Quote: “The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.”

Major: Nursing/Occupational Therapy

Fun Fact: Eats cereal and watches Korean dramas like it’s her job

Khristine Consuegra walked into her freshman year not knowing what to expect, and now she is going to start the cycle over again as she begins a new chapter.

After spending her three years at Paul R. Baird Middle School, the transition to high school left her frightened and intimidated. With all of that aside, Khristine changed her view and saw her freshman year as a “testament to her next four years in high school.”

Like all students, Khristine participated in sports and clubs. In her freshman, junior, and senior year, she dedicated herself to the LHS Drama Club. In her Sophomore year, she opted out and chose to try cross country instead.

On top of all that, she has been elected class secretary three times since sophomore year, which is one of her greatest achievements other than earning the title “Most Likely to Become Famous” and “Class Musician.”

Some people believe that they changed since freshman year, but Khristine feels differently. She doesn’t feel as though she changed in any way, but she does know what she would have changed. She admits that the one thing she wishes to take back, would be to “never procrastinate, ever.” It was a struggle with her, and she advises incoming freshman and even the whole school to never procrastinate, because it will hurt you in the end.

She also confesses that staying focused was an issue, and that she had some ups and downs with a few classes, including math. But now, she is leaving those issues in the past and starting over in college.

Every high schooler feels bittersweet at graduation, but if you were Khristine, bittersweet isn’t even the right adjective to describe what she is going through. The day after graduation, Khristine is leaving us all in the United States and taking a plane to the Philippines, where she will be attending college.

“Moving to the Philippines was initially my parent’s idea, and I was on the fence about the whole deal,” she admits, “but then I realized that it is a once in a lifetime opportunity and if i don’t take it I might regret it later.”

She does not, however, know what college she will be attending, since the application process is a bit different in the Philippines than in America, but she promises to keep me updated.

Khristine already has the thought of being away from her friends and family, but she also admits that what’s scaring her about college are the exams and being around new people. However, she tells me that “all I have to do is keep being optimistic about what’s ahead of me.” It also helps that she actually has a lot of relatives, distant and close, living in the Philippines, and she might also come and visit in two years. It sounds bittersweet, but she has been preparing for this for four years, and now it’s her time to say goodbye and start over.

It’s a possibility that she might live in the Philippines forever, but no one can predict the future. But what is LHS without her beautiful singing voice? It was one of the many talents brought by the class of 2014, and an amazing one indeed. She promises that she will always be singing, no matter the distance.

Khristine Consuegra has a lot to thank for. She is leaving us all, but she leaves a legacy behind. She thanks her class, for making her proud, and the LHS faculty, for never giving up on her and educating her.

On June 6th, Ludlow says goodbye to Khristine Consuegra, but she says hello to a new chapter in her life.