Caitlyn Lam, a senior at Winslow Township High School, has spent her high school years balancing academics, extracurriculars, and her social life. As graduation approaches, she shares her reflections on her journey and what lies ahead.
Personal Background :
Q: Can you tell me a little about yourself and your journey throughout high school?
A: My name is Caitlyn Lam, I’m a senior here at Winslow high and I like to challenge myself with a lot of the hard classes here because I enjoy putting myself through critical thinking.
Q: Can you tell me your hobbies or interests outside of school?
A: I love art and I also like listening to music. Unfortunately, I focus a lot on my academics so I don’t have much time to invest in my hobbies. For music, I’m into artists and bands like Lamp, The Marias, and Wave to Earth.
Q: What is one thing people might not know about you?
A: Probably that I like to draw. People don’t expect me to have good art skills so the only time I do get to show my skills is when there’s a school project that involves drawing.
The Winslow Experience :
Q: What’s been your favorite subject and why?
A: Out of the AP’s I took, I mainly like AP Bio. I also like APUSH or any of the AP history subjects because when I was little I would always watch documentaries of history stuff so it would always be a niche of mine.
Q: Are there any teachers you’d like to name that had a significant impact on you?
A: I’m not gonna lie, I haven’t gotten close to any teachers throughout my high school career, and it’s surprising because usually you’d think that everyone is close with a teacher. If I were to say, it would be Mrs. Rifkin or Mrs. Smith because I had Mrs. Smith for three years and Mrs. Rifkin is really just a nice teacher and really fun to talk to
Q: What’s your favorite memory from your time in Winslow?
A: Definitely my stage crew experience and all of the plays and musicals I helped out with. I really liked working behind the scenes with my friends and watching the musicals as well. I never really liked musicals but being in stage crew has made me think otherwise.
Q: What was the hardest challenge you faced in high school and how did you overcome it?
A: There were a lot of challenges I faced, but out of all of them it would be trying to balance my academics and social life. I would be studying a lot and that would limit my social life to the point that I wouldn’t even talk to my friends that much. Literally for Halloween when my friends invited me out, I just studied. Now that my senior year is halfway done and college is getting closer, I feel like I can manage my time better, especially with my social life as well.
Q: What do you do for extracurriculars?
A: I’m in FBLA. I’m also in Niel Alpha Beta and Leo club. My top one is stage crew but I’ll leave that be.
Q: Do you have any advice for underclassmen that want to get involved more?
A: Just don’t be afraid to talk to people! I feel like that was also my biggest downfall because I depend on my friends to talk to other new people but it’s really not that bad. I think high school is a place where you definitely need to socialize because it’ll be hard not having a group of friends to rely on as you progress through high school.
Future Plans, Reflection
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: I’m already committed to Barnard College, so after graduation I plan on majoring there in neuroscience and behavior. I’m unsure of what my career path is right now but I do want to be somewhere in the medical field.
Q: Looking back, is there anything you wish you had done differently during high school?
A: I feel like I could’ve been more social because I haven’t been talking to a lot of people and my classmates as well. If I did talk to more people I feel like high school could’ve been more fun and less of having to limit myself socially.
Agree, Disagree
Q: High school goes by faster than you think…
A: I actually don’t know… a lot of people do agree but for me, I feel like it was pretty slow. If I think about myself in freshman year I’m like wow that was so long ago but right now it’s crazy that it’s been four years and I’m about to graduate so yeah, I’d say that it’s pretty long and slow
Q: Senior year is the best year of high school…
A: No. Absolutely not. People think that senior year isn’t that hard and it’s laid back but no, well not for me at least. I still kind of took hard classes for this year but everyone else most likely didn’t so their opinions are definitely different from mine. I’d say junior year is the best year of high school even though everyone else hated it because for me, it was actually fun.
Q: It’s important to be involved in school as much as possible…
A: Yes. Out of all people and you’re asking me? Absolutely yes.
Q: Standardized tests are awesome…
A: No. I feel like standardized tests are not a good way to evaluate how smart you are and how validating you are to get accepted into a school. I feel like the SAT alone, it shouldn’t tell how smart you are either. For example, if you get a 1500 on it, I don’t think that should tell how smart you are because you could still get bad grades in your classes.
Q: Everyone should attend prom at least once…
A: Yes! Live your high school life to the fullest.
Q: It’s better to take advanced classes, even if they lower your GPA…
A: Yes. I don’t think taking advanced classes lower your GPA that much since the credits for them are already high enough because let’s say if you get a B or a C in AP and an A in honors and the credits you get for AP is so big that it overtakes that. I think just trying in your AP classes is good enough because it prepares you for college and like we already know, it challenges you.
Would You Rather
Q: Four-day school week or no homework ever
A: Four-day school week even though I feel like that’s such a nerdy answer. I need homework to help me understand lessons.
Q: Straight A’s but never have free time, or get B’s and have time for fun
A: The first one is literally my life right now but I do want to try the second option.
Q: Relive freshman year or skip ahead to college
A: Skip ahead to college. Freshman year was really fun but however, I do not want to go back.
Q: Do group projects all year round or individual assignments
A: Individual Assignments. I’m just that type of person who wants to do everything themselves because it’s just hard to be in a group where there’s always someone that doesn’t do the work at all and someone that always does too much.
Q: Early dismissal every day or start school an hour later.
A: That’s a good question… Start school an hour later because I just don’t feel like waking up at all and it’s also easier for everyone.
Q: Never have to take a final exam again or never have to write an essay again
A: Never take a final exam. They’re hard and for essays, I can just write about anything and they’re not that hard to do.
Q: Redo one week of high school or skip graduation day
A: Redo one week of high school because even though I say I don’t like high school, I do like seeing my friends.
As Caitlyn looks toward the future, She’s excited about heading to Barnard College to study neuroscience and behavior. “Never be afraid to dream big and everything will turn out okay!” she said.
