After four years at Bronx Science, our seniors are graduating in June 2019. They have made many memories walking the halls of our school, and their journey to college has not been an easy one.

College is an opportunity for students to expand their knowledge, experience new things, and undergo personal growth. However, may seniors agree that the college application process can be quite stressful. After many years of preparation, these students can expect to face changes in their entire lifestyles, settings, and surroundings.

Dan Dayot ’19 will be making one of these changes. Attending the University of Philippines Manila in 2019, Dayot will be moving to a completely new country. “I want to get closer to my cultural roots and experience what it’s like in other parts of the world. I feel detached from home after living so many years in the U.S., and I want to learn my native language, Tagalog,” Dayot said.

The change won’t be easy, and Dayot is already taking steps to plan for his future. His future home is now under construction, being built by his parents. Although the change can be daunting, Dayot has set goals for himself that motivate him every day. He will be studying economics, learning Tagalog, and hopefully one day, aims to be the president of the Philippines.

“My life philosophy is that there’s only so many years that you get to be alive, so you might as well do everything possible,” Dayot said.

Stanley Zhu ’19 is facing new changes as well. Zhu has been accepted into John Hopkins University through early decision, a binding application that automatically enrolls the student after acceptance. There is a lot that goes into such an audacious decision. Zhu suggests students visit each campus to decide which colleges seem most inviting. “The campus was absolutely stunning. It wasn’t small and constricting yet not too large to get lost among the crowd. I wanted to be able to stand out in a medium sized school and get to know people every corner that I turned,” Zhu said.

Zhu will be dorming far away from home, and is preparing for a more personal lifestyle.  “We learn how to become more independent and make strides with the resources of the school. What we also define as ‘home’ would be completely different. Instead of going home to a nicely cooked Asian mealI will go to the lunch halls instead. I have to make sure that my dorm is clean and tidy, and do my own part.”

And to those who want to follow his steps, “Be curious! Hopkins love students that are motivated to learn and excel in areas of study. Go out there and learn something new every day through research or any other opportunities,” Zhu said.

Akela Rivera ’19 is heading to Chicago in the fall. “I’ve lived in New York City my whole life, so living in Chicago will be a whole new experience,” Rivera said. She is particularly excited to partake in their anthropology classes.

Rivera encourages underclassmen to do their best now. “Try to distinguish yourself from the crowd, and highlight what makes you unique in your essays. Take challenging classes and plenty of extracurriculars.”

“My life philosophy is that there’s only so many years that you get to be alive, so you might as well do everything possible,” Dan Dayot ’19 said.

College can be a very important gateway into one’s future, and choosing a college to shape the rest of our lives can be stressful, but our seniors advise us to follow our hearts. “If you want to go somewhere abroad, go for it,” Dayot said. Dayot reminds us that college will not last forever. He wants to return to the United States after his studies, and potentially finish grad school here, as the U.S. will always have a place in his heart.

Rivera will be keeping close to home as well. “The family that I have made in this school has changed my life for the better, and I couldn’t imagine my life without them,” she said.

Bronx Science has had a profound impact on all of its students. In June 2019, our seniors are ready to enter the next chapter of their lives.