What are some accomplishments that you’re the most proud of?
Some accomplishments that I am most proud of are getting my research paper on social isolation and its correlation to memory and cognition published and as well as winning an award (also invited to a conference in Las Vegas) on my study of pluralistic ignorance in gender fluid emotion norms. Along with this, I am also proud of being a Gold Award Girl Scout, which took years of commitment and effort to finish all awards and the Girl Scout Gold Award.
Where do you hope to go to college, and why?
I hope to go to Johns Hopkins University. Johns Hopkins’s commitment to ground-breaking research solidified my desire to join JHU’s civil discourse on mental health, where I can draw upon past experiences to launch initiatives such as an undergraduate club version of Hopkins’ graduate ‘Mental Health Grad Network’. I aspire to build on these foundations by leveraging JHU’s resources with the end-goal of contributing to the growing body of public knowledge to help create an inclusive community that alleviates mental health crises and scarring that children, like me, face today.
Do you know what you want your future career to be? What have you done to get to that place?
I want to be a neurosurgeon as my future career. To get to that place I have done multiple published research papers on memory and cognition in adolescents, and conducted a study in pluralistic ignorance with 2 professors from prestigious universities. Along with this, I have interned at clinics, and hospitals, and interviewed multiple doctors for my nonprofit podcasts, where I learned different aspects of the medical field.
Do you think going to private school earlier played a part in how well you did at Clements?
Going to private school earlier played a huge role in my transition to Clements. I went to a small high school with not many students, and when I stepped into Clements, it was a complete game changer. Private school unfortunately did not play any positive role in my part in going into Clements, but it did prepare me academically and allowed me to take more advanced classes at an earlier age.
How were you able to balance your social life and academics?
I was able to find the right balance by always being attentive in school, paying attention in my classes, sticking to a schedule and never losing sight of my end goal. I have always prioritized my education above every other aspect in my life, but of course, with being a teenager, every teen wants to have their own high school experience outside of academics. The way I do it is listening in class and always taking notes, then when I come home I first do all my homework assignments and spend 20-30 minutes looking over any notes I took in my classes. After I do that, I move onto studying for any exams coming up and always study 3-4 days in advance instead of cramming at the last minute. Due to these strategies and being smart with the way I organized my priorities, I was able to have a social life and live that teenage experience.
What would you say are some benefits of going to Clements?
The biggest benefit I believe of going to Clements is that Clements may be a difficult school, but it gets each and every student ready for their college life, academic rigor, and the outside world when it comes to career pathways.
Would you go back and change anything about your experience?
Yes! I would go back and change how much time I spent stressing over little things that were out of my hands.
If you could pick one, what would you say was your most memorable experience in high school?
I think my most memorable experience in my 4 years at Clements High School has to be senior sunrise. Senior sunrise was an incredibly special experience to be because it marked the beginning of the last year of my time at Clements High School. Being there with my friends, seeing classmates I grew up with, talking to teachers that taught me in the past allowed me to look back and reflect on my time at Clements and how I grew as a person academically, emotionally and personally. Overall, it was such a fun experience waking up super early, grabbing coffee with my friends, and then meeting up and seeing the entire class of 2025 on one field wearing white and smiling. It marked a standpoint from how far I come and how much I have left to cherish my experience here at Clements.
What advice do you have for incoming freshmen or any underclassmen?
My advice for incoming freshman/underclassmen is to never be discouraged and give up. High school can be hard at times especially when it comes to juggling extra-curriculars, sports, classes, SAT/ACT and grades, but always remember to preserve and push through because at the end of the day it is worth it. Remember that it is best to struggle now and live a lavish life of comfort later rather than live the dream life and struggle for the rest of your journey.
