High school is a period of time where life changes, for better or for worse. With this change can come a shift in interests and goals. For upperclassmen at Solon High School, this concept remains a reality for some. A survey given to these upperclassmen showed that 54 percent of them had changed their goals from just their freshman year to their senior/junior year. 

This shift in goals and interests is almost identical to what Jona Verni, a senior at Solon High School, experienced. She explains that when she was a freshman, she was more interested in law than anything else, but as she continued through high school, she became more interested in Chemistry. 

“It was always [being a] lawyer since fourth grade. I watched a TV show a while ago and I just became interested. But, now, I’m more interested in Chem, especially after taking AP Chem.” 

However, for some, this change can be very sudden and drastic. According to this same survey, one student claimed he entered high school with aspirations of playing professional basketball. But, as this individual is wrapping up his high school years, he or she has grown an interest in cardiology. 

The same phenomena can once again be seen with Jackson DiVincenzo, a junior at Solon High School. DiVincenzo began high school with unestablished goals and interests, much like 10% of current upperclassmen at Solon High School, but following a breakthrough during sophomore year, expressed a strong interest in theater and videography. 

“ I didn’t really have a solid mindset on what I truly wanted to pursue, but now I have more of a clear idea. With Drama Club and Music in Motion, I’ve just figured out what I’ve wanted to do with the arts. It was kind of a new thing last year, but now it’s becoming more consistent for me.”  

He resides in the .9 percent of Solon High School students that are interested in any musical goal, which is minute compared to the most popular interests, such as medicine (20 percent), sciences (13 percent), and social sciences (at 9 percent). 

So, no matter how much your goals and interests change, it’s important to remember that high school is merely the beginning of this journey to success and hunt to discover passion. It’s important to plan ahead, but equally important to not rush to find what you love. After all, 95 percent of these upperclassmen have the same short term goal… attend college.