REALITY OF STUDENT DRAMA

As high school students, drama that may appear to an outsider as unimportant holds far more weight considering the fact that school is a huge part of our lives. High school is where young people make friends, socialize and maintain a routine. For four years, high school generally dictates teenagers’ lives, so it’s understandable that students would care a lot about the drama and gossip they’re exposed to. However, the amount of energy some put into the social climate and drama of high school is generally unnecessary and can be damaging, considering how little time the average person spends in this environment.

Overgeneralizing and ignoring the fact that high school drama can be incredibly serious can be damaging. Problems like bullying and abusive relationships are not uncommon in high school and should not be taken lightly. That being said, many instances of drama in high school consist of unfounded rumors about other students or their relationships, which, while still potentially serious, can be handled differently than how they typically are.

Physical fighting, further spreading rumors or involving more students than necessary are all unproductive yet frequently seen solutions that students take when in disagreements with peers, but there are easier solutions that will end in better results.

As part of his job, Dean of Students Joshua West works to help students overcome their disputes.

“If you’re dealing with something serious, utilize your resources. We have a great student service team: MultiTiered Systems of Support [staff members], social workers, counselors and Student Services,” West said.

When dealing with a problem, there are ways to assess whether it is important or not.

“Sometimes, people take some things that are happening outside of school and bring it to school, whether that’s social media or things with family,” West said. “I think a lot of our issues come from our ability or inability to have conflict resolution.”

The years students spend in high school are few but important, as lives change in a short period of time.

“It’s important that students are aware of the big picture. High school is only a small [part] of your life,” West said. “There are tons of things that are going to happen once this small [period] of time ends.”

With how much people’s lives change following high school, caring strongly about how people perceive you during this time is understandable but not worth dwelling over in the grand scheme of things, as it is such a short span of time.

High school is a major focus of students’ lives as they go through it. However, high school does not last very long and there is much more to experience once you graduate. Because of this, it’s important to not get hung up on drama. Use this time to have fun, set yourself up for success and grow as an individual.

Zoey Pozen

Andrew Valentini Broadcasting

Benjamin Warford Co-Sports & Activities Executive

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Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Editorial Board and are not necessarily the opinion of Kaneland administration, staff, students or parents. The Krier Editorial Board consists of designated Advanced Journalism students: Taylor Anello, Lilliana Bobé, Ethan Bollhoffer, Delaney Calabrese, Lyla Christakes, Dane Coyne, Samantha Dunne, Kira Helm, Tiffany Johnson, Rafika Khan, Jackson Kottmeyer, Elliot Krippelz, Abbey Mondi, Katie Pfotenhauer, Zoey Pozen, Lizzy Sidman, Kevin Sigrist, Andrew Valentini, Sela Valignota, Ashley Vanderhoff, Benjamin Warford, Paige Whiteside and Sofia Williams. Students make all publication decisions.

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