It is the time of year again when the first semester ends, and the year closes in on every graduating senior. The moment can be seen as both momentous and bittersweet for the oldest students. They pack up for universities and colleges, acknowledging their educators in new light and appreciation. They leave behind friends and memories, good and bad alike.

I was lucky to interview my good friend, Alex Ramos. He adamantly enjoys watching Family Guy (especially during lunch), playing the trumpet, learning to play new instruments, playing with his dog, listening to music, hanging out with his girlfriend and car rides.

Do you have any senior wishes or things that you’ve wanted to do or have already done? 

Alex: I like to get to know my peers better cause the past years I haven’t… done so. I’d also like to be more involved than other years. My last year I’d really like to be more in school activities. …I joined S.T.A.R.S. which is actually really fun; I love being a part of a smaller community like that.

How does you being neurodivergent affect your academic life and how do you think it will affect you in your future education?

It currently… affects me in the sense of having a harder time being in a classroom and with larger amounts of people… affects me with learning in general. The ability to sit there and focus and being able to complete work on time. In the future, I think also completing work on without… procrastination …being able to… sit and… do the work instead of focusing on other things

I’m aware that you’re in jazz band – how long have you been in jazz band, how would you rate your experience, and what tips would you give to others?

This is my first year in jazz band my experience is… interesting in a sense… that the community there is very very positive… we encourage each other to be the best we can. Tips to others joining [is] to keep your head up, don’t belittle yourself because if you are willing to try, you are able to be there. To have a good head on your shoulders in the sense of being able to accomplish things you’d like to; don’t hold back.

What do you think your time at high school will mean for you in the future? 

I guess socially, definitely the memories. I have made a lot of good memories here with friends and like my closest friends. Most of my best memories are here in this school with the different activities and after-school clubs…

What did you learn from the coronavirus and were you more successful, more negatively affected, or somewhere in between? 

I feel like… covid it definitely affected me a little bit negatively… I feel like everything was so inconvenient during that time that coming back to a more strict routine and dates for work and… after-school activities… impacted me the most.

Are you the person you expected to become, or are you surprised by how you’ve grown?

I’m surprised definitely on how I’ve grown solely for the fact I didn’t think that I would become the type of person I am now. I’m still very social as I was, like freshman year, for example, but I feel that the way that I socialize has definitely changed. I feel like now it’s… more professional type of way compared to more immature.

How are you going to approach your final semester of high school knowing it’s your last, and how do you think you’ll approach your first semester of college if you go? 

I definitely wanna… make the last semester very memorable. I do want to be able to take the last semester and say that my full high school year, including my senior year, was definitely worth it; that the memories are gonna last forever. For college, I definitely want to take it easy, I don’t want to stress myself out too much, especially for new environments, new people, new scheduling.

What high school experiences do you think are underrated? What experiences do you think are overrated?

I think that the actual… socializing is very underrated. I feel like high school is a time that you’re gonna make the most friends, but also have the closest people to you. I think that being in high school shows who your real friends are because this is the time that you become very close to people, whether you share the same classes, or share the same interests. Also with that, it’s these are people that are most likely going to stay in your life for as long as possible. I think something that is overrated is how noticeable you are in like sports… solely for the fact that I think most recognition is in sports, not in other academics.

Do you think the community in school has changed negatively or positively?

…I feel like the maturity has definitely gotten better, the experience definitely changed and… the view of high school has changed. So I also feel that we as a whole, [the] class of 2023 have grown together. I think we’re a lot more accepting compared to my freshman year. I feel like the senior class has… encouraged that for the other classes. I feel like we have shown to be inclusive and not judge others by their appearance, or rather by how they are as a person.