At HCP as a student for each grade level there are various assignments that might cause some stress.

Compared to middle school there are changes to student’s learning experiences as a freshman at a college preparatory high school. Learning how to write an essay in Jane Schaffer format, taking Cornell notes and using a scientific calculator are all necessary skills for success at this school but are often new concepts to freshmen.

“The most stressful assignment this year has been the ‘Gift of the Magi’ essay, because not only was it my first full essay I’ve ever written, it was my first Jane Schaffer essay,” Ryan Biggers said.

Freshmen Kwasha Lane finds the Oklahoma History practice FRQ’s very stressful, while Isaac Kabrick thinks the Oklahoma History summer reading was time-consuming as well and confusing.

Other freshmen have found difficulty with other classes and assignments.

Sophomores sometimes call the tenth grade “the hardest year ever.” With large amounts of homework every day and numerous tests to study for each week, memorization and retention, two things some sophomores struggle with, become a key factor in a student’s success.

Sophomores Vy Ha and David Messiah said the AP Chemistry polyatomic ions quizzes were very difficult for them. Dylan Davison and Stephani Moreno find studying for AP European History FRQ’s requires hard work and effort.

“The most stressful assignment this year has been the chemistry memorization for the polyatomic ions, because you have to remember exactly what numbers and symbols go with what elements, especially when making a compound,” Ha said.

Juniors at HCP claim that junior year is not as challenging as sophomore year, but requires more work. And then some say the whole year is just a mixture of hard and easy, but it’s not a year you want to be lazy.

Junior Vidale Watson said the AP English Language and Composition Crucible essay has been the most stressful for him so far, while Za’dasha Harris finds the AP United States History terms to be very stressful.

“The most stressful assignment for this year so far for me would have to be the U.S. terms in history, because you have to tell what or who it is, why it or they are important, and you have to be very detailed. But to some up the whole assignment memorization would have to be the hardest part,” Harris said.

Senior year at HCP is the “light at the end of the tunnel,” Amber Hall said. In addition to classwork, seniors have the task of submitting college and scholarship applications.

Senior Trey-von Childs says the AP English Literature and creative writing literary allusions group project was the most stressful for him and Shaladre Johnson said English class is the most stressful because of all the work.

The teachers recognize that schoolwork can be overwhelming, and offer advice on dealing with all the stress.

“Try to take time out at least once a day to do something you enjoy to let your brain detox for a couple of minutes, eat healthy, and most importantly get lots of rest,” said senior capstone teacher Elizabeth Silver.

Media Center Specialist Kristena Rudloff said to work on a little every day and for students to use their time wisely both at school and at home. Counselor Joe Hughes said to make a routine with doing the difficult assignments first at home, and at school to relieve stress he suggested students join different clubs to build a social life and skills.