Afeera Chauhdry Interview
by Brittney Cullen and Zaynab Masood
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Star Status sat down with Nottingham student Afeera Chaudhry to discuss her future aspirations, to get advice for our student body, and to get overall feedback on the experiences she has had in all of her college endeavors thus far. Afeera is a very dynamic member of her community, racking up over 200 volunteer hours, including putting in work at Robert Wood Johnson for the past two summers.
Afeera is a star student, proving so by taking initiative and attending a summer science program at the College of St. Elizabeth. Afeera speaks of her support system, claiming “My teachers helped support me through my college application process. My family always believed in me; [they] always believed I could do it.” Furthermore, Afeera gave some outstanding advice for current and upcoming high schoolers: “Freshman year is important. Start early, be involved in school activities, and, most importantly, have fun in high school because it goes by very fast. Cherish all the moments you can.” School is a top priority, but that does not mean it cannot be fun. High school is what you make of it, so make it the best experience you can. Afeera gave us insight into her mindset by exclaiming that “School is always first priority; have fun on the weekends!” High school is all about balancing out what is truly going to assist you in your future and your social life. Although Afeera takes her own education very seriously, that does not mean she is unwilling to help others; in fact, she goes on to discuss her attitude towards being a role model: “[People] look up to me for help; I truly enjoy helping people and it gives me satisfaction when I make even a small difference.” Afeera is commonly known for her extraordinary brains, but she explains that when she was a freshman, she did not really know about class ranks; it is not uncommon for freshman to be unaware of the importance of class standings. Afeera explains her experience with class ranks as the years progressed: “When I learned about [class ranks], I wanted to aim for being valedictorian. Now that it is in my reach, I wish to maintain [my rank] till the end of the year. This title validates everyone who believed in me and makes them all proud.” At the end of the day everyone should have the same feelings as Afeera, who reflects on her journey these past four years by stating “I am proud, I feel like all of my efforts have paid off, and I feel like I have made my parents, teachers, and friends proud.” |