Anna Lasek is an athletic senior at NAHS who is very involved in extracurricular activities. In terms of sports, she plays volleyball and both indoor and outdoor track. She is also a member of the Drama Club, Select Choir, SADD/Interact Club, Yearbook Club, Traffic Safety Team, The Class of 2021 Committee, Student Council, National Honor Society, Tri-M, and the Gifted and Talented Program. Not to mention that Anna is a BCC student as well, so she has a very busy schedule. When she is not doing schoolwork or participating in extracurricular activities, Anna enjoys reading and spending time with her friends. The pandemic has made it challenging to spend a lot of time socializing with others, so she has started creating playlists for her music. After she graduates high school and from BCC, Anna plans to study international relations because she wants to be happy, see the world, and help others the way they helped her. 

Anna believes that the biggest achievement in her life is getting through the pandemic. She expressed, “This has been by far the most challenging year of my life mentally, physically, and emotionally. Being in a pandemic was a huge adjustment with not being able to attend school in person and participate in extracurriculars. I struggled with school and learning virtually and I still am to some extent. It was really hard to have so much stuff taken away our senior year and it took a toll on me. I became unmotivated and unhappy. I missed my friends and my teachers and still do.  School formed into a to-do list, a requirement, and developed into something I became less passionate about. My room became a classroom and not so much a place of comfort but a regular everyday thing.” 

Anna also stated, “The pressure of college applications and the SAT didn’t help either. I was constantly worrying about my parents but I am blessed to say that we all have been in good health now a year into the pandemic. Many relationships and friendships were tested and communication became key to keep them going. As I look back on this year, I grew so much in so many ways. I had to take an initiative to practice, attend school, learn, and become good at time management. There is a lot of learning I had to do on my own but I somehow managed to get through it. So, this pandemic definitely changed and shaped me as a person and I am grateful for it.” The pandemic has been a struggle for everyone — especially students and teachers since they had to adapt to the difficult remote learning conditions. 

Anna’s favorite classes are AP Literature and Intro to Short Story. She says, “Both classes deal with analysis and interpretation. I love reading and looking at ideas beyond the pages. I love reading work written by all different types of people and learning about the struggles they themselves overcame in their own lives. It makes me feel less alone because I am able to see and realize that we are all fundamentally the same and we all experience a range of emotions and encounters that are so different but the same.”

Obviously, it is not easy for Anna to balance her high school work, BCC work, and extracurricular activities. When asked how she managed to do it all, she said, “I developed a schedule and a strong mindset. The only way you can succeed is to get your stuff done. I have a pretty consistent schedule of when I need to get stuff done. My job is to be a student and that is what I need to do.” Anna is obviously a very experienced and well-rounded student, and with her experiences come a lot of lessons that she has learned. If she could leave any advice to younger students, it would be “To just be yourself because that is the only way you are going to be able to enjoy high school. Just do the things you have always loved to do and don’t be scared to try something new. Make sure you do stuff because you want to do it.” 

Anna certainly has a bright future ahead of her and we wish her the best of luck in college and beyond!