By:Oumou Bah-OwlFeed

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Taking honors and Advanced Placement classes are no joke and definitely take up some of your time and sometimes your sanity. But it is definitely worth it in the end!

If you are thinking of taking honors or Advanced Placement classes but shy away from the actual commitment of signing up for them, don’t! Do not let yourself believe that it will be too difficult or a waste of your time. Honors and AP classes will only benefit you in the long run.

Taking honors classes is no different than taking a regular class; you learn the same material and on occasion take the same final. The only difference is the pace of how you learn that material. Honors classes are much faster. Often the material that regular classes learn in a whole year, honors classes learn in a semester.

Again, do not think you can’t do it. Agua Fria teachers have made it their priority for you to learn and understand the concept they are teaching you. Whether you have to stay for tutoring for extra help is completely acceptable and actually the smart thing to do. Tutoring allows for you to grow as a student and flourish in class.

As for AP, a quick disclaimer: AP is STRESSFUL and at times you want to kick yourself for putting yourself through it. However, AP is honestly the best way you can give yourself a college experience.

Whether you’re going to a post-secondary education after high school or not, AP helps you in every way. AP helps you realize that time management and deadlines are a critical part of life. As well as understanding and adapting to the fact that, after high school, you will not be babied or constantly reminded to be on top of your homework or reading or even notes.

Being in AP classes gives you the freedom and independence to do things your own way but it also comes with the responsibility of knowing that you have stuff to complete and it is up to you to do it. Although this may sound a bit harsh, you have to realize the fact that it is reality.

However, before facing that reality, take honors and AP classes because you will have teachers who care for your success there at your side constantly helping you if they’re needed. Also, you get a taste of how 50% of college life will be like and you can learn how to make adjustments to your lifestyle so you can live an almost stress-free life in college.

Additionally, taking AP classes allows you to take the AP test. You might say “Eww, more tests, ick,” but this test has benefits. The AP test gives you college credit in the subject you are testing on if you score a 3 or higher, depending on what college you attend. Imagine that: being able to just skip English 101 your freshmen year and save money on a class you do not need just because you took AP. How sweet and blissful does that sound?