Adi Collins can do it all. Tennis, the Technical College of the Rockies, cheer, color guard, and being a senior are all just pieces to who she is as a person. She plans to attend college, and the preparation that came along with this dream made it all worth it.

Collins prepped for her chosen career before her senior year even began, wanting to become an anesthesiologist. “I started off junior year with getting my basic certifications — CNA, PCT, EKG, BLS, and Phlebotomy — and now I’m going to go to CSU for Biomedical Sciences with Anatomy & Physiology,” said Collins. 

However, the college experience cannot be achieved without high school. “Freshman year, I wasn’t even thinking about college, or the medical field, or anything really,” said Collins. However, the pressure of high school eventually gets to a point. “I want it to be over, I’m done, ready to graduate and start my life, although I’ll miss my underclassmen,” said Collins. 

Even though Collins isn’t going to miss her high school experience, minus the relationships she has with people — especially the underclassmen — she believes college will have its own challenges as well. When it comes to what she has planned, it will be better than high school in a way. “[I think] it would be more flexible, especially the classes and schedules,” said Collins, “[I’m] 110% scared, but only financially, college is expensive, but worth it.”

As she approaches her future, Collins has advice for everyone else as well. “Freshman: don’t be scared to try new things; sophomores: try and knock out your core classes you need to graduate, so you can coast your junior and senior year; juniors: take algebra 2 and AP lang, you’ll be set for the SAT; seniors: do scholarships. As much as you don’t want to, do them; it’s worth it,” said Collins. And what goes for everyone, “Please don’t stop in the middle of the hallway and walk a little faster, people have places to be!”