What is your full name and grade? My name is Oyinkansola Ajana, and I am in 12th grade.
What is your favorite subject in school, and why? My favorite subject has to be science. I really like doing experiments. The workload this year is quite a lot, just the fact that I’m in the AP Bio with Mr. Chung. But I like every experiment we do. I like learning new stuff about life and the world around us.
What is your morning routine? I wake up around six, and then I read. I do my [AP] lit reading because I can’t manage to do it the night before, and then I take a shower, get ready, and I just go to school.
How do you balance school and outside responsibilities? I think with having a job, you have to balance it, because you have to know when you’re working or not. So then I just try to plan any events my friends are having outside of that and have time for my family. Usually I get home at nine when I work on school days. So it’s just managing school work after that and making sure that the days I’m working, I don’t have too much on my plate.
What school activities do you participate in? I participate in a lot of activities… I have student council, HOSA, I was in mock trial, I was in FCCLA, I’m in Dance Marathon, Who Club, DREAM, cross-country, NHS, and I have work.
What is your favorite part of being a woman? I love being a woman. I think being a woman is the most amazing thing ever. I think specifically, being a black woman, I would have to connect it more to my hair, different styles I can have in my hair, and changing my hair up. Being a woman is the coolest thing, especially having relationships with sisters. Having sisters is the greatest thing on earth. They are the kindest, most loving people you’ll ever know. Especially being an older sister watching my siblings grow, especially when my siblings are very young. I love that I feel like a mother figure to them sometimes.
What is the hardest part of being a woman? I would have to say, all the sexism. And having to battle the intersectionality of being a black woman and a woman: sexism and racism. I often have to explain myself and my tone, being called sassy, and just having all these misinterpretations thrown at me just because I’m a woman.
Who is a teacher that made high school better, and what did they do? I would say Mr. Klamm. I think Mr. Klamm made high school very fun, because he was my science teacher sophomore year. He was just always such a bright force, and he was always so energetic to teach chemistry at like 7:53 in the morning, even when sometimes I wasn’t up for it. He was just always there and always reminded us that it does get better.
What is your favorite holiday, and what do you do? Christmas. I like receiving gifts. That may seem very shallow, but you know what? It’s been a whole year. It’s my turn to shine. Also, I really like my birthday. I don’t know if it counts as a holiday, and this might be narcissistic to say. But it’s national Oyinkansola day, and it’s also national my cousin’s day. We were born the same day. I think it’s cool to celebrate with my cousin and because we turn the same age.
What do you believe your future holds? Hopefully, my future holds a lot of success, happiness, joy, being the breadwinner, being a winner in life, accomplishments, goals, minimal sadness, just all around. I’m just excited.
