Today’s Senior Spotlight is Astha Patel! Astha describes herself as a “nice and pretty calm” person that takes pleasure in “music and the company of friends.” Patel is a contributor to various JFKMHS clubs including the Spanish Honors Society, National Honors Society, American Cancer Society and Key Club. On top of that, she has achieved academic excellence and found her way into Rutgers University to pursue her dream in the field of health care.  She is the dream daughter of any parent and a student with countless achievements. Let’s get to know her! 

Remote Learning

      Like all students of 2020, Patel is in the midst of the remote learning experience which she describes to be, “More difficult than expected;  it’s kind of hard to adjust to primarily listening and learning through a screen, especially when there’s a lot going on.” 

      Though Patel had stated online school to be a difficult transition, she has come to adapt.

“I’ve gotten used to it over time and adjusted to the workload while learning to put in a little more effort to understand what is being taught.” Patel stated.

       Of course, not all of us are up to that level yet. To those students who are still struggling to adapt, Patel encouraged them to, “Stay organized and on top of your assignments because they build up really quickly.” She also recommends, “Sitting at a desk or creating a little space for school and doing homework so you can feel productive.”

Reminiscing on the Past

     As the interview took flight, I asked Patel to take a trip down memory lane on the past years of high school. Starting freshman year, I asked what Patel’s thoughts were on what she would say to her freshman self? To which she replied, “I’d tell my freshman self to not worry so much because everything will work out at the end of the day, and every missed opportunity will open up new doors.” 

     Almost all freshmen are expected to set goals for themselves, which will be ideal for them to reach by the end of high school. When Patel was in 9th grade, her goal was, “To finish high school with good grades… [and] get into college…and I think I accomplished those goals.” 

     Overall, Patel describes her past years of high school to be, “Worth it…I’ll probably never forget some of the fun school events and all the times me and my friends would visit teachers like Ms. Lammers during lunchtime.” 

      Though Patel’s high school years were filled with delightful memories, human nature comes with the burden of regrets.

     “It wasn’t as interesting as others experiences may have been, but it wasn’t anything bad either…I think some of the classes I’ve taken I regret because I didn’t genuinely enjoy them at all,” Patel stated, “The workload [and] content was too overwhelming. I would’ve told myself earlier to do what’s best for me and work at my own pace rather than taking classes [just] because everyone I know was also doing it.”

Patel then furthered on, encouraging students not to make the same mistake, but rather follow their designated interests without others input. 

Looking Ahead to the Future

      Patel is now a senior hanging on to the last 6 months she has in high school. Such a crucial moment, the time has come for Patel to take her next big step in life- college. Patel is likely to further her education at Rutgers University where she aims to get a bachelor’s degree in Biology. She then plans on attending grad school, where she will train to become a Physician Assistant and fulfill her long-lasting dream of working in the field of health care.

“[I’m] someone who wants to go into the healthcare field in the future. I’d like to make a change in society and help others with their struggles.” 

     To those who haven’t pinpointed their dream-like herself, just yet, Patel’s advice is, “I talked to other people about their experiences and explored different hobbies and interests to kind of gain an understanding of what I want my future to be. I recommended people struggling with their future should talk to people in different career paths and points in their life to figure out some things.” 

     Furthering on, I asked Patel if she thinks high school prepared her for college. Patel stated, “I think some classes definitely did prepare me for the work and content, but college seems to be completely different than public school in general, so I’m not sure if I’ll be able to take it on super confidently.” In all, her future goal is to be successful, and she defines that term to be, “Being content and proud of yourself, and doing something that you truly enjoy and makes you work hard.”

Thoughts on JFK

     In just a little while Patel will forever be saying goodbye to the Mustang family. Narrowing in on JFK, she describes the high school to be, “A pretty good school with a lot of friendly staff and students.” However, she does wish, “[JFK had] more activities that are available in other schools like DECA and Model UN.” 

     The Torch wishes her all the best in pursuing her future plans, and hopes she reaches her definition of success.