Freshman year is a time of adjustment, exploration, and growth. For freshman Deepika Gajulapalli, it has been no exception. With a rigorous academic schedule, a passion for creativity, and an interest in STEM, she has found ways to balance her workload while pursuing her hobbies.
Gajulapalli enjoys a variety of creative activities outside of school, including drawing, painting, and working with air-dry clay. She also has an interest in baking and cooking which allows her to express herself in different ways beyond academics.
Academically, her schedule is demanding. She is enrolled in Honors Algebra II, Honors English 9, Honors Biology, AP World History, Student Government, and Yoga. Despite the challenge, she has maintained a strong GPA of 4.67. “It’s not too bad as a freshman, but sometimes for math or AP World, I feel like it’s a lot”, said Gajulapalli. However, she remains committed to her studies, explaining, “I always work hard for all my classes. For me, grades are important, and if I ever have any questions or doubts, I always ask the teacher and try to be on good terms with them.”
Her approach to studying varies depending on the subject. “If it’s a really hard class, I usually study like four days before”, she shared. “I use the study guides provided, go through all the questions, and if there are words I don’t know, I write them down and try to anger them.” She also utilizes the “blurt technique,” a method that helps with memorization and recall as you write down everything you can remember about a certain topic.
Gajulapalli originally planned to take a standard math course but decided to enroll in Honors Algebra II after seeing many of her friends take it. This decision eventually led her to the STEM program. Although she initially considered teaching as a career, she is now more interested in pursuing a STEM-related field.
Among her courses, math has proven to be the most difficult. “I’m not very good at it”, she admitted. “It was pretty good semester one but semester two is kind of getting weird.” AP World History has also presented challenges, particularly with multiple-choice questions.
On the other hand, yoga has been the most rewarding class for her. “At the end of the day it’s nice to have a class to relax in, “she said. “I thought I wouldn’t learn anything in yoga, but I learned a lot like different meditation techniques. It’s helped me calm down my stress, and I can use it in my life”
As she continues her high school journey, Gajulapallis’s work ethic and willingness to challenge herself will likely guide her toward success, both academically and personally.
