High School Reflection

Year 1:

As a middle schooler at DCIS I couldnt wait for the chance to finally be a high schooler

and all the exciting opportunities Id have. I was filled with naive curiosity and boundless

positivity that pushed me to have the work ethic I had throughout high school. That mentality

was tested the most when I took geometry. It was the first time I had ever really struggled in a

class, and also the first time I felt like I wanted to give up at school. Before this experience math

had never really been my strongest subject, but I wanted the challenge myself and so I signed up

to take honors geometry. In addition to my other honors classes, I had a difficult time with the

geometry teacher and ultimately ended up suffering academically. As my grade dipped I learned

a valuable lesson that has stuck with me to this day. No matter what, its always okay to ask for

help. It doesnt mean youre weak, and it definitely doesnt mean youre dumb. This life lesson

was a tough start to my freshman year and overall high school experience but it made me

stronger Despite this defeat I still managed to pull of going from a B second semester in

geometry to an A, and I also learned more about my resilience through the process.

I played volleyball for the first time at Thomas Jefferson high school and got on the

varsity team for soccer. Although there was a big commitment playing for TJ, I loved meeting

new people and expanding my social circle with people who lived nearby. Ill never forget how

intense games were or how organized I had to be to finish all my homework late at night. The

drive to play sports and still maintain good grades still amazes me. That being said, not

everything was a piece of cake. My freshman year I took AP Human Geography and as my first

AP class I was consumed by the stress of the exam. Even though I performed well on the test, the

pressure of doing AP work was both exciting because it pushed me and terrifying because
everyone was so competitive. Even by senior year I have not grown more fond of AP exams, but

I am still glad I took AP classes because they challenged me the most.

As a freshman I also began The Blossom Project and from then on took on the label of

feminist with pride. I had never had this type of exposure to critical thinking about gender in a

sociopolitical context, but if it wasnt for The Blossom Project Id be a much different person.

This organization laid the groundwork for what I wanted to do in high school and was a

supplement to all the work I was doing in school. Not only was I becoming more aware, but I

also got a perspective that made me question what I was involved in with school and how I could

elevate my critical thinking to be more inclusive and thoughtful. An example of this is when we

held an event with Gloria Steinem as our keynote speaker. Having the chance to interact with

such an amazing role model showed me how I could be an outspoken leader and activist. That

experience still inspires me, and I carried the energy from that encounter to fuel other endeavours

I pursued in high school.

As the cherry on top for my freshman year of high school I went on a once n a lifetime

trip to study in Beijing China for a month. I was one of only three students selected from DCIS

and the prestige of going was not lost on me. For one, it was a full ride scholarship and on top of

that it had been my dream to visit China ever since I was little. After completing my fourth year

of Chinese at DCIS I took a trip that taught me how to see myself in a different way. That

experience is what I wrote my college essay on, and what encouraged me to continue to study

Chinese and take a moment to understand my identity.

Year 2:
 Off the high of travelling in the summer, my sophomore year was basically a continuation

of my freshman year. School, sports, and homework became the rhythm I fell into all first

semester. I loved some parts of it but I also struggled. APUSH was my favorite class that year

and I thrived off the challenge of writing essays and reading every week. On the other hand,

chemistry that year tested me, but I still never really enjoyed the class. Much like geometry the

year before I couldnt seem to get the material easily and for that reason I stayed up really late

most nights to do homework and study. Other than school, sports and extracurriculars stayed the

same for me. I still played volleyball and varsity soccer, and took part in all the same clubs.

There were only brief moments where I poked my head up from my daily monotony and

that included applying as a National Western volunteer and going to Canyonlands, UT with Ms.

FD. Both experiences were a break from school and although volunteering wasnt quite the break

that the Utah trip was, each one let me experience a new environment and grow as a student and

person. Being at the National Western Stock show connected me with so many new people and

taught me a lot about agricultural life that I never wouldve learned otherwise. The Canyonlands

trip was a getaway I needed and a chance to bond with people I now consider lifelong friends.

As I look back, my sophomore year was the relaxing and carefree year of high school.

Sure, I had a lot of work to do but I never felt like I could never do it. That being said, I

maintained my drive to perform well in school and look for opportunities to learn and grow. One

of these experiences was when I started working for an immigration law office the summer after

my sophomore year. I had already done a lot of work in the Latino community through Latino

Student Alliance and to have a paid position doing work most people my age could never

imagine was such a gift. I stayed working at the law office until my senior year, and to this day it

is the main factor that has inspired me to pursue law, and being focused on social justice for
immigrant populations. In addition, the job also taught me a lot about responsibility and

confidence to hold my own in a professional setting. Picking up important documents, and

travelling to court offices made me see and understand a culture I was unfamiliar with. I am glad

I had the opportunity to push myself and working at the law office will always be a memory of

mine that I build upon.

Year 3:

My junior year was the most difficult year of high school for me. It mainly consisted of

stress, work, and pressure unlike anything I had ever experienced before. I was constantly

worried about my grades and getting into college, and I wished I had taken some more time to

slow down and enjoy the journey rather than the destination. My junior year I took three AP

classes and a concurrent enrollment class for Chinese through Metro. In the beginning of the year

I was excited to push myself and experience such a demanding schedule, but I came to the

conclusion that sometimes pushing myself too much slowly wears down my mental health. It

didnt help that I also took the ACT and the SAT that year, both of which I struggled a lot with.

The expectation to be well rounded and prepared for college at the same time strained my

relationship with my friends and made me feel alone. Personally, I had a hard time feeling like I

was good enough and I doubted myself many times because I kept telling myself that I

couldnt handle everything that was thrown my way during junior year. These feeling werent

helpful when I my personal life got shaken up when my grandma was in the hospital that winter,

but second semester I found the strength to continue to fight to keep up what I had already

worked so hard for.

 Even though I did have some trials and tribulations, there was definitely some highlights

that made my junior year special. First, instead of playing volleyball again at TJ, I decided to

take a crossfit class and continue throughout my first semester of the year. Although it felt like

extra stress at times, the chance to work out and learn something new was a great way to blow

off some steam. Additionally, I also travelled to China for the second time during spring break

and I loved it. I stayed in Kunming for two weeks with a host family and it was an adventure Ill

never forget because I needed to leave school for a little bit to clear my mind. Of course I still

had to do work and shadow classes at the school in Kunming, but the chance to be immersed in a

different culture for a little bit helped me recognize what was really important to me.

That year, I also participated in Challenge 5280 which gave me the opportunity to

collaborate with students and my community. Since our challenge was to improve the relations

between Denver police officers and DPS students, I got really active in community events that

brought together both groups. Additionally, I also made new friends and strengthened my

connection to other students and staff. One of my proudest moments with the program was when

we won a trip to Orlando Florida for the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) conference. The

experience was not only the trip of a lifetime, but I also got exposed to leaders and speakers

doing work that inspired me.

Year 4:

As my last year of high school, I came back from summer break feeling drained. Junior

year had already taken a lot out of me, and working all summer didnt help. I was couldnt wait

to start doing college stuff, but little did I know how much work that was going to be. Ill never

forget the intense pressure of getting ready for college applications and turning everything in, but
I think having a more relaxed schedule helped me enjoy being at school again. This relaxed

schedule included taking electives like drama, Native American Studies, and a media and pop

culture class. Not only were these class a way to relieve some of the stress caused by AP classes,

I also learned something new and got to take them with some of my favorite teachers.

In addition to the excitement of taking more electives, I also didnt do any sports or

physical activity first semester like I had done in the past. Although I didnt work off stress in the

same way, I found new outlets to express myself. This included playing guitar and getting more

involved in activities after school. Because I wanted to do a music supplement to send to

colleges, getting back to practicing guitar a lot and finally having the time to focus on it.

Additionally, during the election season I also volunteered to be a debate analyst and stayed after

school to participate.

As a whole, I am happy with how college acceptances went for me. I applied to nine

colleges and got into six of them. The work I put into to essays and scholarship applications was

worth it, and through the process I learned a lot about myself. Reflecting on my experience in

high school and overall life made me feel more sentimental about how far Ive come as a high

school senior.

Smith College was the school I really wanted to go to at the beginning of senior year and

after visiting I fell more in love. I am excited to start there in the fall and I am proud of all the

accomplishments Ive made to get there.