As the end of the school year swifty approaches, our senior class is preparing for the beginning of their adult lives, and now that Decision Day has passed, many students have made their college plans official. While the end of high school is both bittersweet and tumultuous, college brings about a wealth of new opportunities and represents a lifestyle full of free will and new beginnings for many, including for myself. In order to celebrate the hard work and dedication that has gone into the college application process and the reflection necessary to answer the ever-relevant question “Who do I want to be?”, I have interviewed two college-bound OPHS seniors as well as one alumni finishing freshman year of college. These individuals represent the greater body of Orchard Park students and are real-life examples of the bright futures that await us all.

I began the interview process with 12th grader Sofia Baker (she/her), who has committed to NYU for next fall’s semester. Sofia is enrolled in the liberal arts core program, which is formatted in a manner that allows students to explore their passions and interests for two years before declaring a major. Ultimately, she hopes to go into corporate law, but is excited for the flexibility that NYC offers. When asked why she hopes to pursue this field, Sofia answered that “the action of vocalizing your beliefs and trying to generate change” is what inspired her to go into law; she also spoke on her mother’s experiences as a Latina immigrant and her own experiences as a woman pursuing business. Sofia’s mother “was the first in her family to go to college, and education has been the way she’s found success in life,” and Sofia insists that without education, her mother, and by extension herself, would not be where they are today. At the end of the day, Sofia asserted that the rigor of college is something that she looks forward to, and she plans to relish not only the opportunity to be able to provide for herself early on, but also the diversity that the city and university promotes.

I also spoke to Savannah Shevlin (she/they) who is attending Kent State in the fall with a declared major in criminology and justice studies and a minor in sculpture. For Savannah, one of the defining factors in her choice was the university’s historical background with the Vietnam War, which fostered a sense of community and created a connection between her Vietnamese heritage and the campus. They insist that it was a sophomore year Forensics class at their old school that convinced them to go into the field, but she has admittedly always been “obsessed with the detective side of things,” and hopes to “be there to make a change and help people” in her future career.  In addition to this, much of Savannah’s family consists of immigrants who have greatly inspired her with their hard work and influenced her desire to attend a four year university.  However, beyond familial influence, Savannah also hopes to continue her passion for learning in order to educate herself and others, and while this is a big step in Savannah’s journey, she admits that the change might not be entirely life-changing considering her already transient childhood.  They have attended eight different schools and have lived in over twenty houses throughout their life, providing them with an extremely unique perspective on life, and just the right amount of experience and excitement to thrive in college.  

Finally, I ended my interviews with Mia Pandža (she/they), a freshman at SUNY Brockport and a 2022 Orchard Park graduate.  As they finish their freshman year, Mia offers us insight on what the college life many of us will soon be living is really like.  She is studying English with a concentration in literature and a minor in art history, and has been passionate about this field since she was in elementary school.  When asked about the major differences between college and high school they admit that the workload is “definitely more than high school, and a lot of the times the weighting is greater”, however, they back this up by insisting that most of the professors are much more relaxed and the relationships you build with them are less formal and more personal.  Mia reminded me that while college can seem daunting, “everyone is in the same boat,” and despite the challenges that come with leaving home and living on your own, the kindness of your peers and professors will make your experience worthwhile.

Ultimately, regardless of whether students choose to attend a four year university, take a gap year, attend trade school, or go directly into the workforce, their choice will lead them on the path to their own success and fulfillment.  Let these students and others be a reminder to us to celebrate not only ourselves but also the accomplishments of our peers and community members, who have put the work in to create futures for themselves, whatever that may mean.  Congratulations class of 2023; I look forward to seeing where life takes you!