When you were at NA, did you know what you wanted to do? Was there anything at NA that pushed you in the direction of English?

Choosing a career path is definitely difficult, but you’ll learn so much more about what you like in college and during internships. When I was a senior, I applied to colleges as an English major because I knew that’s where my strengths were, and I had a passion for literature that made my English courses my most intellectually stimulating. I had extremely supportive teachers who made me confident in my writing and pushed me to explore my potential. My junior year AP English class was where I gained the timed writing skills that helped me bang out 20-pagers in a single sitting in college, so I’m sure my preparation for college-level courses made me inclined to specialize in what I had already become well-trained in. I cannot stress enough how lucky you are to have NASH teachers seeing to your education. They truly care, and if you get to know them, they will get to know your work and stop at nothing to help you improve and succeed. Even teachers who didn’t have me for English classes would take time to talk to me about my writing, and their commendation gave me the confidence to pursue the course of study that I did. So while my love of literature certainly informed my career path, it was my teachers who gave me the skills and self-assurance I needed, and their impact on my life motivated me to go into education to attempt to be for my students what my teachers were for me.

So what have you been doing since graduating college? What do you think current students should know about life after graduation?

Right now, I live in Bangkok, Thailand, and I teach AP English as well as SAT prep and writing enrichment courses. I work with students who attend international schools, and part of my job is also college admissions counseling for students who want to attend US universities. A year ago, I had no idea that I would be living here. I actually had a second major in Spanish at Duke with the intention of teaching in Spain after graduation, but when I was recruited for this job last spring, I couldn’t turn it down. I ended up choosing it over the offers in Spain because I already spoke Spanish and had already lived there for a bit. I was attracted to the challenge of moving to this place where I didn’t know anyone, had to learn a language, and felt like a foreigner. The best advice I think I can give current students is to work hard now so that as many doors as possible are open to you later; then, as you push toward your long-term goals, be open to interruptions. The illusion of a plan is helpful for guiding and motivating you through college, I think, but you can’t anticipate what life will drop in that pristine path you’ve imagined for yourself. Accept it as some kind of kismet.

So now that you’re living in Thailand and helping students, is there anything you miss about NA or Duke? I’m sure life must be entirely different from what it was in Wexford. How do you think high school prepared you for your career?

To be honest, what I miss most about NA is seeing my childhood friends in class and living within driving distance of them. I miss everything about Duke. I just graduated in May, so the grieving is still fresh. Life is very different from how it was in Wexford, but I’m very different from the Elizabeth who lived in Wexford. It gets easier and easier to adapt to change, even one as drastic as moving to the other side of the planet. Frankly, I’m just embarking on my career, but NA prepared me for Duke, and Duke prepared me for everything else. The study habits and time management you learn in high school are probably the most important skills you’ll take with you into college, if college is the right path for you. The day I got into my dream school was one of the most joyous of my life, and NA made that, and thus, all that followed, possible. NA’s resources, reputation, and rigor made me into the kind of student who could thrive in college, and I’m infinitely grateful.

It’s good to know all our hard work in high school actually does pay off in college and after graduating. Now that you’re moving forward, do you plan on staying in Bangkok or do you think you’ll come back to the US soon? Are you interested in continuing to teach?

I’ll be in Bangkok for a few more months before I head back to the States. I’d like to go to graduate school and continue to teach, perhaps eventually at the college level. I just got an incredibly sweet thank you note from one of my students this morning, and that’s the sort of thing that assures me that working in education will remain fulfilling for a long time.

Is there anything else you want the Uproar readers to know about you or your time at NA?

I can’t think of much to add other than a hello and thank you to my former teachers and best wishes to current students. I would also like to apologize to all the teachers whose classes I skipped by pretending I had to work on something for the yearbook (I can’t get detention after graduating, right?). Honestly, though, I’m forever grateful to NA for providing me such an excellent educational foundation and a group of friends who continue to feel like family. Good luck with your senior year, and remember to make time to have fun because it flies!