Colonie Seniors Prepare for their Next Step Forward

By R. Garzone

Edited by Faizan

May 6, 2022

The end of the school year marks a monumental leap forward for high school seniors who are preparing for the next chapter of their lives. From elementary school to high school, they’ve been surrounded by the same people, with no real choice as to what school they’re attending, or what types of people surround them. The end of high school marks the beginning of an independent life and the freedoms associated with it.

There are numerous pathways after high school that graduates can take, including; going to college to play a sport, furthering their education, going straight to the workforce, or enlisting in the military.

When asked what they are looking forward to most post graduation, many seniors at Colonie High School stated that they are excited about having more freedom and independence.

Mia Van Dyke said, “I am looking forward to having some independence to learn the things I choose and want to get better at.”

Van Dyke is planning to attend Siena College in the fall to study psychology and play Division I soccer.

She is excited for the change in pace for soccer this fall, since she will be around the same team year round, instead of two or three teams that she was accustomed to dealing with in high school.

Not all seniors of course are planning on going to college; senior Gabrielle Poulin said she is taking a year off and will turn 18 over the summer, so she is looking forward to having time away from school and her parents.

Sage Brunelle, another senior at Colonie, is also taking a gap year before planning to attend Hudson Valley Community College in Fall 2023. She plans to spend more time with family and work during that time.

While many students shared the same sentiment in what they’re looking forward to in the future, their answers varied when asked what they are relieved about leaving behind.

Brunelle said she wants to leave everything behind because she is ready to start the next chapter of her life.

Van Dyke had something similar to say, “Everyone fits into a box here and if you aren’t in one of those boxes then you’re left out of everything.” Van Dyke looks forward to having a new group of friends to make.

Senior Jada Annas said she will not miss the drama that comes with high school and being around the same people everyday. Annas is planning to attend the University at Albany in the fall as a psychology major.

Answers also varied when students were asked about what they would miss. Everyone said they would miss not being able to see their friends as often as they do now, but they are also looking forward to new relationships that are to come.

“I’m going to miss the comfort that comes with people helping you in high school,” Van Dyke said.

Some students like Annas say that they don’t know what the future has in store, but they are just looking forward to something different.

School has been something most students have been through since kindergarten so a lot of high school seniors are simply excited about something new. But with this next step forward into the unknown, comes one step out of the comforting known past; for some it’ll be a struggle adjusting, while for others it’ll be a breath of fresh air.