Go to any Rocklin High School rally, and you’ll see three things: a sea of royal blue enveloping the gym, all four classes jumping and screaming as loudly as they can and all of your personal space flying out the window. The most distinct sight, however, may be the resounding and heartfelt reaction to Thompson’s opening cry: “We are Rocklin!” But what does that phrase really mean?

From the gym lobby filled with sports trophy upon sports trophy, to the multitude of different AP classes offered here, to the Club Rush that always leaves the amphitheater a jam-packed jumble, it is clear that our school is filled with diverse opportunities for all types of students.

However, being a highly accomplished school comes at a cost. The school culture makes it clear that for most, college comes before contentment. With a race for the highest GPA and a fight to see who can list the most activities they have been involved in on their college resume, it’s understandable that the Rocklin atmosphere scares many into focusing strictly on where they want to be in two or three or four years, and not on where they want to be right now. But is there a way to balance rigorous academia with pure enjoyment?

Luckily, many students understand this delicate balance, and have created clubs which blend both credit and pleasure.

For example, the Fiesta Club is a way to celebrate various Hispanic cultures through food and dancing, and can also be used to gain extra credit for Spanish classes.

“It’s mostly for fun…but extra credit is also a bonus,” said junior Cinthya Jauregui, one of the founders of the club.

On the other hand, some clubs have been designed to detach from school entirely. The Cloud Collective’s mission is to admire the simplest things in life, like watching the clouds in the sky.

When asked about the inspiration behind the club, co-president Alyssa Long, a senior, said that “[Ashley Hay and I] saw a TED talk in French class…about taking time to pause every once in awhile and look up at the sky, because it legitimizes doing nothing, and that’s healthy sometimes.”

Education is definitely important. But a high school experience shouldn’t just be determined by the GPA you receive at the end of senior year, or the college resumé built throughout these four years, but a sum of all the different experiences and relationships found within it. While pushing yourself as a student will help you in the long run, it is important to realize that life beyond academia is also meaningful.

And this isn’t to say that competitive/academic clubs are not valuable, because they are, and they deserve recognition in their own right. However, joining such a club should also provide a level of enjoyment for its members. Because, even for debaters or mock trialers, fun is important.

So please, find balance. Try to join clubs or sports that make going to school worthwhile for you, try to take classes that blend challenge and enjoyment. Because as much as this school stresses it, your grades are not everything. So only take the APs that you feel are truly necessary. Only join clubs that will be worth your time. Only join sports that you feel will help develop you as an athlete. School is important, but it is valueless if you get nothing out of it as a person.

Overall, this school is filled to the brim with achievement, prestige, and healthy competition. But just remember: striving for success never stops you from simply going outside and looking at clouds.