As the academic year comes to a close, Trinity seniors are saying goodbye to what has been their home for the past four years. Everything from a pandemic to snowstorms has made it difficult for many students to balance academics, social lives and mental health over the past four semesters. The Trinitonian spoke with graduating seniors about their biggest highs and lows while at Trinity.

Nathan Brown, anthropology major:

High: “I would say my greatest high was probably last summer, getting to do an internship with AITSCM, which is the American Indian in South Texas at the Spanish Colonial Mission. It was just a lot of fun because I got to be on campus for the summer. So it’s a lot more quiet and a lot more chill on campus, which is fun. I have a lot of friends who are also doing research or internships that summer and so we’re all on campus or nearby together.”
Low: “I would say my greatest challenge is obviously the fall of 2020. I think everyone could agree about that. I think just unique to our class in general [was] navigating a year and a half of ‘normal life.’”

Noor Rahman, political science and Spanish major:

High: “I think a really big success for me has been kind of like stepping out of the box I thought I was going to be in when I came to college. I had a list of things that, you know, I was interested in and really want to pursue, but I’m really glad that I’ve been really flexible and met a lot of different types of people and joined organizations I may not have decided I wanted to from the very beginning and really found myself that way.”
Low: “I think the challenge that I faced was after during and after the pandemic when college, I guess, for me, transitioned a lot from something that was like my entire life because I was living on campus and then kind of became something I was just doing, and then it was easier to fall through the cracks and feel more aimless.”

Juliet Sikorski, art and environmental studies major:

High: “We just had our art major senior show opening last night [Thursday, April 21] and just having my friends support me. They’re just all my loved ones. Seeing what I have created and what I’ve spent a lot of time doing. It’s really fulfilling.”
Low: “COVID has really given a wrench in the plans. Yeah, I was supposed to study abroad in Copenhagen for environmental studies and that never happened because of COVID. So just being separated from my friends and regular daily life for a year and a half or so.”

Victoria Bell, psychology major and Spanish and religion double minor.

High: “I would say honestly the personal group that I went through, kind of coming to Trinity […] I’m from a very small town so I was the only one from my graduating class who came even to the San Antonio area [and] I’ve created such a strong social support and community through Trinity.”
Low: “I think adaptability has been kind of like the biggest thing I’ve had to get used to, especially working on like group projects, because that’s a huge part of Trinity and adapting to kind of like, you’re not going to get as much sleep or understand as much as you’d like us to right off the bat, when you were in high school in terms of your academics and that sort of thing.”

Dylan Penny, neuroscience major:

High: “Probably getting to work in a research lab. The experience is really great. And I think it really makes Trinity stand out from a lot of other universities.”
Low: “I feel like Trinity has a lot of opportunities. This is really good. But also that makes me feel like I do a lot of stuff so just like being able to manage work and things like that along with school. Because certainly, I feel like it’s pretty academically demanding.”

As graduation approaches, seniors are preparing to leave Trinity and enter the workforce or continue their academic education. Students’ greatest highs and lows from their time at Trinity will always hold a special place in shaping them on their journey.