It’s not everyday that you meet a student who tries to live out her life to the fullest. Vanessa Galatas is a junior at Highland High School who doesn’t have time to waste.
“Live life as if there’s no tomorrow because eventually, there will be no tomorrow,” the 16-year-old said.
Attending Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo has always been a goal for Galatas. Her interests include photography, music and mathematics.
“I love the coast,” she said. “I plan on going to Cuesta College and transferring to Cal Poly.”
Arts and entertainment is the center of her life. Born in Bakersfield, Galatas knows that there are not many options in that area other than enjoying her free time at the movies. Eventually, she found herself enjoying photography.
“I like capturing the moment without words,” she said. “And photography does just that.”
When Galatas first enrolled in journalism during her eighth-grade year, she was surprised to find that she wasn’t interested in writing at all. She was so caught up in expressing emotions through her art that she stayed in the class during her freshman year.
“My parents encouraged me to do anything I was good in,” Galatas said.
But having learned to play the saxophone in fourth grade and entering choir during her freshmen year, music has developed into a passion for her. She has had an interest in writing lyrics since she was 14.
“I like to write about everyday life, my life, that everybody can relate to,” she said.
But right now, what’s important is her family that consists of her parents and her younger brother, Jason.
– Cathleen Wang