It’s your last first day. You are finally a Senior. You think about all the parties and what a good time you’re going to have during your last year at school. But… it’s your last year at school.

During their senior year, students need to consider college applications, where to study, their career path, how to get scholarships, and their life after graduation overall. So the question is, how are seniors feeling about the future?

How does it feel to finally become a Senior?

The dream of every student is to become a Senior, the biggest in the school. The year of parties, friends, college decisions, becoming an adult, and so many things more. 

“I love it. I have been so excited doing even the most minimal senior tradition and I have had a good balance between school and my personal and social life. It’s also very nostalgic because every time I’m at an important event I realize, like, ‘it’s the last time I’ll live this’, but the atmosphere and everything is very exciting,” Senior Helena Hoyos said. 

“It feels very rewarding because it’s the last year and we are the oldest in the school. We have a lot of fun here in school and out of school, but it’s also bitter because it’s the last year of school. And some of us are never going to, you know, cross paths again,” Senior Tomas Castro said. 

“I think it feels weird because you always look up to seniors as the big kids, and you always look forward to your final year, but when you’re actually one it feels nostalgic and unreal; like you’re still in 9th grade,” Senior Amalia Gómez said.

What are your plans after graduating?

The most common path to take after graduation is college. However, some choose not to take this path, and even for those who decide to go to college, there are many options. What career to study, going abroad or staying, what university to choose, taking a gap year, and traveling; are only some of the choices a Senior has to make.

“I’m going to take a gap year and go to Lausanne, Switzerland, where I’m going to take French classes at an academy, and also hope to get a job where I can improve my French skills. During this year I want to take my time to think what I really want to study,” Senior Emilio Franco said.

“I want to leave immediately, no gap semester or anything. Right now I’m applying to colleges in Mexico like the Técnologico de Monterrey and also in Spain like Nebrija, Universidad Europea, and the CEU. I’m very determined to leave and also excited about universities in Spain mostly,” Senior Maria Isabel Tavera said.

“I wanna study law in the US, but I’m first doing an undergraduate major in International Relations with a minor in Business and Marketing, and then go on to law school. As of right now, I’ve been applying to several universities in California, mostly UCs” Senior Luciana Alzate said.

How are you feeling about starting life after school?

A sancocho of emotions can sprout when talking about ‘going out into the real world.’

“I’m ecstatic. Even though I’m going to miss school I feel like a change of ambiance is always good for somebody and although change always causes chaos, I think that change for a lot of TCS students would be good. I’m going to another part of the world, so because of the change of culture and people I feel like I’m gonna learn a lot,” Tavera said.

“I’m very nervous, but excited at the same time. I have been a very independent person growing up and my sister went abroad so I have some expectations. I know I’m going to be confused and homesick at first, but I’m mostly excited for starting over, being independent, having a lot of freedom,” Hoyos said.

“I cannot say I don’t feel anxious and a bit frightened of leaving my family, friends, and the city I love behind, but mostly I feel excited for what will come after school,” Franco said.

What are you looking forward to in college?

TCS Seniors take a variety of paths after graduation. Some decide to stay in Medellín, while others go on to universities in Colombia, North America, the Middle East and Europe, learn a new language, or simply collect new experiences.

“Mostly getting quality education but also meeting a lot of people and doing networking because, as much as academics matter, I feel like the interactions and relationships you build with people are truly the ones that are gonna get you far in life. I also look forward to having a lot of fun,” Hoyos said.

“To finally studying a lot of the things I like because in school you study things and subjects that you don’t really enjoy, but in college obviously you choose your career, so after you choose, you get to see subjects related to what you like,” Tavera said.

“Definitely to creating new experiences, because in Colombia, Medellín, and specifically in TCS we are used to a lot of the same lifestyle and I think it’s really monotonous, so I’m expecting to go outside of the bubble, explore independency, and the real world in general,” Alzate said.

What do you think TCS has prepared you well for?

TCS Alumni study at some of the best universities in Colombia and the world. Most Seniors agree that thanks to the school’s resources, they are ready to step out into the real world and achieve success. 

“I think the TCS experience varies for each person. I have always held myself up to a certain standard academically, so I’ve joined APs, clubs, and extracurricular activities, so TCS has, in my opinion, prepared me very well for university, but other people may not be as involved in classes, and activities, and that’s okay too. I think TCS prepared me the most for interactions with other people, because with the whole changing of classes, and picking what you wanna see, and extracurriculars I think that building social skills and people skills was very beneficial,” Hoyos said.

“I think it prepared me well academically, I feel like I got a very good education here at the school. Also like with classes, because I got to choose the classes that I most liked, which relate to what I want to study,” Senior Pedro Lopez said.

“I think school somewhat prepared me for life, but I think mostly for college. The school offered us independence and responsibility, and it is really similar to college, letting us choose most of our classes and having different classmates for all of them. I’m grateful that I got to study in TCS,” Alzate said.