Life tends to present its best opportunities when one least expects them. Audrey Sinsky, after initially being waitlisted, knows this all too well. Sinsky was initially waitlisted from five schools and planned to commit to UC Riverside as a mechanical engineering major. Like many students, Sinsky treated her waitlists as rejections. However, about a week before the intent-to-enroll deadline for the fall 2023 semester expired, Sinsky received an email informing her that she had been admitted from Lewis & Clark’s waitlist, much to her delight.
“[UC riverside] is a great school, but it’s very sunny here, I am very much a grey skies, cold weather sort of person,” Sinsky said.
The humanities fascinate Sinsky. She has spent three years in high school involved in musical electives. This includes one year in the CHS orchestra as a violinist and two in the CHS Chora Nova. Despite originally planning to major in mechanical engineering, Sinsky has instead decided to pursue a history degree, citing the subject as one she feels driven to excel. Sinsky also sees the value in understanding history in order to apply its lessons to solving modern problems.
“History is context,” Sinsky said. “It really makes you think about… if this problem was solved this way in the past, how can that be applied now.”
Lewis & Clark College offers the opportunity to minor both in Japanese, which involves studying abroad, and in political economy. Sinsky hopes to double minor in both of these subjects in addition to her history major. Sinsky gives kudos to her AP United States History teacher Dr. Molly Arboleda, who fanned the flames of her history passion.
Sinsky looks forward to attending Lewis & Clark because of its excellent academic opportunities as well as its location. Sinsky feels that Portland Oregon is an ideal place for her to thrive due to its rainier climate, urban walkable city design, and indie culture. She also appreciates the 1800s-style architecture as well as the natural beauty of the wooded area where the campus itself is located..
“It really is the most beautiful college I’ve ever seen,” Sinsky said.
Another thing that excites Sinsky about college is that her longtime friend, Mateo Cervantes Coleman, is also bound for Lewis & Clark.
“[Cervantes Coleman is] one of the best people that I could imagine going to college with,” Sinsky said. “I’ve literally known him since we were 5? I feel like college will feel a little bit more like home immediately,” Sinsky said.
Sinsky feels incredibly lucky for the other friends she has made in high school, in particular, her lunch friend group consisting of Grace CadwalladerOlsker, Cheng Han Li, Regina Wang-Lin and Darian Jean Singer.
“I feel like I’ve been so lucky to have a group of people that I feel comfortable around and that I feel like my authentic self around,” Sinsky said.
Like most CHS seniors, Sinsky’s list of college rejections and acceptance would have been difficult to foresee,” Sinsky said. “This in mind, she has a few words of advice for younger students.
“High school is unpredictable. Your goals might change. Let that happen naturally. If there’s a cool opportunity like something that you weren’t really considering, just try it and you can quit after a while if you’re not into it. You have value and your value is so much more than your grades.”