SoDakArtist’s Elective Journey: How I Found My Own Path in School

What was your favorite subject in school?

By: SodakArtist

Not every student fits neatly into the traditional mold of school, and for me, it was clear from early on that my path would be anything but conventional. After the first half of my junior year, I wasn’t allowed back. It looked like the typical classroom setup just wasn’t meant for me. School had always felt like more of a place to socialize than study. By the end of my junior year, I was sitting at a solid D- average, mostly because homework wasn’t my thing. Studying? Forget it. With ADHD pulling my focus in every direction, I needed something more than lectures to keep my attention. I needed movement, energy, and a spark of creativity. That’s where electives came in.

When I look back, it’s easy to see why traditional subjects didn’t click. I’m a hands-on learner through and through, and back then, I had to be hooked to focus. Sitting in a desk, staring at the board, and cranking out assignments just didn’t resonate. And I’m sure I’m not alone in this. For those of us who don’t follow the typical path, who maybe didn’t thrive in math or history, there’s something so relatable in wanting to find a different way to learn. I wanted to prove to everyone that I wasn’t “dumb,” just uninterested in the structure they were pushing.

That’s why electives became my lifeline. When I was on school grounds, I took every elective I could get my hands on—art, drama, choir, P.E., band—you name it. Going into senior year, I was 21 credits shy of graduating, which seemed nearly impossible to make up. Back then, each class was worth two credits, so you’d earn about 16 credits a year. But I was determined. The more I learned about myself, the more I knew I could make it happen if I put my mind to it. And, despite the odds, I pulled it off. I graduated early with a 4.0 GPA for my senior year, turning my overall GPA into a respectable B or B-. To this day, I look back and smile, knowing I proved a whole school board wrong—I wasn’t struggling because I wasn’t capable; I just learned differently.

If I had to pick one class that made the biggest impact, it would be band. I was a serious band geek from the start. Back in sixth grade, I’d been playing first chair in jazz band in Casper, Wyoming, competing in college-level jazz competitions with my middle school bandmates. My band teacher, who also taught at the high school, saw potential in us and signed us up for these competitions if we sounded good enough. And we were good. We didn’t just participate; we held our own, placing as high as third overall. Not bad for a bunch of sixth graders going up against high school and college musicians! That jazz band was everything to me—an outlet, a community, and a chance to really shine. I credit a lot of that to my band teacher, who pushed us to be the best we could be.

But life changes, and we moved from Wyoming to South Dakota. When I arrived, I felt like I’d left a piece of myself behind. There was no jazz band, just marching band, and it wasn’t the same. It felt like losing a part of what made me excited about school, and I’ll admit my heart wasn’t in it. I skipped practice and wasn’t as dedicated as I had been before. Sometimes, when something you love isn’t there, it’s hard to stay motivated.

In high school, I kept filling my schedule with electives, and though I tried drama, choir, art, and P.E., none of them really took the place of jazz band. Then I stumbled into speech class. It wasn’t an obvious choice for me, but it quickly became a favorite. The funny thing was, I still didn’t do my homework. But with speech, I didn’t need to. I could write something up in fifteen minutes before class, hop up there with confidence, and ace it. Public speaking came naturally, and it gave me an outlet to express myself, my way. Looking back, speech taught me a lot about myself, including the importance of confidence and the power of words.

Electives were more than just classes; they were my escape and my path to something meaningful. They reminded me that learning doesn’t have to look one way and that you can find success and confidence in the things you’re passionate about, even if they don’t come from textbooks. For me, it was music, performance, and creative outlets like art. Every day, I’m grateful that I had these classes to carry me through when everything else felt out of reach.

For anyone who feels out of place in traditional classrooms, know there’s always another way. Find what lights you up, and follow that. We’re all wired differently, and sometimes the key is just finding what resonates with you. School may have ended for me a while ago, but the love for learning—the SodakArtists Way—is still going strong in every creative way that my mind can grasp.