In just over a week, I will be starting a new chapter of my life: college. As I pack eighteen years’ worth of belongings into two carry-on suitcases, two check-in backs, and a backpack, I cannot help but to be reminded of the memories behind each item—the headphones that served me throughout online school, the dance shoes that have accompanied me on every performance, the mug my best friend gave me for my eighteenth birthday.
Most of these memories are of high school—doing chemistry over zoom, studying for AP tests with friends, going out way too much after hitting that last submit button on my college applications.
High school was the biggest time of growth for me (so far). I transformed from a shy girl who sat quietly in the back of the classroom to the one who willingly claimed the front row seat and was no longer afraid to ask questions. Yes, that might have partly been Zoom school destroying my ability to see the board from the back of the room, but I do like to think that I developed some courage as I find myself getting more comfortable approaching teachers for questions—not to mention that I continued claiming the front row seats after getting night contacts.
Beyond my classroom participation, high school also taught me to actively search for study techniques that work for me. APUSH taught me how to annotate articles, Analysis shoed me how practice tests can help prepare for exams, Calculus taught me that index cards are incredibly useful for learning and remembering formulas, Econ revealed that study guides on card stock paper is a good way to review for exams, and AP Lit taught me to thoroughly highlight and annotate a work of literature to pick up on its nuances. While every class requires different study techniques, I am grateful for the experience high school gave me in finding some of these techniques, and I hope to carry this experience with me as I navigate my study habits in college.
However, learning does often come with regrets, and I am not exception. My high school experience had its fair share of regrets, with the two biggest being not continuing to compete in dance and not exploring clubs earlier.
1) Not continuing to dance competitively. I have been learning Chinese Classical Dance since preschool and have continued it to this day. However, around my junior year, I succumbed to parental pressure to quit competitive dance and settled for solo performances once a year at my studio’s annual showcase. As someone who relishes being on stage, I miss the opportunity to share that experience with my teammates in group choreographies and to feel the rush of adrenaline backstage during dance competitions.
2) Not exploring clubs earlier. When I entered high school, I could not name a single person that I knew very well, which made club meetings feel intimidating as I amidst the various cliques. In my junior year, I mustered the courage to join Gunn Aeronautics Associations. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I built a rocket for the first time, learned to use the maker space’s equipment, and found a group of supportive peers who shared my interest in engineering. I have gained so much from that club—if onlyI had joined sooner.
Ultimately, these regrets and learning experiences have shaped who I am in the present. As I embark on the next chapter of my life, I hope to carry these important lessons with me. More importantly, I hope to not leave behind more regrets.