High School Life

No matter what school we attend, high school life is definitely unforgettable.

Many high school students in the U.S. find their school life full of both joys and sorrows. In order to apply to their dream university, they work hard every day to make sure they can get a grade B or better, and some students even have six or seven classes each day. Students can sign up for courses according to their academic ability. In order to challenge themselves, many students choose AP and IB courses. AP is Advanced Placement and IB is International Baccalaureate. By passing the exams (associated with these classes), students can earn university course credits.

In addition to attending classes, high school students also participate in a variety of extracurricular activities, which include both sports and various societies and clubs. Common sports include football, basketball, soccer, and track and field, while common societies and clubs include Chinese, science, math, drama, debate, robotics, and others. Students have practice two or more times a week and sometimes represent their school in competitions. These activities, on one hand, cultivate students’ teamwork spirit, and on the other hand, build up their leadership skills.

In order to foster students’ awareness to serve the community, schools usually provide opportunities for students to volunteer, such as helping other students write in the Writing Center and volunteering at nursing homes, libraries, and hospitals in the community. Some high school students also work at part-time jobs on weekends and holidays or do internships to earn some pocket money and accumulate some work experience.

With the development of modern technology, there are increasing numbers of exchanges between schools. Some schools in China and the U.S. have established sister-school relationships and organize visits to each other. During this type of exchange, students attend classes during the day, visit famous local attractions, and stay with host families at night to learn about local family life. These activities not only help students learn about the local language and culture but also improve their interpersonal skills.

The biggest problem high school students face is stress, and this is often associated with a lack of time management skills. Some students stay up late so often, due to so many assignments and exams, that they begin to arrive tardy for school, they have trouble concentrating, and their health declines. Therefore, time management and stress reduction for high school students have become important topics of concern for both schools and society at large.

无论我们在哪个学校，高中生活都是令人难忘的。

很多美国高中生都觉得高中生活充满了酸甜苦辣。为了申请到自己理想的大学，他们每天努力学习，确保自己的成绩在B以上。有的学生一天有六、七节课。学生可以根据自己的学习水平选课。为了挑战自己，很多学生选修了AP和IB的课程，AP是美国大学先修课程，IB是国际文凭大学预科课程。学生考试合格以后，可以获得大学学分。

除了上课以外，高中生还参加各种各样的课外活动，这些活动既有体育运动项目，又有不同的社团和俱乐部。常见的体育运动项目包括橄榄球、篮球、足球和田径等。常见的俱乐部和社团包括中文、科学、数学、戏剧表演、辩论和机器人社等。学生一周最少参加两次训练，有时还要代表学校参加比赛。这些活动一方面培养了学生的团队合作精神，另一方面也锻炼了学生的领导能力。

为了培养学生的社会服务意识，学校常常为学生提供做义工的机会，比如在写作中心提供写作帮助，去社区的养老院、图书馆、医院做义工。有的高中生还会在周末和节假日打工或者实习，不但能挣点零用钱，而且可以积累一些工作经验。

随着现代科技的发展，学校之间的交流活动越来越多。中国和美国有些学校会建立姊妹学校关系， 开展互相访问活动。在交流期间，学生白天跟班上课、参观当地著名景点，晚上入住寄宿家庭，了解当地家庭生活。这些活动不仅有利于学生学习当地的语言和文化，而且能提高学生的人际交往能力。

高中生面临最大的问题就是压力。压力的形成常常跟缺乏时间管理的能力有关系。有的学生因为功课、考试很多而常常熬夜，所以会有上学迟到、注意力不集中、身体健康下降等问题。因此，如何管理时间，减少高中生的压力成为学校和社会关注的话题。