By: Lucia Gabriel

As graduation nears, many seniors look back on their freshman year of high school and realize how much they have changed. What were once challenges four years ago helped them grow into the seniors they now are. 

Many seniors entered high school with similar expectations to each other, and they thought it would be academically challenging. Reva Wolchok, a senior at Ponte Vedra High School (PVHS), said, “I expected high school to be very intense and difficult, and also expected a very active social life. I don’t see high school as very academically intense anymore. Classes are hard, but I know that college will be harder.” She explained that her academic goals shifted from just getting all A’s to truly learning what she is interested in. Baxly Hines, a senior at PVHS, expected high school to be really hard, so he prepared for this by creating a study schedule that worked for him. He said, “I came up with a study plan and started using a planner which made everything easier for me.” 

Shin, a senior at PVHS, explained that she thought that high school was going to be harder than how it turned out to be, so she found ways to deal with the rigor. She said, “I used to be really invested in AP classes until they became too consuming for me, and I realized that I wanted to go to college for softball.” 

Eva Garcia, a senior at PVHS, entered her freshman year nervous about the social aspects of high school because she was afraid that it would be difficult to make friends. She said, “I was scared because I came from a small, private school and had no idea how high school even works. I felt that the change was going to be scary because I wasn’t going to make any friends but instead, I have made countless friends and memories at PVHS and now see that everything will always work out.” She explained that during her experience in high school she learned to stop being invested into what other people think of her.  

After four years, many seniors participated in extracurricular activities that interested them. Garcia explained that doing sports, such as cross country and ballet, helped her to manage school and sports while also making new friends. Wolchock said, “Most of my best friends came from dance. Also, a lot of my extracurriculars were rooted in my Jewish identity, so they made me truly understand my own values.”  

The goals of seniors for their lives after graduating high school have changed throughout the years. Garcia said, “Freshman year, I was so focused on adjusting to the high school life, but over time my goals became more about building skills that I’ll use in the real world and preparing to go to college.” Wolchok explained that her goals for her future have also changed. “Before coming into high school, I wanted to be a veterinarian but now I want to do business. High school has taught me how much I like networking and using social connections to succeed.” Hines said, “My plans for the future were going to college and becoming a doctor. It wasn’t the plan that changed, but it was more how I am going to achieve this. I set up small goals at the University of Florida on what I need to do and hopefully set myself up for medical school in the near future.” 

Students were able to overcome difficult personal challenges. Garcia struggled with public speaking and presentations but explained that after taking American Sign Language all throughout high school, her anxiety reduced, and she was able to approach presenting with more confidence. “I became more social and talkative, and noticed that when I acted like my true self around people, it’s easier to stay social. With this I was able to build many friendships,” she said. Shin explained that she gained trust in herself, saying, “I now don’t care as much about what others think, and I believe that’s something everyone should do.” Wolchok’s perspective on friendships changed during the past few years, saying, “I understand how important relationships are for mental health. My friends are always there for me, and I look forward to finding meaningful friendships in college.” 

After years of difficult classes, demanding extracurriculars, and many lessons learned, they now have goals of what truly interests them for the future.  

Graphic by Philip Berkwit