The Class of 2024 will soon pack up their childhood rooms and leave for college. Some will drive hours. Some will take short flights. Some will take a long flight to the place they’ll call home for the next four years. A few seniors from AGHS will make the long journey to the East Coast, leaving behind the small town of Arroyo Grande.

College allows students to see more of the world, and gives them opportunities to find themselves and figure out where they want to end up.

“I’ve always grown up in California, and I knew there was more out there,” Lily Webber (‘24) said. “[Going to college far away] was the best way to challenge myself and put myself out there.”

Webber will attend Auburn University for Business in the fall.

“I visited the campus during Spring Break and I just fell in love with it,” Webber said. “Everyone there was really kind and happy all the time. So, I knew that’s where I wanted to go.”

“I’m choosing to rush because I’ve been told that it’s a great way to meet people,” Webber said.

Webber notes that Auburn Greek life is different from a lot of schools.

“The philanthropy at Auburn doesn’t revolve around Greek life,” Webber said. “Everything is really toned down, even compared to the California schools. [Greek life is] not your whole life because there’s no houses. You are just [a part of a] sorority.”

Webber looks forward to starting her life in Alabama, but also feels nervous about leaving AG. However, she finds ways to calm herself.

“It’s [going to] be hard leaving my brother, my sister, [and] my family, but I know that [I] can call and FaceTime,” Webber said. “I’m [going to] be gone, but I can come back for holidays.”

Webber’s college journey is about to begin and she feels immense excitement.

Josie Hardy (‘24) feels elated about her journey to Rhode Island, since she loves the school atmosphere. Hardy will attend Brown University for Pre-Law Business Economics this fall.

“I toured [the campus] over the summer, and the tour guide was really nice,” Hardy said. “The campus was [also] really beautiful. It’s a great school. So, I decided if I [could] get into Brown, I’d go there.”

While Brown University will give Hardy great opportunities, she fears she might not fit into the East Coast.

“I’m afraid I’m not [going to] know anyone,” Hardy said. “I’m afraid I’m [going to] be freezing. I’m afraid I’m not gonna measure up to those people [because] it’s an incredible institution.”

Hardy’s fears don’t take away from her excitement. She hopes she will encounter great experiences and will get amazing business opportunities.

Brooklynn Noble (‘24), who is going to Oklahoma State University (OSU) for Agribusiness Pre-Law, also chose OSU for its social climate.

“I chose OSU because I’ve always wanted to move out of state and experience new places outside of California,” Noble said. “I went and visited the campus, and I instantly fell in love, with not only the school, but the town. Everyone in the town was very respectful.”

Noble expresses her enthusiasm for the school, noting their excellent agriculture program, which is a big reason she chose OSU. 

“I hope to meet a lot of people and continue to barrel race with my horse in Oklahoma,” Noble said. “I am excited for a change of scenery and lifestyle.”

While her hopes are high, she is nervous about moving far away from home.

“While I am very excited, I am nervous [about] being 21 hours away from my family and friends, knowing they aren’t just a call away,” Noble said.

Izzy Levy (‘24) committed to NYU for Cultural Anthropology because she wanted a change.

“I was looking for something kind of different,” Levy said. “I’ve lived here my entire life, same house, same city, [same] everything.”

Levy knew she wanted to go far, but ended up loving NYU because of its proximity to the city.

“There’s something about NYU, [and when] I visited, it [felt] right,” Levy said. “I really liked the idea of just being able to go wherever and see the whole city [because the campus isn’t an] enclosed space with borders. [I love that] you have the whole city at your fingertips.”

While Levy loves New York City, she hopes to take advantage of NYU’s study abroad program.

“I could go to [places] like Abu Dhabi or Shanghai, which are their main satellite campuses,” Levy said. “I think that spending a semester in Shanghai, and a semester in Abu Dhabi would be so cool. I’m majoring in cultural anthropology, [and] that would be a perfect thing for me to be able to go [do because] there’s so many connections that [I] can make through [traveling.]”

Although the thought of NYU and all its opportunities excites Levy, fears still creep into her mind.

“The culture shock is definitely kind of a frightening thing to know is going to happen,” Levy said. “The city is a very big and daunting place. [Also,] I’m leaving my family, my boyfriend, and my best friends. That’s definitely a hard thing that I continue to struggle with.”

While all these AGHS students will venture outside of our small town of Arroyo Grande, they will never forget the memories they’ve made and the inspirational legacy they leave for future students of AGHS.