Life of a Sentinel, Tiana Pay

The Countdown Begins!

Less than forty days remain till the end of the 24/25 school year, and seniors are gearing up to finish their final semester of high school. Tiana Pay, a senior at Minot North, has finished out her schooling with multiple impressive achievements. Pay has provided insight on her life, as a highschooler, and wisdom for underclassmen.

Who is Tiana Pay?

Tiana Pay shares insights on her hobbies and extracurriculars, “I love reading! Whenever I have free time, I love reading a book or looking around a bookstore or library. I love stories in general, so I love watching a good show as well. I also enjoy playing instruments! I spend a lot of time practicing cello and clarinet. I'm also trying to learn to play the flute, but I haven't had enough spare time to make much progress. Learning languages is also one of my passions. Right now, I am working on Japanese and Korean, and hopefully I'll be able to add Chinese to that list soon! I also find learning in general to be a lot of fun, so I enjoy reading a book on new topics or watching Crash Course videos on topics I don't know much about.” As a highschool, Pay has an extremely impressive list of hobbies. Furthermore; She has expressed interest in studying abroad, partially in Japan, and is persistent in learning the Japanese language. Her vast knowledge on Japanese culture, and globalization is nothing short of amazing! In the fall Tiana Pay will be attending university to study “Asian Studies and Environmental Studies”. From there, she hopes to attend grad school to further her knowledge and expand her career field opportunities. Pay is a dedicated student and always puts time into her studies to exhibit excellence in all she does. While in high school, Pay participates in the school's orchestra and band. As head chair and a drum major, Pay has an impressive talent for playing music, “I play two main instruments, clarinet and cello, but I like to experiment with new instruments when I have the chance! For me, playing an instrument was never a question. Rather, the question was what instrument would I play? In elementary school, there was a lot of emphasis put on music through music class, and choosing instruments was always a big moment, so I never really thought about NOT being in music. Also, my older sister played instruments, so how could I not?” Not only is Pay academically impressive, and amazingly talented, she is also the kindest, most humble person I have ever had the pleasure to call my friend. Pay has an impressive career and life ahead for her to live after high school. Hard work, dedication and respect certainly gets you far in life.

Advice from the Best

Additionally, Pay shares some insight on lessons she has learned throughout her high school career. When asked what advice she wished she knew earlier in high school, she stated: “Start earlier. There is nothing more stressful than spending senior year unsure of what you want to do after graduation, what colleges you want to apply to, or what major you want to go into. Of course, you don't need to expect to have a clear idea so early on, but starting to think about it and research it a bit definitely makes senior year more relaxing and enjoyable.” Planning your four years at high school is extremely important in learning how to balance your work and life schedule. Oftentimes a lack of planning can lead to unwarranted stress and falling behind, so having a goal to achieve can help motivate oneself to get the most out of high school. Balancing school and life is challenging for everyone. As a senior, Pay has learned various ways to get the work done in order to relax, she states, “prioritizing what I want to do and dedicating time to that has been the most helpful in managing my time. I make sure I have time for the things I absolutely have to get done, and with the time I have left, I pick something fun to spend it on, like reading. I also plan a lot to make sure I am not rushing to meet a deadline and can gradually complete the work I need to while still having time in a day to do other things. Granted, I do have to sacrifice things I enjoy, but when I find I've finished everything I need to, spending that time on the things I haven't been able to always makes those moments that much more rewarding.” At any point in one's life, having the skill to prioritize, plan, and utilize time effectively is a key step for success and happiness. If you cannot take care of yourself, it is hard to take care of your work. The opposite is also true, it can be hard to relax when the work is never done. So while in high school, take time to discover how you learn, achieve goals effectively. Leave time for yourself to explore your hobbies, read a nice book, or relax. Tiana pay has excellent advice for any student who wishes to succeed in high school.

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