A stack of unfinished homework, laying down trying not to fall asleep and studying all night long for a test the next day and regretting their decision to take an AP class is the stereotypical schedule of an AP student. This is not true for Jane Dubberke, senior, who enjoys the difficulty of her schedule.

Dubberke currently takes five AP courses. She said she enjoys her rigorous schedule because she views AP classes as a place to grow and learn with her peers. She said she does plan to attend college, yet it was not what she was thinking about when choosing her schedule.

“I chose my schedule because I really like learning and I just wanted to get as much information as I could from each of the subjects,” Dubberke said. “It’s not about awards, it’s mostly that it’s what I like doing. I’m happy with that it’s rewarding for me.”

7:45 am-8:34 am AP Physics: Dubberke’s first class is AP Physics. While Dubberke said this course is considered strenuous by many students, Dubberke enjoys starting the day off with a hard course. “I really like the people in the class and it’s really fun to work with everyone,” Dubberke said. “It sounds scary, but Mr. Bartin is such an awesome teacher. He really makes it an approachable subject.”

8:40 am-9:34 am Orchestra: Duberkke  said she likes having orchestra early because it gives her a needed mental break from the workload of her other classes. “It’s a nice way to ease into my day because I really like music and I get to be with people I have known for eight plus years,” Dubberke said. “I get some time to just relax and play music.”

9:40 am-10:29 am AP Psychology: Her day continues with AP Psychology, a course she has been interested in since freshman year. She said she is fascinated by the course because she has a growing passion for the brain. “AP Psych has been a fun course. I really wanted to take it when I started high school,” Dubberke said. “It’s really interesting to me how the brain works.”

10:35 am-11:24 am AP Lit & Comp: A class Dubberke originally had second thoughts on, yet now realizes it was a great decision. Dubberke enjoys the originality of the class. “I decided to go ahead and take the AP,” Dubberke said. “I thought I could always go down a level if I hated it, but I ended up really liking it. We do a lot of fun hands-on projects that other English courses don’t get to do. I also really like to read so it’s been a nice class for me.”

11:30 am-11:57 am Lunch: Dubberke then goes to eat lunch in her car. Where she enjoys spending quality time with her friends. She said they often chat while watching everyone leave the parking lot.

12:03 pm-12:52 pm AP German: Another course Dubberke wasn’t originally sure about, but she said her teacher Mr.Singleton makes it worth it. “I was a little bit unsure if I wanted to study German in college,” Dubberke said. “I wanted to do the field trip [to Hermann Missouri] so I decided to take it. I really like my teacher. He’s awesome. It’s nice to finish out my five years of German with the same people.”

12:57 pm-1:47 pm Cadet for Precalculus with Emily Werner: Dubberke decided to be a cadet this year and said she enjoys spending her time helping other students. It gives her a glimpse into what teaching is like. “I get to grade papers, and sit at her desk, pass papers out and do my own work too,” Dubberke said. “It’s been a really good experience. I’m glad I got to be a cadet.”

1:53 pm-2:42 pm AP Calculus: Dubberke especially loves math, which is why having AP Calculus senior year with peers she has known since elementary school is so special. “[I’ve] been in the same math class since fourth grade with some of these kids,” Dubberke said. “We all know each other really well and [are] super comfortable.”

2:42 pm-3:15 pm Mental Break: After a challenging yet rewarding day of AP courses, Dubberke gives herself a break before her packed schedule continues. She views it as a nice break and time to relax. “I like to give myself time to be on my phone and decompress,” Dubberke said. “I don’t want to go straight to homework.”

3:15 pm-8:30 pm Extracurriculars: Depending on the day Dubberke either has orchestra, tennis or Ultimate Frisbee. These extracurriculars can last until 8:30 pm.

8:30 pm-10:45 pm Mental Break and Homework: After her extracurriculars, Dubberke squeezes in time for a short mental break followed by her large load of homework. She then settles down for the day by reading and then goes to bed.

The opposite side of the spectrum, Jayme Wright, senior, has chosen a different path; she is currently taking three classes a day. Wright chose this schedule because she is going to cosmetology school and believed a simpler schedule was the right path for her. She also said she struggled with her mental health after having a full schedule her junior year.

“It was just easier on my path, because I’m doing cosmetology,” said Wright. “It’s just easier to maintain a focus on my mental [health] and balancing out school.”

7:45 am-8:34 am Multimedia Broadcasting: In the morning Wright said she doesn’t have much motivation to go to school. Which is why her first hour is difficult for her to get into the swing of things.“It’s really hard for me to wake up knowing I’m only going to school for three hours,” Wright said. “I don’t want to get up because it’s pointless,” Wright said. “I also like that because I’m not there long.”

8:40 am-9:34 am Psych: Wright’s second class of the day is Psych. When she was planning her schedule she said she was just trying to get the classes necessary. Since she is not going to college she didn’t think it was important to take more courses than needed. “I already have enough credits, so I was just trying to get enough classes as I could,” Wright said.  “I am going to cosmetology school, so I just didn’t want to do unnecessary classes.”

9:40 am-10:29 am English: When deciding her classes, Wright said she focused on getting her required courses. Which is why she had to take English her senior year. “[I wanted to get] required courses done so that you can have a schedule senior year that’s less stressful,” Wright said. “I was struggling with seven classes, so it’s just easier.”

10:35 am-11:30 am Mental Break: After her short day at school, Wright thinks it is important to take a mental break. She said it is nice to have such a short day. “I go home, and I will be up for an hour on my phone,” Wright said. “At 11:30 I go to sleep and I wake up around 3:00 pm.”

11:30 am -3:00 pm Nap 

3:00 pm-12:00 am Free Time:  After a short day of three regular classes, Wright said she does not have any homework. So instead, the rest of her day is spent with friends or watching television. “I don’t do anything else with my day,” Wright said. “I might hang out with friends and that’s it. I don’t do homework [because] I don’t really have homework.”

Both Dubberke and Wright chose their schedules because of their personal preferences. Dubberke is like other AP students and has a packed schedule yet said she thinks it is worth it. Wright said that a shorter  schedule was the best way for her to go, even if she wouldn’t recommend it to others.