A Timeline of My Growth, Academically and Personally
I learned a lot in high school. Not even just through academics, but I learned a lot about trust, loyalty, and myself.
[+] I learned how important trust and honesty are as early as my freshman year. My friends, my teachers, my family, my teammates, they all deserve honesty, and with that comes trust.
[+] I learned the importance of loyalty even before I entered high school. My closest friends from sixth grade are still some of the people I’d stand with to this day; and I know they’d do the same for me.
[+] I learned more about myself through high school than I learned about Shakespeare in English class. I uncovered my goals, aspirations, strengths and weaknesses while at the same time holding straight A’s (until the last quarter of my senior year, my mother will never let me forget that).
High School
Wilmington High School
College
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
My first day at WPI, I knew I made the right choice. The people fall among the best, most intelligent people I know.
[+] The courses challenge me, which is what I need to be successful. I don’t like doing boring, meaningless work.
[+] Even in just my first year I had many successes and just as many failures that helped me further uncover my true goals and aspirations.
[+] I firmly believe that you become the people you surround yourself with; that’s why I love the people at WPI. They push me to be better in every aspect.
[+] The way WPI structures their academic year is with four 7-week terms, rather than the traditional two 14-week semesters. The courses cover the same material, but in half the amount of time. It’s challenging. It’s fast. It keeps me engaged and constantly learning, which I love. I also end up taking 6 courses (3 per term) in a semester rather than 5, which is the usual standard. This means I end up taking more classes than many other schools.
A lot of my life outside of school is taken up by knowledge seeking; certifications, online resources, practice, reading.
[+] In February 2020, I very impulsively bought a keyboard piano. I had never touched a piano. I played a little guitar as a kid and I was always interested in music, but to this day I have never taken a formal lesson for any instrument. As the pandemic slowly shut things down, I slowly began teaching myself music theory and how to play piano. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made to date, and in my very humble opinion, I’ve gotten pretty good.
[+] The pandemic taught me more than just how to play piano. I’d always struggled with the concept of having a purpose. What’s the point? Why are we here? Well, I had a lot of time to think while the entire world was locked down for nearly a year, and I came to this conclusion: everyone has their own purpose. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as it brings you satisfaction and joy. In my opinion, money alone wouldn’t bring me that satisfaction.
[+] I’ve always had a desire to help people; a desire to contribute to some cause that’s worth more than money and means something. I want to help, I want to make a positive difference, but I don’t necessarily need the credit. As long as I know what I’ve done and how I’ve made a difference, it doesn’t matter if anyone ever finds out. I’ll know. That’s enough.