BEYOND SCHOOL - SENIOR YEAR
Snowboarding
One of the things I am most proud of from the past four years is how many personal goals I have reached through snowboarding. At the beginning of my freshman year I was honestly not very good at this sport even though I loved it. I was still fairly new at it and I dreamed of keeping up with my skilled friends one day, but I spent a significant portion of each outing on my butt in the snow while they waited for me further down the mountain.
Continuing my Senior year trend of making time for things I love, I promised myself to fully commit to snowboarding this year and hit the slopes as often as possible. I ended up going at least 2-3 times per week for all of winter quarter, and I crushed my personal goals for the season. I ventured into the terrain park for the first time ever, and by the end of the season I was getting way more confident on jumps, boxes, and tubes. I made some new friends through Husky Snow Club, as well as regularly going up with old friends and pushing each other to get better. I even joined a snowboarding competition team and participated in a few races. I snowboarded all over Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, and made so many incredible memories along the way. It was the best winter I've ever had, and I'm so proud of what I accomplished.
This sport makes me feel at home and has helped me in so many aspects of my life. It has made me feel grounded at times when my life was filled with chaos, as well as humbled me if I ever started to get complacent. It showed me that I have more resilience than I ever gave myself credit for, and I am capable of so much more than I realize. It has also given me some of my most cherished memories; the biggest laughs with the goofiest friends, road trips to some of the coolest places in the world, and the feeling of pure joy that only comes from hurtling down a mountain on a powder day.
This season was unfortunately cut short due to Covid-19, but I can't wait to get back out there as soon as possible.
Continuing my Senior year trend of making time for things I love, I promised myself to fully commit to snowboarding this year and hit the slopes as often as possible. I ended up going at least 2-3 times per week for all of winter quarter, and I crushed my personal goals for the season. I ventured into the terrain park for the first time ever, and by the end of the season I was getting way more confident on jumps, boxes, and tubes. I made some new friends through Husky Snow Club, as well as regularly going up with old friends and pushing each other to get better. I even joined a snowboarding competition team and participated in a few races. I snowboarded all over Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, and made so many incredible memories along the way. It was the best winter I've ever had, and I'm so proud of what I accomplished.
This sport makes me feel at home and has helped me in so many aspects of my life. It has made me feel grounded at times when my life was filled with chaos, as well as humbled me if I ever started to get complacent. It showed me that I have more resilience than I ever gave myself credit for, and I am capable of so much more than I realize. It has also given me some of my most cherished memories; the biggest laughs with the goofiest friends, road trips to some of the coolest places in the world, and the feeling of pure joy that only comes from hurtling down a mountain on a powder day.
This season was unfortunately cut short due to Covid-19, but I can't wait to get back out there as soon as possible.
Volunteering at PAWS Animal Shelter
Volunteering as a dog walker at PAWS animal shelter is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done, and I am so glad that I got involved this year. It is something that I always wanted to do, but in previous years I was always too busy with school and work. This year, I finally made time in my schedule and it was the best decision I could have possibly made. I absolutely loved getting to spend time with these dogs every week and give them some much needed exercise. They made me laugh frequently, cry occasionally, and I felt humbled every time I went in to volunteer. I also had to learn to be very strong-willed, because it took everything in me to resist adopting a new dog each week. When the Covid-19 quarantine started all volunteers were asked to stay home, but I am hopeful that I will be able to go back soon as I plan on continuing this long after graduation.
Part of the dog-walking job is to practice commands with the dogs because it helps keep them stimulated. Here you can clearly see the razor-sharp focus in their eyes as I offer up a highly anticipated piece of cheese in exchange for a photo op.