After embarking on life after high school, students are given the option to enroll in college, enlist in the military, or become employed in the workforce. The Class of 2023 figureheads, including the SCA President, Class President, and the Valedictorian all chose to enroll, each at a different college.
Class of 2023 SCA President Emily Euler chose to attend James Madison University’s Honors College, majoring in chemistry and minoring in both mathematics and interdisciplinary studies.
“I chose JMU because of the honors college and I loved their chemistry department,” said Euler. “I plan to pursue a career as a researcher, possibly in environmental chemistry but am still figuring it out. There’s actually a lot of different careers in chemistry!”
As students adapt to a new environment in college, they might feel that their calling, or the career they hope to pursue in the future, has changed. In fact, President of the Class of 2023 RJ Mendoza has switched from a major in computer science to one in secondary history/social science education with plans to add a dual major in political science.
“As of right now, I’m split down the middle with two paths hence the two majors. Either I take my first major to become a teacher or I take the latter and strive for law school,” said Mendoza.
Not only does Class of 2023 Valedictorian Lucas Gordon double major in History & Social Science and Political Science at Virginia Wesleyan University, but he attends the Batten Honors College as well, which he describes as “a program I selected due to its emphasis on a liberal arts education, opportunities to study abroad, and its consistent support of teachers across the globe.”
“I’ve been working hard and studying the subjects that matter the most to me, in addition to forging friendships and relationships with members of the VWU faculty and community,” said Gordon. “I even made a foray into the local politics of Virginia Beach as an environmental justice advocate! I’ve truly tried to experience all that I can while I’ve been in college thus far, and I have no intentions of stopping.”
As the figureheads have moved on, they’ve noted that their college experiences, while each unique, have differed significantly from their time in high school.
“There’s definitely a lot more freedom but responsibilities too. You have to learn good self-control and balance,” said Euler.
In addition to re-establishing healthy values, these alumni have embraced trying new things as well.
“I’ve spent my first two semesters exploring various experiences ranging from different clubs like FASA, VSA, APASU, to traveling to different schools – UVA, VT, JMU, and Radford for events like flag football, to participating in leadership positions, such as Student Senator / Philanthropy chair, and topping it off with exploring Greek life with my fraternity, Sigma Pi,” said Mendoza.
While these Class of 2023 figureheads have moved on, they still understand the mayhem of high school.
“Make sure to enjoy your high school years as much as you can. I spent a lot of time stressing about the future and the truth is that it will all work out how it’s supposed to! Trust the process and do the best you can without overworking yourself. You got this,” said Euler.
Mendoza emphasizes the importance of self-care.
“Take care of yourself. Change isn’t the easiest thing to adapt to. If you’re going to a university, trade school, or taking a gap year, your life is going to change pretty rapidly. Don’t forget to sleep a full eight hours, maybe procrastinate, spend time with friends or alone, because burnouts for some reason hit harder [now] than they did at Salem,” said Mendoza.
Gordon has similar advice.
“I would have let myself breathe more. High school can be stressful, arranging everything you need to set yourself up for success in the future, but I can promise, from my own experiences, that everything is not as tough as it seems,” said Gordon. “Work hard, but relax: take a breather when you need it. There is so much more to life than just our professional lives, so please, go on an adventure every once in a while!”
