After high school, it can be hard to find belonging. Being in a new environment and beginning adulthood can be disorienting, but it can also be the beginning of something entirely new, and can lead to finding something in yourself.

      Senior Alex Antrim plans on attending the University of Oregon after high school, majoring in music composition and minoring in computer science. He already has quite a bit of experience writing songs; some of them were written for “The Yellow Boat,” a play performed last fall.

     “Music composition has always been a hobby of mine, but I really got into it my sophomore year in the songwriting and arranging class,” Antrim said. “I wrote a song for the percussion ensemble, and we debuted it two years ago at a percussion concert.”

     Antrim explained how connection draws his attention to music, especially because he is in three band classes, and bonds with those people from his years of team-building with them. To Antrim, this is more than a hobby; he plays alto saxophone and percussion, and in doing so, he expresses himself.

     “I used to play the saxophone for hours at a time, but I think when I am actually writing the music and playing it out, I could just spend all day doing it.”

     Music has become a long-lasting passion for him as he sees himself pursuing it long-term.

     “What motivates me isn’t writing music or the music itself, it’s the fact that music brings people together,” Antrim said.

     Art is something that many find themselves through, and this is true for senior Nora Howard as well. However, she finds herself torn between art and science. She wants to continue her passion for art by going to Linn Benton Community College and Portland State University, majoring in theatre arts and vocal performance or psychology. While she isn’t entirely sure, she is passionate about both.

     “I’ve done music for a really long time; it’s one of the few things that I can say that I am good at and enjoy doing,” Howard said. “I want to continue doing it, but it just doesn’t seem as reliable as psychology. It would be easier to get a job with a social sciences-based major than the theatre arts.” 

     Even though she is still figuring things out, she has grown a lot socially from performances, and at this point it’s a part of her.

     “It’s broken me out of my shell a lot. I’ve been very shy and awkward most of my life, but by doing theatre and performing in front of a lot of people, it’s helped me talk to people.”

     Her story of finding her way through singing was not quite linear, but either way, she found herself and is passionate.

     “I joined a church choir and didn’t really like it, and then I started branching out with more things that I can do with singing,” Howard said.

     They’ve been singing for seven years, but as they approach adulthood, she isn’t sure if it’s realistic. This year she got into psychology and is wondering if that is the right path for her instead.

     On the same pathway of science, senior Maddy Schocha is planning to get her degree in biochemistry.

     “I think that if I can use something I’m really interested in to help people, then that would be really cool,” Schosha said.

     Schosha explained that she loves science, and that has stemmed from a curiosity that has always enveloped her, and since she’s realized how her passion can help others, it has only motivated her more.

     “There’s so much developing, and that is such an important thing for people to have,” Schosha said. “Specifically in biopharmaceuticals, you’re working with a lot of disease research that a lot of people would benefit from, and I think it means a lot to people.”