Artist, filmmaker, businessman, actress, journalist – the list goes on and on. These roles are among the thousands that a West student can choose to fill after donning their graduation robes. Why, however, should a teenager have to make this life-altering decision mere months after beginning their time at West? This is a predicament that faced many freshmen this past month as they were forced to outline their plans for class registration for the next four years of their lives. Although they did not have to directly decide on any classes past sophomore year, the stress of knowing where all their requirements and desired courses lied felt equally as weighty.

As most of us know, the majority of core classes run in a track format. If you take one class as an ninth grader, your classes for the rest of your time in public school are decided, right then and there. For example, taking Earth Space Science as a freshman sets you on the “at-level” path.

You will take Biology as a sophomore, Chemistry as a junior, and so on. This kind of rigidity is what confines students into academic boxes. At-level, advanced, accelerated – we’re told where we fall at a young age and are never given the chance to make a change. Class registration further enforces these limitations, having us decide what “career clique” we fall into before we’re even sure ourselves.

As boring as it may sound, I have a great interest in entering economics or finance after high school. In order to prepare me for a major in one of these fields, I feel it is necessary to take at least three or four of the business courses offered. Given my current involvement in two electives I plan to pursue through senior year, and all of my required classes, I am left with only two free trimester spots to take business classes. I fear, as many freshmen do, that I will not be taken seriously by prospective colleges if I have not shown considerable interest in my desired field. Maybe this means I shouldn’t pursue economics. Maybe this means I should stick to something I’ve done more in high school. Should I major in music because I’m in band? Should I major in journalism because I want to be on newspaper staff? These are the kind of questions plaguing not only me but numerous freshmen this winter. Deciding what we want to be is a burdensome decision no matter what stage of life we’re in, never mind the added turbulence of being an adolescent.

In a perfect world, schedules would be flexible and a student’s position along the core class “ladder” could be easily modified if their learning level increased. A students’ readiness could be determined by an exam or teacher recommendation. Although these changes would come at a cost to the current ease of compiling schedules, these bumps could be smoothed over with time. Furthermore, an easier and more adaptable system for transferring classes is an integral step in alleviating registration woes. A midyear evaluation could aid in determining whether a student should move up or not. A process such as this one could ensure that every student is in an appropriate class for their learning level.

We are told that high school is our time to explore different career paths and find ourselves, but how are we meant to do that when we’re forced to decide what we’ll spend our time on at the very threshold of our teenage years? This is a flaw in the system. This is the flaw in the system. We are urged by the administration to get involved and find who we are, yet confined to a meager seven periods a day to do so. Flexible schedules are the key to flexible thinking.