Being a senior in high school can be challenging. It’s the time in a student’s life when they’re really starting to prepare for the future. This is the case for the new senior, Aunah Jones. Though her senior year is starting off a bit stressful, she stays determined to persevere on through. As emotional as being a senior can be, there’s also some good that comes along with it. Some of the good being her strong mindset, and people she can rely on.
There’s a lot of feelings that come with being a senior. Jones describes the year, so far, as being, “stressful, exhilarating, and emotional.” On top of being a senior, Jones is also involved in multiple AP classes and clubs. She is taking AP Biology, AP English Literature and Composition, and AP Psychology. She is also involved in Drama Club/Theatre and the African American Heritage Club.
Being involved in so many extracurriculars and AP courses can be exhilarating, but it also brings a lot of responsibilities. “It is definitely as stressful, if not, more stressful than I thought it would be,” Jones states. As worrisome as the year can get, it’s good to have plans, which Jones luckily has.
Jones hopes to start college after high school. In fact, she has already started preparing for the future, even though every detail might not be set in stone. “I want to do everything in my power now that can set me up for success in college, such as maintaining good study habits, organizing, and maintaining equal home and school life, and making many connections and memories,” Jones says. She plans on going directly to college after high school to finish her studies in nursing, and to begin her journey of working in the medical field. Jones also has other ways of helping herself be successful in this path. “Currently, a main source of my education to prepare me for college has been classes, such as terminology, and presently, the basic nursing assistant program. Both, especially basic nursing, have and continue to expose me to what will be expected of me in the medical field,” explains Jones. It’s good to have plans for the future, especially when paths in life might not be certain.
As nerve-racking as senior year can be, there will always be people to lean on who will make it better. For Aunah Jones, Mrs. Anderson is one of the people in her life that she can lean on. “I would also encourage her to push herself to try new things and shoot for huge goals! She has all the tools she needs to make an impact on the world and the people around her,” Mrs. Anderson says. To Mrs. Anderson, Aunah Jones isn’t only her student, to Mrs. Anderson, she is also family. It’s always nice to get advice from people who have gone through events that others might be in the process of. Mrs. Anderson gives this advice to Jones, “I would tell her to have the confidence to believe in herself and BE authentically herself. It’s ok to smile & laugh more than other people, it is ok to have a positive attitude and get involved in lots of activities, it is ok to be a friend to all kinds of people and embrace differences. It’s ok to be a light in this world – even when others can’t understand your optimism. On the flip side, I would also encourage her to give herself grace. We can’t always be upbeat and positive – and that is OK too. It’s ok to cry & it is ok to lean on people who care about her.”
Although being a senior can be new and exciting, there are times when Jones misses the old. “I do miss the naivety of being an underclassman, but I definitely respect the determination and strength needed to be a senior,” says Jones. Her main goals for this school year consist of having good grades and being able to make some few lasting memories with her friends and everyone dear to her at Rocky. “So many times, I’ve turned around, and her smiling face is right there! That’s one of my favorite memories!” Mrs. Anderson shares.
The years between freshman and senior year, there’s so much growth that most people don’t even realize. The change from a young teenager to an adult. “Wanting to see myself succeed and finding a purpose and place in the world,” Jones says, are a few motivations for her. But Jones states that her biggest sources of motivation are, “Supportive and reliable teachers and staff, family, and especially a good group of friends have motivated me to be my best self and make them proud of me.” As stressful as senior year has started off to be, Aunah Jones has persevered on through.
