By Theresa O’Connor

Rachel Dinh, a 2018 Tempe Prep grad and former newspaper editor, is making the transition from high school to a new college. From the graduating class last year, Rachel is now attending Notre Dame University and studying anthropology and pre-med. Rachel was a newspaper editor for De Equibitus and co-editor of the Yearbook Committee during her time at TPA. She also received the Congressional silver medal, National French Exam and was awarded the coach’s award for cross country.

Starting off all alone in a whole new world is definitely very challenging. Rachel was super anxious about being away from family, making new friends, and adapting to the environment. The transition to college ended up being much easier than anticipated since all her classmates were undergoing the same change, making it more comfortable to bond with them.

Rachel found that making a schedule and routine for difficult times really helped her get off to a good start. She said Notre Dame is such a big school that she gets to meet new people every day but still remembers them. In high school, Rachel was not big on football but now she loves getting pumped up for football games at ND. College can help students step outside their comfort zone and experience new things!

Although her current college life seems like much to handle, Tempe Prep has prepared her to perform many tasks that help her succeed in college. These include reading numerous texts and asking professors questions. She found that the teachers at TPA helped her become more outgoing and encouraged her to do well by asking various questions.

One of Rachel’s majors is anthropology and she really enjoys learning about the topic! Anthropology is the study of humans. Her professor for this class is also one of the leading professors in the whole world and she finds it fascinating learning about human relationships that affect their future. One topic that she has recently been learning about is mother-infant co-sleeping which has many benefits.

Of course, Rachel really misses her friends at TPA and also donuts at newspaper meetings, but she is making a good switch to college and her path to living a life on her own.