Written by Isabelle Termath, Staff Writer
Poly’s students are interviewed for the new year and asked for their review of 2025.
As we all get settled into the new year of 2026, it is a good idea to do some reflection on the previous one. Everyone’s experience was different as 2025 could have been someone’s best year and could have been another’s worst. Undoubtedly though, each person has a unique story for this past year.
Zander Hix (11) states that he believes he “became a better person” in 2025. This internal growth is a meaningful takeaway from a long year, and it makes one think how we hope for the world around us to reflect that, which is something that Hix mentions. He hopes that 2026 “sees political change.”
Sometimes our accomplishments can be very simple yet still add a bit of whimsy to life. Amarisse Cotton (12) reports that she finally was able to try the “school brownie” from the student store, a goal she set for herself at the beginning of this school year. As a senior, it is a fun idea to experience some things the school has to offer that one has not yet encountered.
Keira Eveland, however, had much to say for 2025. Through “trial and error,” she has found a routine outside of school that helps her be “more productive and happy”, something that she says is “so worth it.” Procrastination is something she is hoping to leave behind, and she may just be able to do so with this newfound routine. Especially being a junior, academics can get hectic and overwhelming along with the struggles of one’s personal life. Besides productivity and school, Eveland is happy to say that she has found herself after having “experimented with a ton of different styles.” Growth, not only in school-life balance but in self-expression and style as well, is such an important and crucial way to start the new year and start on the right foot; it sets a strong precedent for the upcoming twelve months.
Noemi Martinez, a senior and fellow Spotlight Staff Writer, also has experienced immense change in 2025. She proudly states, “I accepted myself more and pushed myself toward goals that I didn’t think were possible.” These goals include the senior task of applying to colleges. Despite feeling burnt out and tired, she persevered and submitted them in time, though still regrets procrastinating. This new stage of life she is coming up on has prompted her to “live out the last couple months of ‘childhood’.” As seniors get ever closer to the month of May and graduation, it is so important that they reflect on how they got here and appreciate the years past before they dive into adulthood. Additionally, Martinez “feels more comfortable with every aspect of [her]self.” She has decided to let go of stress and enjoy life rather than let the pressure of school get her down. Despite 2025 being a difficult year, she is happy to say she has found a new sense of peace.
Olivia Buransiri (12), as part of our last interview, had much to say. For 2025, she feels most accomplished about “staying cleaner and more organized than [she] normally [is].” She said that she made it a priority to not procrastinate small tasks, and that it really is the little things that add up to help achieve a bigger goal. One of her regrets is not living in the moment. The year seemed so fleeting and she has little documentation of it, saying that having photos to look back on is an important thing for her and she wishes had more. Her hopes for the new year include getting a job, a milestone she has yet to hit, not counting the family friend she works for on weekends. She also explains how last year made her so grateful to be alive and appreciate every small thing, such as simply having arms and legs. Her biggest takeaway is that “I should just be grateful and appreciate what I have and what I can do,” something we should all be reminded of from time to time.
Our interviewees show just how formative, trifling, and important a year can be. Each confronted with their own struggles, they persevered and took challenges head on. They learned about who they are and who they are becoming. 2025 was a year that will not be forgotten, and hopefully 2026 is kind and just as memorable for all of us.