By Randee Schmitt
Between her friendly aura and inviting smile, senior Ashley Choi is a refreshing break from the grouchy teenagers that are all too often the image given to high school students. Driven, independent, and ready to take on the world, Choi is an excellent student and a well-rounded person.
“I currently play the guitar and the ukulele,” said Choi. “I used to play the piano, and by the time I decided I wanted to learn a new instrument it was too late to learn something like the violin so I played the guitar and ukulele instead. Oh, and I can speak Korean.”
Not only does Choi have hobbies outside of school, but she also manages to keep her class rank within the top 5 percent while juggling being class president, NHS vice president, a student council member, and a debate team member.
“I try to be productive before and after school, and in the evenings I do homework so I can balance school work and extracurricular activities,” Choi said. “I guess I’m used to it because I’ve been busy since freshman year.”
On top of all that, Choi ensures that she still has time for a social life, always finding time to spend with her friends.
“I make sure to definitely make friends with people in the organizations so that it’s easy to communicate and then we have more time to hang out because of our common interests and commitments,” said Choi. “I just don’t ever want to let my friends, or sponsors, down. Because of my leadership positions, I have to be responsible in order to help the greater good. But I like helping people.”
With the world at her feet, it’s no surprise Choi is doing all she can to prepare herself for the next big step she plans to take: college.
“I’ve applied to more than ten colleges, and I’ve heard back from UT Austin so far,” said Choi. “I hope to attend NYU or UC Berkeley, majoring in national relations or politics. I don’t really want to stay in Texas because of the interaction I’m looking for. I want to be in a more crowded, metropolitan area.”
With the amount of experience she has under her belt, it’s easy to forget that Choi is still a senior. From her leadership, to her worldliness, it would appear she has life all figured out. Taking a step back for a minute, she did have some advice she would have liked to give to herself earlier in her high school career, but said it also holds true to those just starting high school.
“Take PE, health, and speech classes during summer school,” said Choi. “It feels like they’re a waste of time that could have been spent taking classes during school that would have helped me later on in life. And when you do service hours be sure to record them on your own for college and scholarship applications. And most importantly, have fun and enjoy every day.”