a-dianwen

My High School Years

“Life is not a narrative with a beginning, middle, and an end. It is more like a collection of vivid constellations.” – Governor’s School East 2011 And by Ayn Rand’s objectivism philosophy, those constellations we recall are independent from re al ity. I’d like to share some visual representations of my interactions with reality. Naw… just kidding. Bump the fancy diction. But, I started high school with a bang, sleeping in classes and participating in Key Club, Cross Country, and Track. Outside of school, I was still a hungry, greedy, fat, lazy person. I ate candy, slept, and hung out with my whacky friends. I remember getting drawn on after passing out. I remember parasailing, getting corn rows, ` and cruising with my friend Mike in the Caribbeans two winters in a row. I remember smelling incense at a Buddhist temple in China. Freshmen and sophomore year was a blur of classes, work, and vacation. My most memorable year was definitely junior year. Working through AP Chem wasn’t so bad after AP Bio with Townsend. My intelligent classmates helped me work through the course. Aside from countless nights spent writing lab reports, I enjoyed it. In fact, all the tedious work helped me appreciate science even more. When you invest so much time in a single course it’s natural to either love or hate the subject. In fact, I’d like to pursue biomedical engineering and electrical engineering my next four years. Of my four years in high school, my most vivid memories originate from Governor’s School. This six week summer program sends approximately 600 high school sophomores and juniors to either Meredith or Salem College to study a specific topic. I attended Governor’s School East at Meredith for math – stereotypical for an Asian. But actually, there were more white people than yellow people in my classes. In my six weeks over the summer, I grew so much as an individual. I became more tolerant of beliefs, more socially liberal, and more culturally aware. I met extraordinary people. Out of the twenty-some people on my hall, we had three Parks Scholars, two full rides to Wake Forest, a full ride to John Hopkins, a Princeton, an MIT, and several Dukes. Some of my Governor’s School friends are now my closest friends. I had a blast studying number theory, graph theory, and quantum physics, discussing philosophy, and spending time with such dynamic and diverse people. It was an experience of a lifetime. Senior year flew by. Classes, skiing, spending time with friends, classes, prom, and now rowing (I want to join crew next year!). I really didn’t learn anything except in English and Music Theory. But I definitely enjoyed those classes. The iBand project in Music Theory was such a creative way to apply knowledge. And, well, this project is pretty fun to. Reminiscing on four years of my life is helpful for self-reflection, something I’ve been attempting this year with the extra time on my hands. As I leave this school, memories of my four years will linger for much longer. I’ll remember all the great friends I made, all the fun I had, and all the influential figures I have met (Hi Ms. Kramer). My high school experience has shaped my attitudes and my prospects. I don’t know how much of that I’ll retain, but I’ve definitely experienced personal gain. I wish the best for everyone next year, no matter where we’ll be.

Animoto: http://animoto.com/play/dX2Xgu1eCfWs4I1xfgrB5w