When walking through Edison High during passing, one may notice the same clusters of students moving together, day after day. Some groups laugh at the same inside jokes time, others barely change seats. This is no coincidence: Honors and AP classes—and tracking in general—typically keep the same students together, and this can be seen even in the hallways. Having a limited pool of Honors students creates a sense of familiarity in new classes, but it also makes groups of friends much smaller. You might not get to talk to as many students outside your classes, which can make it harder to meet new people. This limitation can affect who we become friends with and how we experience high school.
Students in academic classes often meet more classmates because these classes have the majority of the student body. They usually have larger friend groups and typically spend time with a wider range of students from a wider range of backgrounds and perspectives. Therefore, they end up having more practice talking to new people, like when they ask someone to be their partner or team up with a stranger on a project. I sometimes notice these students having genuine conversations with students they have never met, and I wonder how they get so comfortable so quickly.
My friend Suri Neoh ‘28 shows how this difference exists. Neoh takes both Honors and academic classes, and because of that, she knows many students across the school. I have seen Neoh start conversations with people she has just met, whereas I sometimes hesitate to talk to people I do not know. Watching Neoh talk to so many students made me think about how much more confident I could be if I got to know more people outside my classes. She shows that learning in a mix of different classes can help students make more friends and build stronger social skills.
High school is not just about grades. It is about learning to collaborate and understand other people, even when it is uncomfortable. Students in Honors or AP classes often spend a lot of time with the same small group of likeminded friends. While it may feel like a cozy bubble, it can also mean fewer chances to meet new people. Students in academic classes usually meet more classmates because the majority of the school goes to these classes, allowing them to practice social skills in various settings. Students often have to talk to people, figure out group work together, and sometimes even ask someone to partner up with them. Although I have felt nervous doing this, watching students like Neoh makes me realize that this communication is a skill I can get better at.
At Edison High, the level of classes we take often decides more than our schedules and test reviews. These classes determine who we spend our days with, our capability to make new friends, and whether our social circle stays small and familiar or opens up into new groups of people. Regardless of the rigor of your class, these experiences affect our character mentally and socially altogether.
High school is the place where we need to figure out how to work with different kinds of people, a skill we will need for the rest of our lives.