Tyra's last interview

Of the dozen high school seniors I’ve got to know through Meet the Class, Tyra has been the first in several ways. She’s the first to live in a rural area. The first to go to community college. The first to choose her college early on in the process and stick with it. Now that her plans are settled for next year, this is the last check-in with her. Thanks, Tyra, for letting us all follow along and get a sense of the variety of colleges and college students out there!

Meet the Class gets updated each month from September to May. Each installment features an interview about both the facts and the feelings of where the student is in the process.

Interviews may be edited lightly for clarity and grammar. Names may be changed to protect privacy. 

Tyra attends a public high school in Iowa

I assume your plans haven't changed, and you're still on track for Iowa Lakes next year to study to become a vet tech?

My plans have only changed in the sense that I am now going to live off campus as my boyfriend plans to move down there with me.

Do you have any Spring Break plans?

My only plans over break was to work and spend time with my family as my days of living in my hometown are coming to an end.

What kind of "normal" spring activities will you have? Graduation? Prom? What are you most looking forward to in your final months of high school?

We have both graduation and prom coming up. I am extremelg excited for both events and they should, to my understanding, run somewhat normally dispote COVID. I am personally looking forward to prom with my boyfriend followed by graduation and the feeling of finally being done.

How does it feel to be finished with the college application process?

It is so freeing not having to worry about which college to chose. Now I am focused on finding an apartment and getting the necessary items for said apartment.

If a current high school junior asked you for a single piece of advice, what would you tell them?

Don't waste your final days. There is not many left and they will completely fly by. It sounds cheesy, but cherish every moment before it's gone.

Anything else to share that I didn't think about?

I just want to thank you for this experience!

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Check out interviews with other Meet the Class seniors.

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Tyra is set in her path

It’s been a strange and difficult school year for the three seniors I’m following for Meet the Class. All of them have described chaotic and frustrating school experiences. All of their schools have had waves of Covid, and at least one of them had Covid herself. The year has been bad in so many ways.

Strangely enough, it’s been the calmest and most drama-free year of Meet the Class I’ve done in terms of college. By early February, two of the three have their college choices settled. When Tyra said last month that she was ready to coast through the end of high school and soak it all in, I was skeptical. But so far, so good! Read the full interview below.

Meet the Class gets updated each month from September to May. Each installment features an interview about both the facts and the feelings of where the student is in the process.

Interviews may be edited lightly for clarity and grammar. Names may be changed to protect privacy. 

Tyra attends a public high school in Iowa

Just checking: the plan is still to begin the vet tech program at Iowa Lakes next fall? Has any of that changed?

My plan has not changed one bit.

Most of the people I work with are still very much in the middle of things and waiting. Maybe they've got acceptances or deferrals from early admissions, but for the most part they still need to hear back from other places to know what's in store next fall. How does it feel to be done? You had one application and one plan B ready. Does that feel good? Do you have any tinges of "what could have been" had you applied to more places? Do you recommend more people begin at community college?

I have no regrets with my choice. I know what I want and I am excited to graduate. I am also empathetic towards my peers who are struggling with their acceptances and trying to decide where to go. I was actually waitlisted for my plan b school which ended up not being needed anyway.

Last month you mentioned needing to raise some money for dorm room shopping. Is that all the fundraising you're doing? Is your school affordable otherwise? Is there any financial aid involved?

I will rely heavily on financial aid as my mom is a single mother and my father is not in the picture. I currently have a job and am saving up my money in order to make it more affordable.

Your plan to relax and "soak in" your last semester--how is that going? Is all well?

It is going well, I am taking a lot of pictures with my friends and really realizing how much I will miss my high school.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Check out interviews with other Meet the Class seniors.

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Tyra is having mixed emotions

Tyra is beginning her winding down of high school. There are still months to go, but she’s already looking ahead to college and beginning to relax. Not all seniors are at this point so early in the year, but many will get to this point soon. Read the full interview below.

Meet the Class gets updated each month from September to May. Each installment features an interview about both the facts and the feelings of where the student is in the process.

Interviews may be edited lightly for clarity and grammar. Names may be changed to protect privacy. 

Tyra attends a public high school in Iowa

How were your holidays? Do you feel rested and ready for the rest of the school year?

The holidays were fine, and I am starting to get the mixed emotions about senior year. Like I am extremely happy to graduate but at the same time I am sad to leave everything that I know behind. As for rested, today was my first day back and I am completely shot and beyond tired.

You're still on track for the vet tech program? Can you tell me the school? What--other than finish high school--do you need to do to be prepared for the program? Are there any other requirements or classes? Anything for you to do this spring or summer for that?

I am excited to attend Iowa Lakes Community College for their veterinary technician program. I am on track and will take four total college-level classes that will get me credits for my degree this year already. So then once I am into my first term I will only have vet tech classes, which I think will be a huge load off of my back. I need to save some money to go dorm room shopping, that’s for sure. I have barely anything bought yet and need to make a list.

Assuming you're set on that being your school, reflect on the past five months: do you have any regrets? Have you gained any wisdom you can share? Is it what you expected it to be?

I would not say I have any regrets, I am just happy to be a senior. I have been making friends with underclassmen who I generally do not like and can say I have learned a thing or two about their generation and how it’s much different than mine.

What does your spring semester look like? How's your school holding up?

As for this semester, I have an extremely light load and plan to use my time in order to just relax and soak up the rest of my high school career. My school is holding up well I would say, there are not too many new cases and the Covid vaccine just made its way into our small town.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Check out interviews with other Meet the Class seniors.

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.