EDITOR’S NOTE: The Recorder’s intern Jada Montesione spoke with several members of the 2023 graduating class about their senior year and what they believe the world will be like in a decade. Here are their responses.
ELLIE PINNAR
What was your favorite memory of senior year?
My favorite memory of senior year was definitely going to see Lewis Capaldi in D.C. I went with my best friend and my mom and we met my cousin there — it was a surprise — and it was just a really nice break from all my school work. I’ve always loved him and it was just an amazing experience hands down. Totally recommend!
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years, I see myself practicing physical therapy. I don’t want to have my own practice at that point, but I want to be part of a practice and have patients and have connections with my coworkers and all that stuff. I got into physical therapy after getting injured so much in cross country and I found myself liking the ability to help other people be active. I just think that it's a really important profession.
What issues do you believe will be important 10 years from now?
I think the most important issues of 2033 will probably be resource issues and pollution because right now we’re using fossil fuels, which are quickly running out. I think that the pollution that has been caused by that will eventually catch up to us, which will be an increasing problem in our future.
AVA POOLE
What was your favorite memory of senior year?
My favorite memory from this year would be launching a startup that I created and attending the New York Times Climate Forward as a delegate. That really opened my eyes to a whole new world of academia and innovation to explore, and because of that event I was inspired to launch a startup and it’s been such a journey that has really made me passionate and excited about where the next few years will take me!
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years, hopefully I will have a company of my own and it will probably be in the green tech field. I want to do something with applying AI to business processes and sustainable methods of conducting the world around us. I want to see how I can apply technology to business to create something that I am proud of. Owning a company and building it up … let’s say, Forbes 30 under 30!
What issues do you believe will be important 10 years from now?
There are so many! I think the acceleration of AI. I feel like technology is developing so fast that there can be more discrepancies between the people who have the most access to it and people who have the least. With AI and this more next generation of digital reform, it's company-based so that will likely drive the gap more. So, I feel like as we move into the next 10 years, we have to be diligent about not leaving people behind because that will create political issues and divide people more. We have to try and uplift everyone at the same time, or as much as we can.
SOFIA TREJO
What was your favorite memory of senior year?
My favorite memory was prom night and getting together with friends afterwards. A big group of us were talking around the fireplace and got to catch up on a lot of stuff like college, our futures, and just reflecting on our high school memories and funny moments.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years, I hope to have a good stable job doing something that I’m passionate about and enjoy doing, and I’d like to be traveling, hopefully. I want to explore Europe. Right now, I would love to work in some sort of industry relating to electric vehicles, and I think the construction of those is cool. I’m kinda environmentally conscious, so that's an appealing thing to me that I might want to look into.
What issues do you believe will be important 10 years from now?
In 10 years, I think AI security will be on the rise, especially with the recent events of ChatGPT. I think anything related to the internet and security has been pretty prominent recently and all the misinformation on social media.
PATRICK LYDON
What was your favorite memory of senior year?
I really enjoyed the out-of-school events like prom and grad bash.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Hopefully out of college. I think I would like to work in the health care system, probably in the hospital. I just want to be helping people in some way. I definitely want to go down some sort of medical route, but I’m not sure if med school is right for me, though. I was looking at other things like pharmacy.
What issues do you believe will be important 10 years from now?
I think the climate is an important issue. We have to make sure we are dealing with that. Also, we should try to settle global tensions.
FABRIZZIO LIJERON HERRERA
What was your favorite memory of senior year?
My favorite memory of senior year was Swim States. I have swum for two years now.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Probably still in school because I want to do a Ph.D. I want to go into medical research. We don’t have that program where I’m from in Bolivia, and I want to go back there and get into that there.
What issues do you believe will be important 10 years from now?
I think health care will get more expensive and that’s what I want to do. Everything in health care is overpriced by at least 2,000% and so if there’s a company — because everything is in big pharma — outside of that that can make medicine for the same price but sell it cheaper, that will fix that.
