Greetings! Our popular Day in the Life series is back today, but with a twist – one of our high school students has written about not one, but TWO days in her life to share with us! It’s been awhile since we’ve done this, but we know parents are always curious about our high school, the work load, how students manage their time, what else they do besides school, etc. So let’s hear from Meg Campbell, a sophomore who started SLOCA in 5th grade. She recorded both a school and home day before the winter break:
Wednesday 11/30/16
5:55 am
My alarm goes off, which is unfortunate. But the sun that I know is glimmering on the fog and frost outside my window makes a good motivation to get out of bed. First things first: I open the blinds to that view. I grab my yoga mat and roll out in the living room.
7:00
I finish up yoga and shower.
7:30-8:00
It’s trash day, so I fill the trash and recycle bins and take them to the street. Then I get breakfast and head off to school. My dog, Lucie, is not happy about my departure.
8:30 am-3:30 pm
Today’s classes are Algebra 2, Chemistry, Literature, History, and Latin 3. All the regulars. In each class we are talking about the following, respectively: transformation of functions, naming ionic bonds, modernist poetry (This gives me a strange sense that I am betraying my beloved classics, and I have to give myself permission to love and learn from all eras.), twentieth-century China, future active and passive participles.
3:50-4
Home from school! The weather was chilly (I love). I check my email and grab a spoonful of peanut butter for snack.
4-5:45
I put on some Christmas music and head into the kitchen with my mom. We make macaroni and cheese casserole for our friends who just had a baby (Benjamin!! So adorable), and for ourselves we make turkey soup with broth and meat from our Thanksgiving bird. She is not as interested in Germanic Christian influence in twentieth-century China as I am, but she lets me ramble anyway.
5:45-6
I decide to start Anna Karenina. I map out how many pages I should read each day to finish in about two months (it’s thirteen pages per day, FYI). I also read the editor’s note and marvel over her understanding of language.
6-6:30
Algebra 2 homework, transformation of functions. It’s not my favorite subject, but at least this lesson is making sense. Thanks, Mr. Taylor!
6:30-6:50
I practice some Christmas hymns on the piano. I am trying to re-teach myself bass clef, and let’s just say that’s not going as smoothly as I had hoped. But I’m loving the challenge and celebrating Christmas is always great.
6:50-7
I clean up my room and make my bed (finally).
7-8:45
Youth group! 😀
8:45-9:15
I’ve been looking for a new workout plan. I decide on one and buy it fairly quickly, but I somehow spent half an hour on the computer anyways. Electronics are time vortexes, I swear.
9:15-10:30
That workout took way longer than I anticipated.
10:30-10:45
Brushing my teeth, washing my face, etc.
10:45-11:15
I read a chapter of an extra-curricular book, Eve in Exile, and my designated 13 pages of Anna Karenina. I am already in love.
11:15-11:35
I head into my parents’ room for our nightly prayers and recap of the day. Lucie is being very cute while she’s cuddling with me, and she makes it hard to get up and go to bed.
11:35-11:45
Last thing, then I get to drop into bed: journaling. And goodnight!
Thursday 12/1 (happy Christmas month!)
5:55 am
Yeesh…remind me again why I’m a morning person? Ditto to yesterday’s morning routine.
7-7:30
I shower and get dressed because I have to leave the house today *sigh*.
7:30-8
I pick up Eve in Exile again and read as I eat my breakfast (avocado in a tortilla…that is fantastic).
8-8:40
I try out some problems from our Chemistry worksheet. It goes fine, but I’ll definitely have some questions for class tomorrow.
8:40-8:45
I make myself some tea and dance around to the Christmas music that’s stuck in my head.
8:45-9:30
Moving on to Latin homework: reading a story and answering some questions. Somehow those words actually make a little sense, and I am very proud of myself.
9:30-10
Practicing piano again.
10-12
Women’s Bible Study–so many cute babies!
12-12:15 pm
I am starving, so I eat my leftover soup way too fast. Oops.
12:15-1
I flop on my bed with Anna Karenina and my dog. We chill for a while, and Lucie starts to fall asleep on my book. I’m certainly not that bored.
1:10-2:10
I avoid starting my history homework on the pretense of “cleaning” the kitchen. I chat with my mom a bit, then finally force myself to just sit down and do the work.
2:10-3:15
Oh wait! Another way to procrastinate! I workout.
3:15-3:45
I shower again because there’s people coming over tonight and I smell like sweat and death.
3:45-4
I talk at my mom again, and she wants to make sure I’ve finished all my schoolwork. I haven’t yet, so I get on that (at long last).
4-5:30
Seven pages of textbook reading, three ID/S, one page of cornell notes, and one accidental nap later, I’m done with history homework.
5:30-8
Home Fellowship Group. It's a smaller group tonight, only seventeen people. Usually we have around twenty-four.
8-10:20
My friends Maegan and Paige stay and chat. I was planning on making persimmon bread, but we haven’t been able to talk in a while, and it was much needed.
10:20-11
My mom tells them they have to leave. She’s a little upset because I didn’t get enough sleep last night (sorry, mom). But then I stay up talking with my parents and petting my doggo, anyway. We pray and say goodnight at about 11.
11-11:10
I’m dozing off while trying to journal. Didn’t last long.
11:15
I turn off my lights and am very grateful that school doesn't start till 9 on Fridays.
The weekend will be full of sleepovers, parties, Christmas caroling, and homework. In all honesty, I wouldn't trade taking time for school with anything. More than even time management or diligence, SLOCA High School has taught me how to love to learn. Not in spite of but because of school am I able to fully enjoy and engage in everything I do.
Thank you, Meg! Your love of learning shines through, and it’s clear that you are thriving at the high school, staying close to family, and working hard while enjoying life outside of school too. We appreciate this peek into your full life!
Parents, if you are interested in learning more about SLOCA's High School, there is a High School Open House coming up on February 6th. Stay tuned for more info in the weekly updates!
