As the date for graduation grows closer, Seniors commented on how they’ve grown throughout their time at Andover, their advice for younger students, and how they will continue to interact with this community in the future.
Aleena Kibria ’23
“I’ve gotten a lot of space to grow into myself and grow into my identity… I’ve just grown up here… I think [leaving Andover] is a little bittersweet. There’s parts of Andover that I know are going to stay with me all the time… I know I’m going to talk to [some of my close friends], but I was thinking about how I’m going to miss the people who I’m not as close to, but love seeing around campus or on the paths… Some of those people are the most important people to me at Andover.”
Cris Ramnath ’23
“I think all it takes is effort is something that I’ve learned at Andover… If we could do that for our homework and our own personal things, I think we can also do that for friends and that goes such a long way… I also think success comes and looks in many different ways. We really need to start acknowledging that success is so different for different people. I think we need to start celebrating those successes for what they are, and not just in the college way… We should start appreciating people for the small and big things.”
Max Gomez ’23
“Prioritize the relationships you have with the people in your life over everything. I think once you start thinking [and] acting in a selfless way, and putting other people’s priorities mostly before yourself, in the long term, it does help you. It fosters a better community that has more energy and is more healthy… [Also], don’t limit yourself to a singular team or friend group. Don’t be afraid to meet new people. Don’t give in to fear of what people think when you’re trying something new. I’d say just go for it.”
Jaeyong Shim ’23
“I think the most valuable lesson [I’ve learned] is probably just [being open] to new things. That was the first thing that I heard when I was on my tour at Andover… My tour guide recommended [that I] just take [all opportunities] and just send it because you don’t get that anywhere else… [Also], everyone here is different, but the one thing that is the same is everyone’s willingness to learn, care, so [build] that community. Join clubs, sports teams, and be in an environment where you’re surrounded by a lot of people that you are comfortable with.”
Emory Wilson ’23
“I’ve become more adventurous and more outspoken [at Andover]. I grew up very introverted, [but I’ve grown] to be able to speak up for myself, be more outgoing, and express everything that I was too shy or too scared to express when I was younger… I feel sad [about leaving]. I had a great run. This term, I feel like I’m closing out everything [and] I’ve come to a good resting place… I feel like it’s my time to go, but I’ll still really cherish all the memories I’ve made and keep in touch with the people.”
Nigel Savage ’23
“I came in as a new Lower, so I’ve had a shorter time span than most Andover students, but I think that’s made me appreciate it more, because I’ve seen [it as] fleeting… I made a lot of really important friends and grew a lot as a person because of [personal] hardships… Being able to navigate change and being able to work with people are the two biggest [lessons I’ve gotten]. You learn how to work with people and learn how to deal with people that you don’t like, or work with the ones that you do like.”
Esmé Young ’23
“I think I’m definitely more Esmé than I would have been if I’d stayed at my old school. I’ve grown into my personality, and figured out that I don’t have to change my personality to fit in with a specific social group. When I enjoy being myself, other people enjoy that too. That goes for work as well. When I’m enjoying my work, other people enjoy it… Taking a class just because you like the contents of the class and the experience of it, and getting a bad grade is a good thing rather than taking a class just to get a good grade.”
John Sanchez ’23
“I like to frame my time at Andover as one where I’ve grown a lot. I’d rather not focus on all the tiny ‘mistakes’ because that implies I’m already putting some sort of standard onto myself… In the end, I [don’t] think I would change anything. [My experiences] complement a growth mindset I’ve always had during my time here at Andover and it would seem very arbitrary for me to wish to go back when I’ve already grown so much. I can’t wait to see what will come next, because there’s always new fruits that are being born out of your experiences.”
