By Quinn Willett – Social Media Editor

Former Jonathan Law student and Class of 2023 Valedictorian Aislinn Burns recently started college at Rice University in Houston, Texas, studying Biosciences with a concentration in Biochemistry on the Pre-Med track.

Burns has a very busy schedule in her new college life. Depending on the day, she has three or four classes spaced out between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. with some small breaks in between to have breakfast or lunch with friends or take some time for herself. 

The second half of her day includes finishing classes then meeting up with her friends at the common area and hanging out. She also starts homework and assignments for the day or goes to office hours.

“I always make sure to take time to stay active whether it be running, swimming, or playing Powderpuff as it helps me de-stress and interact with lots of new people,” Burns said. 

Going into college isn’t easy, especially trying to balance school, life, and friends. Burns tells us how it is okay to not know what you’re going to do exactly at the given time or know your exact plan. 

“Since I’ve graduated, I’ve realized that I don’t have it all figured out, and that’s okay,” Burns said. “It’s okay to be stressed, or change your mind, or feel a little out of place because everyone is also in the same situation. I realized how important it is to have a work-life balance, and for me now, I am doing that much better than I did in high school.”

Some students find it difficult to manage their time or can only focus on doing school work but Burns does it all.

“Right now, I’m mainly focussing on embracing the feeling of not having it all figured out and exploring lots of different majors, clubs, opportunities, and people to make the most of my college experience,” Burns said. 

Although Burns is in Texas, there are many things she has learned and misses about Law. 

“Law prepared me really well for college/post life,” Burns said. “Towards senior year I developed a lot of good time management skills and realized the importance of getting involved which I have already done in college.” 

She said she has worked hard to adjust to a new life and environment. 

“College classes were a huge adjustment for me and I definitely struggled at the start; however, I learned so many skills about perseverance and adaptation throughout my time at Law that allowed me to succeed,” Burns said.