This expression is often heard, but most of the time, we tend to ignore it due to it sounding so cliché. But there’s more to this than typically meets the eye. The teachers we interact with on a daily basis haven’t always had an air of confidence and authority to them as they do today. Most of them would actually be introverted, shy, or learning who they are — similar to us. By reflecting on their past selves, it becomes clearer for us to acknowledge them as people beyond educators, realizing that they’ve gone through the path we’re currently on.

History Teacher — Mr. Ramirez

Mr. Ramirez describes his high school self as someone that grew significantly. Initially, he wasn’t very sociable, preferring to interact with only a few friends from middle school. Though, this began to change during his junior year, when he began to feel more confident and outgoing. According to him, he thinks it’s because he finally got his braces off. By his senior year, he conversated with almost anybody, and was quite sociable. Despite his lack of involvement in high school extracurricular, Ramirez mainly clung to video games and basketball. Overall, these years greatly helped him develop into a different version of himself.

More importantly was the way small events in his life had a great significance to him. He described his history teacher, Mr. Longo, as someone who impacted his life greatly — not only because he was an inspiring teacher, but because he respected and confided in him. Moreover, he had his normal teenage issues of self-realization, such as trying to figure out one’s identity and finding the palace he belonged to. Even being turned down for homecoming may seem insignificant, but for him, it meant that he gained confidence from rejection. Furthermore, after graduating from high school, he went to UCR during the unknown future that COVID held, had various jobs, and was even able to travel. These experiences helped shape how he sees the world today. Mr. Ramirez’s story highlights the little things that build up who you are gradually.

English Teacher — Mrs. Apregilio / Mrs. Lin

Mrs. Apregilio describes herself in high school as a person who liked being alone. According to her, she was known as the “quiet girl” because she didn’t interact much with others and preferred to stay in her thoughts. As a result of social awkwardness, Apregilio developed her skills in activities such as track and a Japanese culture club at her school. Track & Field involved participation in long jump, triple jump, and mid-distance running, while the culture club included performing in shows. In addition, she actively participated in traditional drumming, also known as Taiko, due to her interest in musical passion. She even used to play piano and guitar, potentially thinking about becoming a songwriter,

The major factor contributing to Apregilio’s career seems to be her passion for literature and reading. She described her interest in books and writing in detail and admitted that her passion made her want everyone else to be interested in writing as well. Mrs. Apregilio mentioned a college professor who she praises the most, whose primary trait was her sincere desire to support and develop her students, paying attention to both academic achievements and personalities. In terms of her career timeline, after graduating from high school, Mrs. Apregilio entered UC Davis, receiving an undergraduate degree followed by the master’s one without any pauses. Her additional experience consists of internships, including writing for a satire website on campus, covering various school events sarcastically. Mrs. Apregilio’s story highlights the clear sense of creativity that drives your life trajectory.

Math Teacher — Mrs. Pesantes-Mills

According to Mrs. Pesantes-Mills, her high school life entailed a lot of sacrifice and perseverance. She went to a Catholic all-girls high school in Western Los Angeles, despite moving to Rialto. This meant traveling there and back almost 60 miles on a daily basis. Although she started as an introverted student, she began to become more social once she found her own clique of sorts. She enjoyed getting actively involved in activities in high school, she was unable to pursue her sporting interests during high school due to the distance she had to cover every single day. In spite of this, she managed to keep herself busy by volunteering at rallies and spending time in Westwood enjoying movies or shopping for stationery while writing to her friends.

What’s most noticeable about her life story is the extent of responsibility and determination which became defining traits in her early years. Daily commutes for so many miles and the requirements of private schooling made her realize the value of hard work and persistence. She was aware of the sacrifice her parents had made on her behalf, and this made her focus and persevere. This pattern continued after high school when she went on to attend university at Redlands University while also holding down jobs such as Payless Shoes and Miller’s Outpost, which helped her learn patience and time management along with her personal skills. Although she didn’t have an immediate entry into the teaching profession, it gradually became apparent through working as an instructional aide, and eventually substitute teaching, that teaching was something that she really loved. Motivated by the presence of a quirky math teacher she had long ago, she decided that teaching was what she wanted to do. Mrs. Pasantes Mill’s story highlights how hard we all tend to work regardless of our knowing lack of the future.

Dance & P.E. Teacher — Mrs. Lindsey

Mrs. Lindsey talks about being someone who kept to themselves in high school. She was content with those in her social circle — mainly because of choir, dance, and basketball — but didn’t seek other bands from elsewhere. This wasn’t because it wouldn’t be easy; rather, these circles took up most of her time as it is. Other than that, her passion was greatly sparked by reading. Her love for literature meant that she never left anywhere without a book, especially when practicing for anything; her friends even called her a “book nerd.” But apart from this affinity for reading, she had another interest in music. She loved musical plays, singing, and dancing all throughout high school. Though she never considered herself as Broadway material, her passion was sturdy and ever-present.

What’s more significant is that she managed to gradually build her way through dance and teaching careers. As for her teachers, she mentioned several of them, particularly those who were responsible for making the process of learning enjoyable and challenging her skills. Her biggest achievement at the very beginning was to become a dance captain in high school as a freshman; this wasn’t an achievement that was ever expected however. This made her take an interest in choreography and become an effective leader at once. After graduating from high school, Lindsey tried many ways of life at college because she didn’t know where she would find her passion. It took her a few years of struggling and practicing, mostly dance, to realize that she wanted to be a dancer, pushing herself to get professional training in dance for at least five years. Additionally, her job experience in teaching dance and working in theater helped her become a strong leader. Mrs. Lindsey’s story highlights the persistent call that haunts you for the entirety of your life.

Closing Memory Lane

I think students tend to forget that the adults we see everyday are human. They have their own lives, their own habits, their own personality — remembering that uplifts appreciation as a whole. As you head out of class today, just remember to tell your teacher to “Have a good one.” Learn about the people who surround you, as they learn about you.