The reality fair this year focused on students and how their careers can shape their lives. Being an adult is stressful and high school students don’t really know what it’s like to experience the first-hand financial hardships that adults often face. The reality fair gives a taste of life in the real world. During the fair, each student is given a paper with their occupation and salary, and they then proceeded to spend money and learn how to keep track of their own finances. 

Though some students could say the fair was a bit confusing or not entirely applicable to their lives, it still got its general point across. A quiz was distributed throughout the school, where students were able to talk about their experiences. 52.2% of the students said that during the reality fair they had a very good experience. 47.8% of the students thought the fair was helpful but did not exceed the extremely helpful quota. 78.3% of students said that the fair sparked thoughts of interest in their future careers.  47.8% of students said that it was very likely they would start saving so they could invest in their future.

Though the numbers sound good, some students’ statements said otherwise. One student said, “Too many people and not enough reps. Which really slowed things down.” Another said, “it felt like an excuse to get out of class and that’s it.” While other students had a different perspective and felt like it was beneficial and crucial. “It was a good experience and I recommend all seniors and juniors to participate,” stated one student. On the other hand, another said, “No, it was an overall good experience. It’s very much appreciated and I would like to see it more often for the future generations.”

One can definitely say that the reality fair had mixed reviews both good and bad. Students see that there is definitely room for improvement so that it accommodates everyone’s standards. As a participant myself, with some improvement, I can say confidently that the fair can be helpful and informative. I know we could all say that the fair definitely gave us all a good dose of reality, which is well needed to prepare the class of 23’ to enter into the real world.