Where will school take me? Is school important? We attend school with no second thought on what it means to us, leaving the idea of school alone in the back of our minds.

Since school started on Sept. 7, everyone has slowly settled in and adjusted to the new school year after the seemingly never-ending hot summer that stretched into the school year, bothering us with its abnormal temperatures.

With seniors preparing for college and their after-high school plans, juniors trailing behind trying to get through one of the most stressful school years, and sophomores now used to the new environment of officially being at a high school, it only leaves the questions to be asked.

Yazmin Cornutte, a senior, is graduating this school year, attending running start at the local community college, Pierce College.

Cornutte said, “Seeing my sister, who is now a college student, in high school doing the running start program expressing her stress levels positively impacts my view on school as its encouraging and motivating. School is stressful but I think it is important because of the friends you make and the stuff you learn in the year you are in now can help you the next year which can help you with your career goals and future. I think that if I don’t suffer now in high school, I will later in college.”

Sophia Ellazar is a junior taking the Running Start program like Cornutte and has recently moved from Georgia to Washington state.

Ellazar said, “School is a place to learn and meet new people but recently has been a chore and makes me tired. I know that succeeding in school may lead to a better future which is what strives me to show up and what makes it important and impactful to me. School has taught me not only how to talk to people but how to manage my time whether its work or school.”

Ellazar says that if someone heard her responses, it would not change their perspective as she feels that’s how everyone feels about school.

Saveha Cook is a fun and active member in the community who attends Rogers High School as a sophomore student.

Cook said, “School feels like a chore but regardless is a safe place away from home that helps me clear my mind when needed. Attending school allows me to meet people and learn from my classes to pursue my want to become a teacher. I think school is important, but I know a lot of people here think school is boring and dumb. If you look around the community, on the streets are a lot of homeless people. If you think about if they have completed high school, most of the time the answer is no. I think that if they had taken the time to grasp the concept of what school could do for them in the future instead of taking it for granted, they could have accomplished a lot more.”

This is only three people out of the almost 1800 students attending at Rogers High School and most students can agree that school plays a big part of your life. School may be boring, but school forges a path for your future.

But what is school? By dictionary it is an educational industry led by teachers but by words spoken by students who attend, it is a safe place. A place that gives people alike and different opportunities. It’s a tiring choir, busy work, and sometimes overwhelming but regardless of that, students enjoy going whether it be to talk to friends or to learn and talk to their favorite teacher.