On top of the stresses of adjusting to distance learning last spring, Kyle Ayisi found himself with a tough decision to make.
The Pickerington High School Central graduate, who you might remember from the December/January 2019 issue, had been accepted to each of the 14 universities he applied to, five of them being Ivy League schools.
“Honestly, for me (being accepted) was just exhilarating,” Ayisi says. “Having the faith that things will come through and seeing that they did was just really exciting for me and my family. We were really happy to see it and just thankful and blessed.”
Ayisi ultimately decided on Princeton University. He wants to attend a university that has a wide variety of strong programs to leave his options open and enable him to be a well-rounded adult.
Ayisi will study neuroscience. He first became interested in the field after attending a medical camp at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
He plans to enter the university with an open mind and hopes to take a variety of classes to explore his options and ensure he’s found the right major.
Finding motivation during COVID-19
Due to the ongoing pandemic, Princeton gave students the option to study remotely or move to campus. Ayisi decided to start on campus this fall, though the majority of his classes will be online.
“I just feel like a lot of my motivation comes from being in that environment, so being on campus even if a lot of my classes are online helps me to really learn to the best of my potential,” Ayisi says.
In high school, Ayisi was active in organizations such as the National Honor Society, marching band, choir, diversity club and student council, where he served as class president.
“A lot of these different things that I did in high school are just some of my passions,” he says, “and I don’t plan on stopping them in college.”
Of course, activities and on-campus organizations will look a little different during his first year at Princeton, but Ayisi says he’s looking forward to getting involved in the community as soon as things return to normal. He plans to volunteer more and take on leadership roles in student government.
While distance learning is not ideal, Ayisi says he encourages high school students to make the best of the situation and stay focused on their goals.
“My spring semester of my senior year, that was kind of tough getting through it because you’re right there about to finish, and then all of a sudden everything is moving slowly because it’s just online and you’re at home,” he says.
Ayisi was able to look on the bright side and take advantage of things that were granted to him because he was at home, such as having more freedom in his schedule.
“I like to say I’m self motivated,” says Ayisi. “I have these goals that I’ve had since I was young and just knowing that it takes certain things to reach those goals, even when it gets hard. You have to think about the end result and what you want for the future and just work toward that.”
David Rees is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
