The Class of 2024 produced 39 valedictorians, and The Accolade interviewed each to reflect on their high school journeys and thoughts. This is a full version of the Q&A, of which the preview is included in our May magazine issue. Any remaining full-version Q&A will be posted in alphabetical order throughout the week in the Feature section.

Question 1: Which university have you committed to?
Answer: UCI [University of California, Irvine].

Question 2: What will you major in?
A: Biological sciences.

Question 3: What’s your favorite movie or TV show and why?
A: I liked the Korean drama “W: Two Worlds” because it is a good mix of thriller and action.

Question 4: Are there any quotes you live by that guided you through your academic journey?
A: “Work hard and play hard.”

Question 5: What extracurricular activities or hobbies did you enjoy in high school, and how did they complement your academic success?
A: Playing volleyball outside of school helped a lot because it taught me how to work with people.

Question 6: What subject did others find hard, but in your opinion was the easiest for you?
A: I’m a math person. I thought AP [Advanced Placement] Calculus AB was easy.

Question 7: What extracurricular activity did you struggle to balance with your grades?
A: Playing sports because practice would end really late. 

Question 8: What did you sacrifice to maintain your grades?
A: I sacrificed my sleep because I would stay up doing homework.

Question 9: How did your surrounding friends/family support you throughout your high school years?
A: My parents and brothers always give me motivational advice. 

Question 10: Who is one teacher you are thankful for/ look up to and why?
A: I am thankful for Mr. [Andrew] Colomac because he made chemistry really easy to understand.

Question 11: What is one study habit you recommend to underclassmen?
A: I would recommend taking specific notes during class because it’s important to look back at it to study.

Question 12: What is one piece of advice you would tell your freshman self?
A: To not be so stressed out during school.

Question 13: How did you discover what you wanted to major in college?
A: I had a dog once and my family had to put him down. It got me into anesthesiology because I want to help people manage pain. 

Question 14: If you had to go back to any moment of your life when would it be?
A: I want to go back to my junior [year] summer because I went to South Korea for a family trip.

Question 15: What career do you eventually want to have in the future?
A: I want to become an anesthesiologist.