The following is a list of each senior’s favorite quote from their chapel from an optional survey sent to the class of 2022 from the Centipede.
“Life goes by in the blink of an eye, so try and make the most of it.”
—Max Aaronson
“It’s okay to look back at yourself and laugh. Embarrassment is simply a part of character growth.”
—Tomilola Adegoke
“If you live your life counting down the days before everything’s expiration date, your love will always be for things that were gone before they ever left.”
—Isabelle Aish
“I will never know truly what my actions and my character are really a product of, where the boundaries of my identity ends and the insincerity of imitation begin. But somewhere in all this mist I am certain that I am in part made up of those who I love, those who I imitate, and those who I idolize.”
—Thomas Alemu
“I genuinely don’t matter.”
—Kayla Almonte
“There is always something worth noticing; always something to appreciate. Be present, genuine, and caring. It will take places you can’t imagine.”
—Charles Apolinsky
“Kindness is more than the things you do. It’s an attitude—an expression. It manifests in a look, a touch, a passing comment.”
—Chaewon Bae
“If you love something, don’t give up on it. Everything is flawed, everything is imperfect, but that doesn’t negate its beautiful aspects.”
—Talya Borisy
“We are not going back to normal. We are not going back to normal in the sense that you have learned and you have grown as a person in the last 2 years. Your passions and interests have evolved, and your understanding of the world and the people in it has deepened. If your idea of who you are and what you want to do has changed, that’s more than ok: that’s beautiful. Follow what you love, and you’ll end up in a right place. Not the right place, but a right place. I promise you that no one has only one.”
—Christie Burnside
“Un cactus dit à un autre :
– «Connais-tu le langage des hommes, toi ?»
– «Oui» répond l’autre cactus. «C’est facile : ils disent tous “AÏE!”»”
—Ia Sofia Cabre-Jockovich
“Transience, for many people, strictly belongs to the supernatural. It’s understood as a time of impermanence, passing in and out of existence. But, I understand it in the context of thinking. We are always thinking, but so much of our thinking is dictated by the systems around us. The systems around us make us discount our own creative minds. All of the students here are at a place where your brain might travel. They might create something that seems absolutely outrageous. For one second, forget the systems, forget your current state of being, forget your life now, let your brain go. Welcome to the transience of thinking.”
—Audeep Cariens
“Live your life the way you want to, not the way you think you should.”
—Veronica de Oliveira Castro
“There will be so many chances for failure, and don’t be afraid to use those failures as momentum. Even with the falls along the way, use the people around you to get lifted back up.
We all put so much time into our English essays and Math homework, so give yourself an opportunity each day to ask more questions, be a little kinder, and go outside.”
—Sarah Collier
“The late writer David Foster Wallace once said that writers aren’t smarter than everyone else, they just may be ‘more compelling in their confusion.’ I don’t ask that you try to be compelling, ‘cause that only drove me nuts. All I recommend is that you learn to be confused.”
—Jack Connolly
“If you haven’t experienced driving late at night with a friend while aggressively singing very badly and yelling all the swears because you can, then you should really try it.”
—Anika Donohue
“You deserve all the kindness and compassion you would give to a friend who is struggling. Be patient and compassionate with yourself while you’re healing, give yourself the time you need to recover, and know things will get easier.”
—Alexandra Ehlinger
“Embrace what you love—coolness is a construct. Pursue things that spark joy.”
—Gillian Foley
“You have all the time in the world to be cynical. Now is not the time. Please go out and enjoy things even if you feel intimidated.”
—Sophia Di Giovanni
“Keep up with your passions, even if people think they’re stupid.”
—Lilah Grzeszczuk
“Surround yourself with things you love, because as Taylor Swift puts it, ‘you are what you love.’”
—Quinn Harnden
“Growth is not always linear. Take your time. do things in your own way, and celebrate all progressive steps that you take.”
—Camille Hick
“If Kinder Surprises are banned in the US because they contain ‘non-nutritive objects,’ so should celery because nothing about it is nutritive.”
—Yewon Kang
“I have spent the better part of 18 years trying to control every aspect of my life and I still struggle to let go of the reins. I’m still learning. But what I know is this: sometimes I have to lose control. I refuse to let a disorder and another person’s actions dictate how I live my life anymore. I can set boundaries and I can say no without feeling as though I am letting someone down. I don’t have to explain myself to others. I get to decide. Autonomy is a beautiful thing.”
—Lilia Kasdon
“As my senior year continues and my childhood comes to an end, I increasingly think about whether I have taken advantage of all the opportunities given to me. I often thought these opportunities were things that would improve my chances of getting into a good college or further my career after school. What I realize now is that the opportunities that are most important is the free time that we are given.”
—Max Koehler
“Set your compass on something objective. Analyze your words, deeds, and thoughts and see if they are leading you north.”
—Leo Koerner
“Life is never going to end up being a straight line. By mere principle, change is a constant, and the only thing you can control in life is yourself. If you do that, then you’re going to figure things out.”
—Rithik Kundu
“While it is never your responsibility to heal or protect others, remember that you have the power to light up someone’s day, even if it’s only for a moment. All it takes is one person to acknowledge your existence for you to feel like you belong.”
—Kyra Lauren
“A mandatory 15-minute break for everyone!”
—Nuo Wen Lei
“不负年少 (carpe diem; or literally, live up to your youth)!”
—Lisa Liu
“Nora, Teddy, and Snowy: my doggies past and present, you have the kindest souls and you brighten every single day with your unconditional love and enthusiastic greetings! I just love my dogs so much! You guys always listen to my qualms and are usually down to cuddle which makes me so happy every day!”
—Emmy McCormack
“CA has always been a home first and a school second.”
—Tyler McGarry
“This is probably one of the most cliche things I could say right now, but if I had to give a piece of advice it would be that life is short and shouldn’t be taken for granted. A lot of times when people tell you this, they’re encouraging you to go out in search of adventures, to take more risks, to seize every opportunity that comes your way. But that’s not what I mean, and I don’t think that’s what my dad meant either. In order to live your life to its fullest, I don’t think you need to dramatically change anything, just acknowledge and appreciate the small things that give you meaning.”
—Maggie Myslik
“My critique of religion on an institutional level and its contradictions relating to the problems today may not match up exactly with how I act on a personal level. But if something works for you, you shouldn’t have to feel guilty about it. Do what works for you and makes you happy.”
—Ishan Narra
“Senior advice: Cherish the time that you are here and take advantage of every opportunity available to you because if there is one thing that I’ve learned while preparing for this chapel, it’s that time doesn’t wait for anyone. Moments matter.”
—Udochi Onuegbu
“I have never regretted reading a book.”
—Fitch Perkins
“Existing in a public space is to be participating in a constant and subconscious conversation with the surrounding world.”
—Zoe Perlis
“I’ve always been aware of what my presence means. That my existence in someplace, wherever it may be, is the result of an involuntary absence in another part of the world. I have the privilege to choose whether to leave or whether to stay. And for some reason, against my own goodwill, I always choose to leave. Next year I’ll be in California, and it seems to me that if I leave, I must always be leaving, because to not leave is to stay, which holds its own consequences."
—Kiran Rajagopal
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“There’s an unspoken expectation at CA, both external and internal, that you have to devote all your time to academic perfection and infinite leadership positions. Don’t waste too much of your time on that grind. Over the past three years, I’ve tried countless new things, I’ve found things I love, and I’ve surrounded myself with people who support me and make me laugh. I may go to bed some nights without finishing an assignment or take three naps a day in the senior section instead of doing a reading or kill two hours after practice at dinner rather than writing a paper, but I am genuinely happy.”
—Jared Brooks Ae-Ryung Rhee
“In the words of Wendy Williams, shoutout to everybody with social anxiety. I kind of feel sorry for you.”
—Alexandra Grace Taylor
“Senior Advice: Actions have consequences.”
—William Olmsted Tran
“Senior advice: Find things that spark joy. If it does, keep it. If not, discard it.”
—Zachary Anqing Tung
“No matter how long you’ve had them, stick with your passions. You never know where they will take you.”
—Noah Jeremy Wells
“Sensitivity is a superpower… feeling, truly feeling, is the bravest thing that you can do.”
—Lucy Whitelam
“To nourish your mind and soul is to express an act of radical self-love.”
—Carter Wood