, then a person probably shouldn’t take these classes. But if you’re a fair artist, an art class can be a way to learn new things without the same pressures of other types of classes.

Music classes are another popular option in this school. Many people take a music class as a stress reliever or because they really like music. But beware when choosing a music class, because like many other types of classes, they all have different levels of difficulty. Band is an obviously popular class among students. This fun class not only gives people a chance to express themselves by playing instruments, but it also creates lasting friendships among band members. Activities outside of school, like football games or group field trips also attract members.

Chorus is another popular music class. Taught by Mr. Robert Kelley, anybody can join the chorus who wants to have fun, but will also take it seriously. Ashley Andruskiewicz is a junior who has not only taken chorus classes since her freshman year, but is also involved in specialty choruses such as Magicals and Jazz chorus. Andruskiewicz is not sure if she wants to be involved in music in the future, but she says, “It’s good to have that background in case I decide to.” As for now, she says “Singing helps you express how your feeling. It’s a great release for me. And Mr. Kelley is an awesome teacher to have.”

Other popular classes include psychology and journalism. Psychology is great for many different fields of work. This challenging class really will pay off in the end, especially if you have to take a psychology course in college. Journalism is a good class to take if a person obviously, wants to be a journalist or if their future line of work needs some journalistic background.

Whichever class you do take, whether it’s because it’s an important class for your future, or you just need a stress reliever, remember to do what makes you happy. After high school, there may not be as many opportunities to experience a new subject. Whether you’re a junior, sophomore, or freshman, take a class that interests you because you never know where it will take you.