The "Future" Issue - 99 Volume 2, Issue 4

QUestion + answer
1. Do you recommend playing a sport for JD?
“I highly recommend playing a sport for JD! Playing on
one of our teams is such a valuable thing at this school.
JD does such a good job honoring each and every
sport so that everyone feels loved. If you end up joining
a sport that isn’t for you, that’s okay! There is no
pressure to do something you don’t like, and you can
simply stop doing it. That is the beauty of Juan Diego,
you can make the experience exactly how you want,”
Sharpley said.
“Playing for a sport is probably the best experience
in terms of comradery. They are a great way to get
involved especially for someone who isn’t interested in
campus life,” Peragallo said.
2. What’s the biggest tip you would give that’s the
most helpful for all four years of high school?
“When you get home, do your homework right away.
Take a few minutes to get a snack and get changed,
but don’t get too relaxed. Just do it immediately, and
you actually can get through with it faster because you
are still in the school mindset,” Sharpley said.
“Be humble and don’t let opportunities pass you by.
The worst feeling is graduating and you realize you
didn’t do all of the things you wanted during
your time at school,” Peragallo said.
3. What’s something you stressed over that ended up
being pointless in the long run?
“One thing that I stressed over that ended up being
pointless was maintaining the perfect 4.0. By no means
am I saying that you shouldn’t care about your grades,
but one bad grade won’t kill you. I’ve gotten a few not
so great grades, but I still am going to a great college. I
was also too worried about taking all of the AP classes I
could possibly take. My senior year, I was supposed to
take Calc BC, but I realized that adding that extra class
was going to add so much more stress into my life, and
I don’t even like calculus. I decided not to take that
class, and I think that allowed me to dedicate myself
to my other classes more fully and to my extracurriculars.
You don’t always have to overextend yourself. Do
as much as you can do, but know your limits,” Zweber
said.
4. Is taking Honors/AP classes genuinely worth it?
“Taking honors and AP classes are only worth it if they
matter to you personally. If you genuinely like to learn,
then these classes are for you. For me, AP classes were
a natural step for me. But not everyone is as excited
about school as I am, so you should only sign up for
them if you are up for a real challenge. If you are not
sure about an AP class, try it and see what you think!
There is a window where you can switch your classes,
so there is no pressure to make a permanent decision.
But if this does not sound like something you would
like, then there is also no pressure to take these classes.
Do what is best for you,” Sharpley said.
“I would say that it depends on your goals. If you aren’t
trying to get into selective schools or trying to get a
scholarship, I wouldn’t say that all APs/Honors are
always worth it. If so, I would suggest only taking ones
that you have a genuine interest in,” Zweber said.
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