Before we go onto college, trade school, or whatever path life leads us on, our seniors have reflections to share on their Skyline experience.
Q: Most influential organization/magnet/sport that you joined?
A:
“Crew: my fondest memory isn’t just one day but going to practice every day with a group of dedicated people for the past four years. It really motivated me to workout and grow.”
– Grace Lee (‘23)
“I would say the football team. I enjoyed every part of it, even the losing seasons. I had fun bonding with my teammates and learning to become a brotherhood and going out to eat after summer practices. It was all fun and it means everything to me because I left an impact on the younger guys. “
– Mustafa Alhefady (‘23)
“The Health and Medicine magnet was the most influential for me. I have great memories of receiving our white coats and wearing our pins to take pictures. All the labs were extremely educational and informative, and the magnet room became a place where I could have fun and learn, all while contributing to what I’m interested in.”
– Rachel Wei (‘23)
The most influential group I was a part of was certainly the orchestra. Being a part of the orchestra was an extremely meaningful experience, as it was a way for me to pursue my hobby of playing music while becoming a part of an amazing community of friends. I’ve met some of the best people through orchestra, and I think the people are what give this activity so much meaning to me. My fondest memories are certainly from orchestra camp, a week-long experience before the start of school. From playing in the sand at Sleeping Bear Dunes to making impromptu skits and talking until sunset, there is certainly no shortage of amazing experiences that I’ve experienced through orchestra.
– Diego Del Rio (‘23)
Q: Describe any regrets you have looking back on high school:
A:
“I wish I had joined more clubs and gotten more involved with smaller organizations”
– Bella Simonte (‘23)
“I regret not taking advantage of the time given back when we had school online. If I were to go back, I would take APUSH. Additionally, I wish to have planned out my 4-year schedule starting even before high school, because I had to take a couple of classes online and additional classes outside of school in order to get my graduation requirements. For extracurriculars, I wish to have explored more in different clubs such as joining DECA and HOSA.”
– Wei
My biggest regret of high school would probably be limiting myself in terms of the activities I chose to do. I chose to do an activity that had an extremely large time commitment, and I regret not being able to pursue my own passions and explore my individual interests as a result of committing my time to activities I enjoyed less.
– Del Rio
“I wish I’d found a club I liked. I tried a bunch throughout the years and never found one that was a good fit for me”
– El Myers (‘23)
“Not taking AP Chem Junior year”
– Grace Lee (‘23)
Q: What is your advice to Skyline students who are younger than you?
A:
“If you feel like people are drifting away from you, let them. You need to erase the idea of “friend groups” and look beyond the group aspect. You’ll find someone who serves a good purpose. Stop holding onto the people who exhaust you, the people who don’t like you, the people who you have to make plans with first in order to get invited. There is nothing more detrimental to your well-being than being surrounded by people who make you feel alone. You deserve the world. You deserve everything. You deserve to feel wanted.”
– Julia Sitz (‘23)
“Focus on school but it’s ok to be silly sometimes.”
– Caroline Theiss (‘23)
“I think the biggest thing academically is making sure to plan out the classes through senior year as soon as possible. I’d also say it’s extremely important not to restrict yourself to certain activities or what others are doing; feel comfortable with exploring your own interests and trying new things. And when it comes to academic or administrative issues, never be afraid to ask questions — you already start off without knowing the answer, and the worst that can happen is you return to where you started.”
– Del Rio
“Take your grades seriously but don’t forget to have a good time. Go to the games, find things outside of school, and branch out and meet new people.”
– Myers
“Try to get involved in activities that seem unorthodox. For example, instead of doing sports, model UN, or SAS, try volunteering at the humane society, teaching rec and ed soccer, or getting a job.”
– Simonte
