“Dear Pitman… I write about the reality behind the Senior Unknown…”
The lower classmen look up to the Senior, and they say, “You’re pretty much done.” It’s an ironic statement, a statement taken for granted, The Senior classmen every year struggle against themselves, against their surroundings; it may just be one of the hardest years of a young person’s life. It’s incredulous to acknowledge how much five hundred plus kids that walk about our campus carry on their chest. It’s a lot of pressure on a sixteen/ seventeen year old, but it’s a reality for the high school Senior to simply question the complexity of adulthood…
I ask, “What do you want to be?” to several seniors interviewed. They answer with certainty that they want to pursue something. “Do you understand the process to achieve your dream/ goal?” They have a vague idea. The beauty of the human lies in the ability to dream, to push for something better, to try and paint a picture even when there isn’t enough light. Seniors are visionaries indeed.
What’s understood about the process lies with the same vague information given by the common counselor’s presentation. Seniors know: you “need good grades”, “…you probably shouldn’t wait around for all four years”, “…you’re gonna change your major, no doubt”, “Once you have your goals set, you’ll be more focused on how to succeed…”, or they simply are not well informed on how to succeed in high school or in life. Some have a plan, such as our Jordan Gonzalez, who has acquired a full ride as a baseball player at U.O.P., yet in the majority, including our David Gallardo, seniors look for a bright future, with optimistic perspectives, a vague plan, and plenty of optimism.
“How have you prepared for life after high school and how has it helped?” I inquire. The spectrum of answers range widely. Sports players may say they focused on their passion for becoming professionals, and confess to starting early during their freshmen year and inquiring what it took to get into college with a sports scholarship. They look at the A-G requirements, look at the UC general requirements, attempt descent grades, plan the SAT/ACT, play their sport at school and outside (travel teams, competitive, etc.) On a more academic spectrum, fellow seniors, such as our own Angel Garcia, simply find ways to apply themselves to a rigorous coursework, while balancing extracurriculars (sports, volunteer work, career-oriented clubs, interest clubs, etc.). Seniors struggle to perfect themselves, knowing there will always be room to improve.
On a less idealistic note, “Lucy” (anonymous Senior interviewed) describes a cold truth: “Probably like half or so of then aren’t sure how to get there and haven’t prepared themselves either…they just wait until senior year…” Some do an activity or volunteering without actually understanding how it has impacted them; others do nothing large (academically or as an extracurricular).
“Why? What influences your outcome?” “I come from low-income”, “My family has no way of getting out of what we’re going through…”, “My situation at home made me want to prove I can succeed/get across it…”, and primarily, “how friends influence you” and the level of strictness from parents” were common answers. It’s not a surprise humans are affected by their environment, especially now in an economic recession. Many have reached poverty levels, had to matured, work. They fear for their family, so they place themselves into the workforce/ trade school pathway.
Others may simply claim that school isn’t for them. They don’t hold regrets about not attending college; they live in the present, where they need to get ahead the fastest way possible. “You can’t overlook the money factor,” anonymous source “Ken” says. Money drives many into pursuing things such as higher education. Is there passion? Sometimes yes, sometimes no… Others have serious and depressive issues at home, which either push them to want success beyond reason. “Ken” confesses that , “…people go home to get a break, I and others come here to get a break from home…” Friendships and relationships also majorly influence our fellow Seniors. Some feel motivated by their crowd of friends, others feel they don’t really have honest relationships with friends, while others have friends “to hang out with, not tell me what to do.”
There are confessions that friends often influenced how hard or how soon to try and start looking into one’s future. It’s nerve-wrecking to acknowledge this. Our future is delicate and precious; leaving it to float and be molded by foreign hands turns into a costly mistake for many…
To be continued…
