For eighth graders in FISD, February can be an important month as they begin planning their four years of high school. However, what a student plans in eighth grade may not be the reality of their high school career.

“I’m probably going to keep none of the classes I put down for senior year,” junior Kristen Kirk said. “A lot of my opinions actually changed from eighth grade till now. High school was actually a growing experience for myself.”

For many students, high school is more than they expected.

“I’m only gonna keep three classes that I put down for my junior year,” sophomore Kirsten Mallari said. “Most of the classes I put I didn’t realize how rigorous and how difficult they were going to be until I got into sophomore year because either way you are going to be having classes that you’re gonna struggle with.”

Even many students closest to their last year of middle school have changed their mind from eighth grade.

“I’m gonna keep like half of the classes I put down for sophomore year, because I had to get my schedule changed and I want to go on a different course this year,” freshman Sophia Garofalo said. “I wish I could do more electives so I could get more of my credits done because I have to do some of them over the summer.”

Whatever classes eighth graders select for their high school career, most high school students agree, finding something one is interested in is key.

“In eighth grade I wanted to do so much,” Kirk said. “If I had any advice it’d probably be to find something you are really passionate about and work towards that as a career.”