Ryan Hudson is a senior here at FHC. He moved from Texas to Michigan in his freshman year and has made himself into something within the four years he has been here. He plays sports, he has jobs, and performs well academically. Ryan is a well-rounded student, athlete, and worker.
“I think it’s important for every high schooler to have a job at some point because you get money, which is good to have when you can drive and go out with your friends,” Ryan said. “Jobs also help get kids ready for a job after college.”
When Ryan first moved here, he did not know what to do with himself. His freshman year, he focused on growing his social circle instead of his academics. He later came to regret this because of its overall effect on his GPA. He had to spend the next three years of high school fixing his mistake. After ninth grade, Ryan realized that school needed to be prioritized from then on.
“My grades were a bit shaky in my freshman year because I was more focused on making friends than my schoolwork,” Ryan said. “But every year after that, I’ve been able to hold myself accountable and keep my grades up.”
After ninth grade, Ryan also began to focus on his sports and getting a job. He had played soccer prior to moving, and he joined tennis in his junior year.
Ryan immediately loved playing tennis and decided to do it for his senior year as well. Although he loved it, there were some struggles between his athletics and academics.
“The hardest part about balancing school and sports is actually with homework for me,” Ryan said. “I do my sport until six or seven in the evening, then you have to go home and eat, and by the time it’s eight o’clock, you’re starting your homework. When that’s done, you barely have any time for yourself.”
Ryan then began to focus on earning money for the rest of high school, which is when he decided to get a job. He got a job at a wedding venue, and he enjoys working there. He later figured out he needed to make more money because he was not being scheduled enough, so he decided to get a second job.
Ryan took on the challenge of getting a second job on top of his first one. His second job has him working in a cleaning business where he cleans houses and apartments. This way he could keep more busy while working for more money.
“I started working my first job because my friend recommended it to me, but since it’s a wedding venue, it’s only a couple of times a month when I get scheduled,” Ryan said. “I then got my other job, so I had more opportunities to make money during the week.”
Shortly after Ryan got two jobs, he learned how difficult this would all be. He had to balance work, sports, friends, and school.
Ryan figured out what he needed to do in order to keep his life in check, so he prioritized certain things over certain times of the year. This way, he was less stressed and could focus on the more important things.
“Most of my job, I go on leave of absence during the sports season, or I change my schedule so that I only work during the weekends or when I don’t have matches or practice,” Ryan said. “I learned to not let my busy schedule get too stressful for me to handle.”
There are a lot of things Ryan wishes he had been told before high school unfolded for him. He wishes he had gotten advice on how to deal with making a big move from state to state. Now, Ryan can be the one to give advice.
Ryan has learned so much in the four years he has lived in Michigan, and he has experiences he can share with people who have been in the same boat as him.
“Some advice I would give somebody who is moving is to get active in sports and clubs right away,” Ryan said. “Share interests when you meet as well, because I met my friend group through one of the friends I made on the soccer team when I first moved here. Now I’m rooming with him at college, so definitely meet people at things you like doing.”
