I have heard these sentences more times than Principal Scott Bacon has yelled, “I’m fired up!”

“I don’t care.”

“This doesn’t matter.”

“I’m so done.”

“I’m not even going to try.”

I don’t know where this lack of emotion toward seemingly everything came from.

Students apparently are so beaten down that the only way to survive is to hold the world at an arm’s length in a gray apathy.

And, being real, I’ve said all of those sentences on my off days or even when I’m annoyed, but I didn’t understand the weight those words carry.

We as students don’t realize how thinking, “I’m not going to study for my Biology test — this won’t matter,” really affects our minds.

We don’t do our homework, which leads to not studying, causing grades to drop. Now, this isn’t a sure-fire model, but there is a lot of truth to how the dominoes fall.

As a general rule, high schoolers are full of angst. Unwarranted, all-consuming, overly-dramatic angst.

Yes, you are so consumed with other things that the “silly” ACT isn’t worth studying for. That your future shouldn’t be decided by some standardized test. That the education system is so flawed it’s not even worth trying.

So, that’s what you can tell a future employer in a job interview when applying to be a fry cook.

Like it or not, it will pay off to care about your grades. Angst won’t be a legitimate reason you’re struggling to pay bills.

Our future is most likely decided by the amount of effort we put in now.

I would rather do the heavy lifting during high school than in a couple of years when even the semblance of a dream job is out of sight.

As corny as it sounds, actually caring will help achieve your aspirations, and, personally, I find it much more interesting to be around people with a passion for life.

Apathy is boring, and — sidetracking a bit — I’ve noticed when people get so wrapped up in their indifference to school or whatever it is they don’t care about, it bleeds into other aspects of life.

Suddenly friends aren’t as important, and that sport you used to pour your heart and soul into is just another obligation after school.

Is that how our generation will be remembered? As a series of shrugs and noncommittal grunts?

Was it really so difficult to see the meaning in things you once held dear now that nothing is even worth a second glance?

Stop not caring because it is such an awful way to live.

Check up on friends you haven’t talked to in a while.

Actually do your homework, not because it is exciting, but because it could make life better when it gets you an A on that test.

Find something you are passionate about, and pursue it with all you have.

Stop using the flaws in our education system as an easy pass on not trying because at the end of the day, they aren’t the problem — you are.

Once there is something in your life you care about, it is amazing how color can return to the gray world you’ve locked yourself up in.