With the end of school quickly approaching in just a couple weeks, it is almost time for the seniors to say their farewells to the school as they turn to the next chapter of their lives. In what feels like the first proper closure since pre-pandemic times, the senior class has stuck their last AP exam stickers, had their first and last prom, and soon will celebrate their high school graduation. Amidst the whirlwind of activity, they’ve committed to their chosen university and set in stone the foundations for the next four years. In honor of them, we spoke with some members of the Class of 2022 to hear what’s on their bucket lists for this summer and what they’re looking forward to in college.

Senior Christina Yue, who will be attending UC Berkeley this fall, said, “I’m really looking forward to spending the last couple of months before college going to the places my friends and I have wanted to visit since the fall and traveling with family.”

Senior Mina Yoon will be staying right at home as a UCI freshman, but she equally hopes to make the most of her summer.

“I want to visit all the hotspots in my hometown even though UCI is in Irvine, get a job and make some money and also take some iconic pictures at Uni before I graduate,” Yoon said.

Senior Sophia Lee ambitiously said, “I want to binge-watch a drama in one day,” referring to Chinese TV shows that often span dozens of episodes.

“I just want to try to not be as academically focused and spend more time outside and hanging out,” reflecting the sentiments of many students swamped by academics senior Annie Do said. “For my bucket list, I want to go to as many school events as possible from now until the end of the year, travel and try different restaurants and boba shops.”

As for senior Selina Gong, she hopes to finally learn how to drive and indulge in clothes shopping. “I also want to travel for a bit, probably to Greece, Japan or Singapore,” she said.

Gong, who will be making the cross country move as an NYU student, is looking forward to experiencing a new world in New York. “I’m excited to see what life in New York is like, because while I get to be a tourist for a while, eventually I’ll know what it’s like to be a resident in the big apple,” Gong said. “I also really am looking forward to dressing up and not being out of place and finding new friends to hang out with. I think meeting my roommate would be fun too.”

Senior Raymond Lin, who is Virginia Tech bound, said, “In the fall I am looking forward to meeting many new people. I’m also looking forward to living in dorms and experiencing the college life [and] being more independent and living away from home.”

Things are similar but less foreign for Yue, who will be staying in California for the next few years.

“In terms of what I’m looking forward to in the fall, I’m excited to be able to engage with other students with similar passions, take classes to learn more about what I’m interested in and honestly just try a lot of the restaurants and boba shops next to Berkeley,” Yue said.

Yue went on to reflect on her senior year experience.

“I feel really lucky that our class had a relatively normal senior year, and that we’re able to make the most of the last few months we have together before we head off to different colleges in the fall,” Yue said.

Congratulations to the Class of 2022 on their commitments and may they be successful in all their endeavors!