I started off in this high school as the usual awkward tween with a slight stache and eyebrows that were not taken care of. Fast forward 4 years and not much has changed but the stache is gone and the eyebrows are more defined. So, I guess you could say I improved. Although I did not think I would learn many life lessons through high school, I have learned some things that I will surprisingly keep in mind as I grow older.

First of all, I have learned how to perfect my procrastination. This is a skill which I am especially proud of and will be utilizing throughout my entire life. I learned how to chill to the extreme and to not stress about most things, which I think can improve your life more than you could think. Freshman and sophomore year you might be self-conscious and care what people think about you, but most people are probably too busy worrying about what people think of themselves to judge others, so you do you. By the time you get to senior year, motivation is at an all time low, you never knew you could be as impatient as you are, you dress DRAMATICALLY worse, but push through it!!!

I think it’s important to step out of your comfort zone to meet new people and find different interests. Sophomore year I joined Cross Country which was out of my comfort zone because I was, and still am, incapable of running. However, I made some amazing friends and memories that made the pain worth it. By far my favorite class has been The Web, and I suggest everyone to take this class. I have met some unique and fun people through this class while learning (!!!) and had the privilege of meeting THE Darin Johnson, the pettiest teacher at Ames High. My advice for high school would be to not take your true homies for granted, stay focused, and slightly roast people anytime you have the chance to.

I plan to go to University of Iowa to major in Biomedical Engineering on a Pre-med track. I’m excited to see how the freshman 15 or 50, however it works out, hits me. As many times as I have repeated “I can’t wait to graduate,” I will truly miss being a student at this school that is 2nd to Shanghai, China.