Lucas Kim

This February, I qualified for the National Speech and Debate Tournament for the third time in my high school career. When I flew to Iowa a few months later for a week of competition, I surprised myself, my coach, and a few of my peers by making it to the semifinalist rounds in Congressional Debate. I am particularly proud of my Speech and Debate record as there was a point in my life when any form of public speaking and even raising my hand to speak in class caused me significant amounts of anxiety. Stepping out of my comfort zone and participating in an activity that I knew would be terrible at first turned out to be one of my life's most rewarding choices. 

 

Throughout high school, prioritize moderation. One of my biggest regrets is that I spent too much time and energy on things that don’t matter in the long run. Yes, focus on school, get decent grades, and set your priorities. But be sure to plan hangouts with friends, support your classmates at school matches, build those relationships, and be a little crazy. Your high school years go by so quickly, so make memories that you can reflect on years from now and be happy you made them. 

 

My favorite memories from Trinity always happened on school trips when spending a few nights at a hotel with my friends. Whether I’ve just returned from an amusement park on a band trip or debated for an entire day with little to no energy left, I vividly remember most of these nights in the hotel rooms with my friends. If I wasn’t sleeping, my friends and I were either blasting karaoke, having a pillow fight, or laughing hysterically over inside jokes that made no sense to anyone else. I will never forget these memories, and I still occasionally find myself watching videos that I recorded of these moments years ago. 

I plan on attending college and studying biosciences on a pre-med track. Assuming I don’t have a change of heart, I want to pursue a career in medicine and, hopefully, one day become a doctor or a surgeon. In college, I hope to meet new friends and build connections with my peers and professors. Of course, I’ll prioritize keeping in touch with my friends here at Trinity.