Senior Spotlight: Hena Patel (12-3)
Helena Saven (12-4)
Photo courtesy of Helena Saven (12-4)
What are you passionate about?
I’m really passionate about volunteering and I’ve always volunteered at certain hospitals. I started off at Jefferson, where I met a bunch of nurses and doctors. This summer I worked at Temple and that was much better because I got hands-on experience with the patients and I knew them better. We helped out by giving them anything to pass their time (because, you know, hospitals can be boring). I gave them newspapers, coloring paper, and whatever they needed. I just love volunteering and I’m always trying to find ways to go out and help my community.
Why is it hospitals in particular?
My mom works at a hospital so I’ve been familiar with the environment. On Bring-Your-Kid-to-Work-Day, I always went to the hospital. I’ve always had a passion for medicine and I wanted to be submerged in that type of community.
Can you tell us about a volunteer experience that affected you?
Patients would normally be there for multiple weeks and usually there’s a bunch of volunteers so I wouldn’t expect anyone to remember me or know who I am. But my sister and I would always be recognized as “the twins” so even if I walked down the hallway there’d always be patients who would say “hi twins!” and I didn’t even remember them. That always stuck with me, seeing how happy they get, and it shows how I’m actually improving their days and making it memorable for them. We were in a patient's room once and he was telling us to stay in school and focus on our dreams and it really motivated me. He was like, “it's so good that you’re helping with community stuff” and that just further motivated me to help out more and stay consistent with the efforts I was trying to do.
What are your goals for UMC (United Minority Council)?
Heer, and Malcolm, and I (the leaders) are trying to find ways for minorities to get represented in the school. One of the things we’re focusing on is Muslim Student Association, so we’re trying to get a prayer space in the school. I think we have to get the rugs, but we already have a room and time. That’s really important to me because I felt like in middle school I wasn't really represented, so I don’t want my peers to feel the same way who have the same background. I’m hoping UNC can become something so prominent that it allows the younger voices to be heard because I’ve been through a lot of experiences where the color of my skin determines how I’m treated or how my family was treated and I’ve always sought for ways to fight against that. When my grandpa was in the hospital, he was treated really badly because of his skin color and the nurses wouldn’t answer when we called them. They would try to make it seem like we didn’t understand what they’re saying even though they just didn’t explain it well to us. DOSA also allows me to connect with my culture and share things that I wouldn’t be able to share with my other peers. That’s a safe space for me.
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned in high school?
Honestly, don’t care what others think about you. Whatever judgement you think they have, don’t let it affect you. You know who you are; don’t let others determine what that is for you. I feel like that’s really important because I used to care what other people think but then I realized that everyone has their own judgement in thinking and you know what you are. You can’t rely on others to decide what you wanna do and what you want to be in life.
What (or who) is your biggest motivator?
My grandma. In India, she was forced to stop her education in 4th grade because she had to tend the home and take care of the family and do dishes, she always told me that. I always remember that I want to do it for her, I want to do what she couldn’t do for her education, to be someone she wished she could be. I want to live her dream for her, because she always tells me to stay in school. She makes sure I’m completing my work and eating dinner, staying on track.
How would your friends describe you?
Someone who is always going to listen to whatever they need- advice, help with problems, homework help, or even to sit down and talk with- I’m always there for them. Someone who is trying to brighten the mood and is trying to get everyone in the room happy, to energize the room. And then someone who’s dedicated to their work and is consistent with their schoolwork and helps out with whatever they need.
If you could, where would you time travel to and how long would you stay?
I would want to know what my great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents in India were doing and see how they lived, to compare with how I’m living now. I just want to get to know them because I feel it’s crazy to think you have these ancestors and you know nothing about them, or my parents don't even know them. I want to see how interesting it is, how the times have changed. I would probably go visit them.
What is your favorite color and why?
Purple because even when I see a lavender or a bright purple, it just makes me feel nice. It’s been purple for a really long time, but it changes.