“You can say goodbye and you can say hello but you’ll always find your way back home” – the wise words from the 2000s legend, Hannah Montana. Our Knights travel distances short and long from ACP, the place we all discovered more about ourselves, but will always be Knights at the end of the day. One of our forever Knights, Ariel Law, is currently studying at University of Arizona and has been kind enough to answer some of my questions about college life amid COVID-19 and offer some advice to Knights that are about to enter a similar life. Without further ado, Ariel Law everyone!

Q: How have you been doing?

A: I’ve been doing okay! I have just been busy studying and preparing for the MCAT. School has shifted online, so all of our classes have been held live online for the past weeks since school started.

Q: What is your major in college? Why did you pick this?

A: I am currently majoring in nutritional sciences with a dietetics emphasis and east Asian studies with a Chinese language emphasis. I am also on the pre-med track. In high school, I started building a passion for food, and I’ve always wanted to build a healthy life. So I thought, if I like medicine and food, why not combine it? I have also wanted to build my Chinese language skills not only for translating for church, but also hoping that I can study aboard one day.

Q: What is the most exciting experience you have had in college so far?

A: My most exciting experience is being able to pursue my passion, spend more time bonding with friends, and join clubs that I love!

Q: What are you most excited for in college once COVID-19 is gone?

A: I am most excited for being able to study and hangout with my friends in person.

Q: What do you miss the most about ACP?

A: I miss having more time to bond with my instructors, as going to college was a big change in class size, so it was more difficult to meet with professors often. Although, we are still able to meet with our professors, there was definitely more of a time restraint when meeting them since most of them are always usually busy. I also miss being able to see my close friends at school everyday as in college, everyone is taking different classes with different instructors so we don’t get to see each other often.

Q: Has ACP prepared you for college life?

A: I definitely knew what to expect in terms of organization and studying. In terms of credits being transferred, I was glad that ACP kept on encouraging us to do dual enrollment and take AP tests as a lot of those credits transferred allowing me to have a loose schedule in college.

Q: What do you plan on doing after college?

A: I plan on applying to medical/graduate school.

Q: Any advice for current ACP Seniors?

A: Study hard and don’t forget to enjoy the moments you can spend with your friends! I entered college with classes for juniors and seniors, so it was definitely a challenge to meet new friends at first as everyone was in their respective friend groups already. In college, although you might have more time, it is still easy to fall off the road track if you don’t organize your schedule well and discipline yourself. It’s good to build the habit of studying consistently in high school, so you are more prepared and worry less in college. Have friends that hold you accountable so you can achieve your goal! Last, but not least, don’t stress too much! If you are having a hard time, take a deep breath, and make a to-do list of what you need to do! You got this! You just need to take it step by step to achieve your goal! Something that helps me is using the pomodoro study method, which is studying in increments of 25 minutes and taking a small break, as it helps me work more efficiently. Good luck to everyone entering college! ACP and I are proud of you for being able to accomplish everything you’ve done so far! Don’t be afraid to reach out to us alumni if you have any questions!

I would like to thank Ariel for taking time out of her day to share a bit about her life! From the rest of the ACP family, we wish you luck on your endeavors. Don’t forget to strive for the impossible and be extraordinary just like Ariel!