• Music! Singing or playing trumpet builds necessary discipline and teamwork skills. Sang at COC in their jazz choir with my brother also in the choir. Played trumpet on weekends with a Cal Arts community program where I convinced some of my old friends prior to AOC from other high schools to play so we could still see each other.

• ASB! I had a ton of experience with leadership models prior to AOC and I decided to push myself to be more extroverted from how I was prior to AOC so I ran for president at the end of my first year at AOC and won making sure everyone had a fun and fulfilling year when I was a senior.

• ASG! Associated Student Government, while at AOC I was also on the COC campus participating in their student government advocating for ways to have more cohesion for AOC students so it didn't feel like living in two separate universes, as the Cultural Student Involvement Coordinator I made sure all COC student communities were celebrated, engaged, and invited to participate in campus life. I left making sure there was on official AOC Liaison position written into the ASG bylaws. I always hoped future students would take advantage of that position.

• Robotics! My friends and I knew AOC students might not have the sports or arts budget our friends at other high schools had in the district so we made sure we were the home of the SCV robotics team instead, which was always under the threat of losing support at other campuses. Making sure the team was open to the whole district was another great way for us to collaborate with friends across the valley.

• Church!  This is important for many reasons but one of the biggest was so that I never went overboard with the amount of classes and academics were consuming my time. Keeping involved in my parish, provided time to focus on my mental/spiritual wellbeing, family, and community in a way that kept me grounded and realistic with what was the point of all this studying and hard work if it doesn't do good for everyone.

DURING MY COLLEGE CAREER

• Music! The first major hurdle I needed to get over when starting my AOC path was feeling like I was betraying all the time and effort I put into music. I told myself early on, "You can do music as a hobby while having a career in science but you can't have a career in music while having science as a hobby". This is NOT true but it was necessary for me to put the same dedication and discipline I put into music into my classes and career. Now that I am in a career I can tell you I was glad to always keep up on my singing and playing because I get to participate in community choirs and perform every once in a while even make some cash here and there. Ultimately, I always knew I did not want music to be a thing I once enjoyed and now have to make money off of so I gave it the space it deserved in my life to be a hobby and I think that really paid off. So don't lose or give up completely on what you enjoy as you continue to seriously study and enter a career just know what role you want it to play in your life.

• Volunteer! I have always volunteered so as I continued through beyond college into my career, I decided to take it a bit more seriously. I've done just about every job there is as a nonprofit volunteer, to the point that now not only do I work for one but I'm on the board of another and participate in many. Find ways to spend your time and energy in a manner that feels worthwhile and resonate with what you believe in or hope to see in the world around you. Doing this is a great way to maintain friendships and your community for years to come.

• Clubs! Life after AOC graduation still has schedules to some extent, however, you now have to work a lot harder to make those schedules line up with and attract people who will share your interest. That’s where clubs and events come in, find time to try out new clubs to make new friends, and have new experiences. Eventually, you may even do what I did and start your own club(s) with new friends that share your interest. Even if it is in board games, no one can deny my grad school was all the better for a weekly night where faculty and students could destress and get to know each other over some pizza and monopoly.

• Travel! The world is a big place and you live in SoCal which is one of the most diverse and interesting places anyone could want to be. Being curious is a natural trait of a scientist and a healthy trait to exercise as you continue to learn and grow beyond AOC. I've been to places thousands of miles away that were less exotic than what I sometimes find only 30 mins away from my doorstep. The key is to never travel as a tourist but as an ambassador and friend; the more you can practice that mindset away from home the easier it is to be one all the time.

• Church! Faith, hope, and love are tough extracurriculars but worth never giving up on. Eventually, even lifelong learners run out of classroom time and yet they realize there is still more growing and bettering to be done for you, your environment, and your community. Luckily, some of the greatest thinkers and examples of the human experience are available for discussion on the topics of faith, hope, and love. I would suggest finding and keeping a place where you can explore those topics for yourself as you go down your journey beyond graduation.

CAREER