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MAINTAINING MOMENTUM. A younger Kharbanda poses for a photo in a park. Kharband said, “I would like to continue to become more open to trying new things and having unique experiences.” SUBMITTED PHOTO: Rohan Kharbanda
MAINTAINING MOMENTUM. A younger Kharbanda poses for a photo in a park. Kharband said, “I would like to continue to become more open to trying new things and having unique experiences.” SUBMITTED PHOTO: Rohan Kharbanda

Kharbanda reflects on full-circle kindergarten dreams

“Hello, it’s me from the past. I’m sure you’re doing great.”

A simple greeting from the past, senior Rohan Kharbanda’s letter to his future self is loaded with possibility. With graduation a little more than a semester away, Kharbanda’s post-high school plans loom: both thrilling in their possibilities and uncertain in their twists and turns.

In keeping with SPA’s motto, “shaping the minds and hearts of the people who will change the world,” Kharbanda envisions building on his current passions in the STEM field as he shapes his future role in society.

“Right now, I see myself contributing to society through some sort of science or engineering progress. I also hope to be an active philanthropist,” he said.


But, in order to do so, Kharbanda must first navigate the next chapters of his life, starting with college, a path shared by many others in his class.

“In the next 5-10 years, I hope to graduate from college, fully understand my interests and then decide on a path for myself,” he said.

Looking ahead, Kharbanda intends to carry several meaningful aspects of his present life into the future, including relationships with friends and family, as well as key traits that define who he is today. Particularly, he plans for hobbies such as tennis, in which Kharbanda is currently involved as a US student, to make an appearance in his future while leaving unproductive habits like a tendency to procrastinate behind.

“I hope to retain my ability to stay calm and collected in stressful situations,” Kharbanda said. “I would like to continue to become more open to trying new things and having unique experiences [and] I hope to continue my strong reading habits and curiosity to learn new things.”

One particular area that Kharbanda hopes to further explore is music. Currently, he frequents classical music by composers such as Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich during long car rides, but he’s eager to expand his music tastes to genres like trap and rap, enjoying artists such as Daft Punk and GloRilla.

Reflecting on his current personal philosophy as he approaches the next stages of his life, Kharbanda often turns to fishing in order to help him navigate life’s uncertainties. One of his favorite metaphors for himself is “Fishing for opportunities is like casting a line into a vast ocean. No matter how skilled you are or how perfect your bait is, you can’t catch every fish.” In saying this, he recognizes that some things will inevitably be out of reach.

As Kharbanda prepares to cast the line into the uncharted waters of the future, resilience and curiosity reel his way. His letter to his future self ends simply: “See you later?”

Updated 1/20 to include PodBean

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