“Going to college has always felt very distant to me—it feels unreal that I’ll be graduating in almost a month. 

One of the most memorable parts of Bellaire is just how large the community is. Over 3,000 [students] is huge for a high school, but it’s also one of the reasons why we have so many amazing clubs. I’m a part of Maple Street Journal, and every year, we publish a unique journal representing Bellaire’s literary and artistic talent. The journal is such a great way to bring students together and showcase our school’s creativity because there are so many talented people at Bellaire who often don’t get the opportunity to share their works with a wider audience.

One of my greatest fears throughout high school was not knowing what I wanted to do in the future. I’m going to be majoring in electrical computer engineering at Rice [University] in the fall, but to be honest, I still have no idea where I’ll be four years from now. I’m someone who likes knowing what I’m doing with my life, so it’s pretty terrifying that I’m not even sure what the future has in store for me. 

But I think it’s okay if you’re not sure what you want to do in the future as long as you’re not directionless. Be open to taking risks and putting yourself out there. Bellaire has so much to offer in courses, clubs and people, so take advantage of all the resources you have because high school is really your time to experiment and narrow down what you truly enjoy doing. 

I’m really grateful towards all the people I’ve met in classes and through clubs. The people around you are really powerful in shaping who you are, so I’m glad to have been surrounded by incredible people who have pushed me to grow as much as I have these past four years.”