Christine
Christine was in two of my classes in high school, including AP Calculus BC. She was critical for the success of the Math Lab, and she began tutoring professionally in her senior year.
What is your name?
Christine Dizon
When and where were you born?
July 15, 2000, at Vallejo, CA
Where did you grow up?
I lived in Northern California during my first three years. My family ended up moving to the Philippines for five years. Eventually, we moved back to California when I was nine.
Where did you go to high school, where are you now, and how far are you planning to continue your education?
I spent my freshman year at John C. Kimball High School and my last three years at Rancho Mirage High School.
I am currently planning to obtain a Master of Science in Nursing, but I am allowing myself some room for changes in the future.
Do you have specific career plans?
As of right now, I plan on earning a BSN to become a pediatric oncology nurse. After working for a couple years, I’ll continue my education and aim for my MSN.
Are you politically active?
I admit to not being as politically aware as I could or should be. However, I did vote during the last election and I fully plan on being more active in the future.
Are you religious?
I grew up under a Catholic family, but I slowly began questioning the existence of God as I became older. Currently, I like to believe that God is real. However, it most likely stems from my desire for peace of mind and a sort of safety net.
Do you have pets?
I own a dog named Jasper.
What are you reading? Watching? Listening to?
I am finishing up an autobiography called When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.
My friend has bugged me into starting Stranger Things.
I have recently discovered the bands The Revivalists and Mumford and Sons.
Dust first, then vacuum, or vice versa?
Vice versa. I feel like vacuuming makes dust fly everywhere. Better to save dusting for last.
Which is worse: fast in the slow lane or slow in the fast lane?
Slow in the fast lane. I feel like an accident is more likely to happen in this scenario.
Do you have advice for high-school students who want to pursue the best education they can?
Know what your limits are and what you’re willing to do for your education. Also, don’t expect a school to be your best fit just because it has prestige. While the reputation of the school can be beneficial to some, that may not be the most important aspect for others when searching for a job. Make sure the school you attend has the resources that will make you the most successful in your career.
Do you have specific study techniques you’ve used?
I study in silence. Some think that music helps, but I find myself focusing more on the music than my assignment whenever I have something playing.
I like to take comprehensive notes on whatever text I’m reading. That way, I have a detailed but concise resource to use when I need to review.
You maintained a high GPA throughout high school. How did you find the motivation?
I had a general idea of what career I wanted to enter while I was in high school. I knew that the programs I wanted to enter required high GPAs.
There was also a certain gratification in seeing an A on the report card, knowing that my hard work got me what I aimed for.
Do you think public K-12 education is working, or is there something you would change?
There are too many variables in a person’s education to pin all the success or failures of the student on the education system. It also depends on the teachings of the teacher and the efforts of the students. My main problem with the system is all the testing. I don’t think that tests are the best way to measure a student’s intelligence, but I also don’t know of a better method.
How is college different from what you expected?
I expected my STEM classes to be more difficult than my liberal arts classes, but it was the complete opposite.
Is there a skill you picked up in high school that turns out to be more important in college than you thought it would be? Is there a skill that you thought you would need that turns out to be less important than you predicted?
There were times when I never read the material in high school and still passed easily. That’s no longer an option for most of my college classes. That’s why being able to summarize everything is so much more important than I thought it would be.
Memorization is not as important as I thought. Most tests in college now rely on comprehension rather than regurgitation of information.
Is there something you did in high school that you might not choose to do if you could go back in time? Is there something you wish you had done?
I don’t necessarily regret taking ASB, but I do wonder what more I could have done had I abstained from applying. I do wish that I took either physics or statistics.
Do you have advice for high-school teachers? Counselors? Administrators?
Teachers: Rely more on interactive lectures rather than just using Powerpoints. The Powerpoints could always be shared with the students to be read at home.
Counselors: Encourage the students to visit more often for a one-on-one consultation. Sadly, most students tend to tune out during mass presentations that give important information.
Do you have advice for parents of students?
Teach your children how to care about their education. Simply telling them to do better won’t motivate them. Give them a reason or incentive to try harder.
Do you have advice for students who are about to head off to college?
Plan your first schedule accordingly. If you already have a set major, make sure you’re taking the proper prerequisites so you don’t delay your graduation.
Are you enjoying college?
Like high school, there are parts of college that I enjoy and parts that I dislike. I’m choosing to focus on the parts that make the experience worthwhile.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I’m pretty happy about the scholarship I received. It’s a huge relief to know that I won’t have any loans after graduating.
Rank in order of importance: money, fun, love, security.
It changes for me all the time, but my current one would have to be security, love, money, fun.
