Students of Sparta: Rachael Schmidt

Those who know Rachael know she is a true "gem" of Sparta High School. Her willingness to talk to anyone having a bad day, want to volunteer her time to meaningful organizations, and desire to be the best she can be are top qualities of Rachael, yet do not even begin to scratch the surface on what a truly wonderful member of our school she is. As a senior of Sparta who will sadly be making her exit, Rachael sat down with me to get real about the struggles of high school and how to overcome them while keeping your cool.

"The challenges of school are a huge struggle. All the weekly assessments as well as college applications - it's stressful because you have to make yourself stand out, and then you have to anticipate getting answers back from colleges. I mean, it is what it is, but I had no idea what I was doing throughout the college application process. Everyone around me was in the same boat so I definitely felt the stress piling on as if I was not well prepared. Getting a job in high school is good, but it can also add to stress because you have to manage your job, social life and school work. Time management is definitely an important element that you should learn in high school to prepare for college and life. 

Never slack off and do realize that every grade does matter. Don't sweat the small stuff. I would say that relationships change and it comes with maturity and being in high school. It's important to look at things in a perspective different than yours to become very wise."