Throughout the month of August, many students waited anxiously for the small piece of paper that can dictate the difficulty of the year ahead. When this blue slip arrives in the mailbox, students can feel one of two ways.

REACTION ONE:  The common inclination to call your guidance counselor immediately because you got the teacher that upperclassmen have told you will tear your brain in two

Or,

REACTION TWO:   Feeling as though your wish upon a star was granted the night before and you so happened to score Mr. Easy-A for your AP or honors class.

While the curriculum may be the baseline for both teachers, the level of difficulty is often not based on the subject’s title or material itself. The teacher you are assigned ultimately determines your fate in that class. Now trust me, I’m not proposing that we assign orderly robo-teachers to run all classes. But, if the curriculum only allowed teachers to give a certain amount of work it would create a common ground.

The stigma around high school is to prepare for college and all-around life skills. I may not be the only one but, I’ve never met an adult that hasn’t had to deal with a boss or professor that has put them through struggles. If you are assigned a teacher that has the reputation for being a new level of terrifying, take it as a practice of an open mind. Coming into the first day of school with a negative mindset about your educator will make it a lot worse than it could be.

Upperclassmen will spread their unfortunate experiences with difficult teachers to every underclassman they can find. While it is extremely intimidating for someone to tell you that the way they teach will make you want to die, taking a step back into reality to weigh the positives and negatives can help to achieve more confidence in your future as a teacher who is viewed as “mean.”

As teenagers, many of us feed off drama to make themselves feel more secure. For those stuck with a difficult teacher, take it as the learning experience it should be. Remember that the year following you will be better educated than those who were “lucky enough” to get the easy instructor. There are always positive messages and lessons that you may never see. At some point in your life when strenuous situations arise, it will be easier to deal with them as you already have before adulthood.