The end of the 2018 school year is rapidly approaching, and for the seniors, it will be a bittersweet end to their high school experiences. Although they will be leaving Choate and moving forward with their academic, athletic, and artistic careers, they will constantly have to refer back to the valuable lessons learned and knowledge gained throughout their Choate careers.
The wide variety of classes, sports, and extracurriculars that Choate provides makes it incredibly difficult to complete all of one’s desired courses in just four short years. Former school president Mpilo Norris ’18 commented, “As much as I loved my computer science class junior year, I probably should not have taken six classes. That was a dumb decision, especially with having lots of extracurriculars… someone also told me that you can’t have a complete Choate career without doing some sort of Choate production, so getting involved in the dramatic arts is something I could have done.” Norris explained that it is important to balance your academics, sports, and extracurriculars to stay ahead and truly enjoy the Choate experience.
In addition, nearly all the seniors who did not travel on a term abroad regretted their decision. “I haven’t been out of the United States too many times, so visiting a new country or a different culture would have been great,” stated Andres Ballesteros ’18.
While it is difficult to complete all that Choate has to offer, nearly all the seniors stressed the importance of having no regrets and being fearless when it comes to trying new courses or extracurriculars. “Just be yourself, and do what matters to you,” Ballesteros concluded.
Although some seniors missed opportunities to partake in the wide variety of classes and experiences that Choate has to offer, seniors entering their final term at Choate provided some valuable advice for all incoming or current freshman students. Matt Kim ’18 emphasized the importance of finding your own path as a freshman and socializing appropriately: “You shouldn’t care what other people think. Focus on what matters to you: conversing and enjoying the company of others is equally as important as schoolwork.”
Norris also provided some valuable advice to new students. He encouraged, “Be outgoing and get to know as many people as possible. Make more time to go out and take advantage of the social opportunities such as going to New Haven and traveling off campus with friends.” Hopefully, the incoming and current freshman can follow Kim’s and Norris’s valuable advice to make their own Choate career more memorable.
While each student must complete all required courses and experience a similar atmosphere, it is clear that every Choate experience is entirely unique. There are hundreds of students from outside of Connecticut and many more from different countries. Every student implements his or her own unique background and experience across the Choate campus.
In addition to Choate’s unique ability to create a diverse culture throughout the school, some of the most beneficial lessons can be learned by driving to school each day. Ballesteros reflected on the benefits and struggles of being a four-year day student: “One thing that made my Choate career pretty unique was my 45 minute commute to school in the morning and later that night. I’m sure there are a few other day students who share this situation, but I really had to learn how to manage my time well, especially because I cannot get homework done in a car. Having to get up at six or before every morning definitely isn’t ideal, but I think the experience will help in the future.”
It’s always difficult to see a group of friends, classmates, or teammates graduate, but it is exciting to know that they will be moving forward with their academic, athletic, or artistic careers and use all their Choate experiences. As United States senator Orrin Hatch said, “Graduation is not the end, it’s the beginning.” Good luck to the class of 2018.
