I’ve created a survey that some students from Lafayette have filled out. I wanted to ask students how the school has affected them, so others can take a closer look at what others are feeling, and so students can also see that they aren’t alone and that they can relate to other students close to their age. I’ve collected data from my survey to create a story. All responses are anonymous and will remain anonymous.

I had to ask mostly yes or no questions, and from the results, many people think Lafayette is very nonchalant. And overall, the environment is positive and friendly. From personal experience, I’ve seen most people have a good group of friends. I’ve never really just seen someone all by themselves. And from the survey, the majority of students have someone they can go to for help or just to talk to. Another question I asked was if students feel safe at Lafayette and again the majority of the students said yes. And if the students’ mood decreases, increases, or stays the same while at school. And 54.5% said their mood stays the same at school, 27.3% said their mood decreases at school, and 18.2% increases at school.

Now, though most students’ mood stays the same from home to school, why do 27% of students’ mood decrease? Well, it seems the problem is homework; I asked if homework had ever negatively affected students. One student responded, “Yes, I always get so much stress from many of my classes, so many piles on very easily. I would think that I am ahead, and then the next day, I am up until 2 A.M. doing work. It can also affect your relationships with your parents.”

And I can relate to this person very much. If I’m out for a couple of days, I come back with piles of work, and I’m up late working on stuff. This can become very draining to students. Homework stops students from doing other things outside of school, like if they have a sport or job. Another student shared, “YES! It gives me so much stress every time I think about school. On weekends I’m stressed out thinking about whether I have any homework I forgot. Overall, homework makes me feel crowded and is usually the only thing on my mind.”

Another thing affecting people at Lafayette is drama. Most people have been involved in drama and have seen others in drama. This can affect friendships and relationships; honestly, nothing can stop the drama. Someone will always try to get under your skin or others, but is it worth your time and energy? NO! No, it’s not, and yes, it’s hard not to say something back, but everyone is going through something. Maybe that person is acting that way because they need help, so they want to bring others down. You have to keep to yourself, and others should too. The only thing that could improve this is being kind to people even if you don’t know them.

A positive thing about Lafayette is that many people are happy to go to school to see their friends, which is one of the main reasons I come. I’ve made new friends this year so far, and so have my friends. Even though some don’t have classes with many of their friends, there is time to see your friends between classes, lunch, mornings, and dismissal. One of the things I like about Lafayette is that most teachers let you talk with friends or even text. I think that it’s highly beneficial for students to be able to talk to their friends.