The moment I stepped onto this campus my expectations were set pretty high. I had never expected my unrepresented community and many other underrepresented communities to be filled with opportunities. Opportunities such as attending prestigious universities across the nation, be awarded and recognized by donors of the community, and have the chance to go university for free (UCSD). Being at Preuss was like walking into an atmosphere full of students who were filled with dreams, dreams that were achievable no matter the circumstances. The many years that I’ve been at Preuss, dreams have been one of the many things that I could feel in the halls, up the stairs, and even as I talked amongst my teachers. I was accepted to High Tech High School and I was considering Pacific Beach Middle School. The environment at Preuss was unlike any other schools that I was accepted to.
Preuss filled my middle school years with obstacles that I’ve come to learn were necessary. Seventh grade challenged me and the way I was used to learning. Why am I saying seventh grade instead of sixth grade? Sixth grade was a test run for all students of what they will face, but it’s not as smooth as seventh grade. In sixth grade you are still adjusting to being in a school filled with new faces, older students around you 24/7, and being expected to run at a certain speed. Once seventh grade hits, you are no longer babied, you will fail if you give in to peer pressure, and you will end up in drama if you don’t change your elementary school habits.
Preuss has been a tough academic journey that most teenagers could not withstand other than Preuss students who already endured it. Entering high school, the “easy” homework and personal agenda ended. I had to complete almost 30 hours of community service but went above and beyond with almost 100 hours, attended an internship with the University of California San Diego (UCSD), took at least six Advanced Placement (AP) classes, and wrote a research paper on the portrayal of school shooters on the news within fourteen weeks.
My senior year, I joined the journalism elective class. It was my first time in a writing class, and I found myself loving the freedom of expressing myself through my articles. A bonus was being a part of the entertainment crew, where I wrote about trending movies, clothes, or music that I loved and knew other scholars shared the same interest as me.
The writing format that was taught to me in this elective has improved my writing and the focus of tone my voice has throughout the article. Besides what I have learned in the process of becoming a journalist is the compassion of the topic I write about. Out of the many articles I’ve written, my favorite one is “PSP Games and Consoles From The 2000’s to Now” because instead of my story being something modern and completely new, I was able to revive an old video game console that was rising in popularity again.
As I wish a final goodbye to everyone I spent journalism with, friends, and Preuss students, I’d like to thank all the underclassmen who allowed me to interview them, even when it was awkward in the beginning. Finally, I’d like to thank my friends for their support throughout my journey and lastly my final message to underclassmen is to really never give up and perisphere through the hard times.
