
Walking throughout the halls of Wayne Hills High School, we often don’t think too much about the random people we see. You’d be surprised to find out that the people we see on our way to class might have more in common with you than you think. An interview with a sophomore at Wayne Hills, Adriana Hernandez, gives us insight into her life, and how she can relate to us.
Adriana Hernandez is a student who puts in a lot of hard work to succeed in sports and her outside life. She cares about the people that she has met so far in her high school career, and always keeps a light-hearted personality. While balancing school work with an avid social life could be hard sometimes, Adriana has an organized way of going about it.
“I find time to value both my friends and school activities just because I don’t want one to feel more prioritized than the other. What helps me best is keeping track of my upcoming events so I know who I’m hanging out with on what days, and the other days I’ll have practice.” Adriana says. She’s also eager to add to her school activities by trying out for a spring sport after SDA is over. Adriana mentions, “I thought about spring track and flag football. I’m still undecided because once the weather starts getting warm, my mind starts focusing on being more social rather than practice.”
Moving is a common struggle that many of us in life might be able to relate to. Adriana has also faced this struggle but was able to overcome these challenges in a way that shows these things aren’t always the worst part of life.
“It was a big culture shock and I would notice big changes when it came to just stepping outside and not having the city scenery. The proximity of places wasn’t very convenient. Even when it came down to people’s personalities, there was a big difference in comparison to my city life. Eventually, I got used to it but I still enjoy going back to the city when I can.” says Adriana.
Another sophomore at Wayne Hills, Shaheya Ammar, remembers when Adriana first moved. “I’d say Adriana handled it well, Adriana is a very open person and will find a way to get close to someone quickly. If you put 10% in a moment with her she’ll put in the other 90%”
Adriana has had many different important moments in her life. She finds the more emotional ones to be the most valuable to her. “I have had a lot of different experiences that I love, but if I had to choose it would be 8th-grade dance. I think I felt like it was one of the best experiences because the moment was so surreal, and I just knew it was going to be one of the last major moments with the people I cared for most,” says Adriana. These stages of life add to the type of person Adriana is in her daily life. Shaheya says, “Adriana is a good person, she’s very creative and has a different way of thinking. She thinks from every other perspective and more outside the box.”
With Adriana’s creative way of thinking, she often learns different lessons in her day-to-day life. One of the lessons she has learned so far is, “If I had to say, the decisions you make create your life, choose wisely. I go by this because I often find myself indecisive, and often my choices do not have the best outcomes. Going forward I prefer to ask others for their opinions on a situation before I make a decision. It helps me not act on emotion rather than logic.” Her cautious way of thinking has her finding this lesson important to remember as she goes about her daily life.
Everyone who goes to Wayne Hills knows how hard SDA can sometimes be for the girls who participate in it. Adriana is no stranger to sports injuries and found herself with a fractured elbow a month ago. When asked where she found the strength to continue, this is what she said. “Honestly it’s just what I love to do most. Even if I’m in pain, I’m willing to do anything I can to get better and be the best version of myself for the team.” Others in the school were able to recognize this work ethic she was able to maintain. “When Adriana got hurt during SDA she realized that she had to drop a dance to be able to prioritize and perfect one. She found a solution and a way to bounce back from her injury during a tough time,” says Shaheya. Adriana can display immense strength despite the obstacles ahead of her.
To make a long story short, Adriana is a great example of what some students and Wayne Hills High School go through. Her display of hard work to be successful is something that we can all relate to in a sense, whether it be academically, socially, or athletically. Her inspiring way of bouncing back from an injury shows that we can all get through tough times if we try hard enough. It also goes to show you never know what someone is going through. Next time you walk through the halls of this high school, think about the lives of the other kids walking alongside you, and how you can relate to them.