Kush Patel brings out the best
Kush Patel (12) will be attending the University of Santa Barbara next year to study Psychology and Jazz. With many extracurricular activities and AP classes he continues to work hard and maintain a 4.33 GPA.
Strolling around school, you overhear numerous students who complain about how hard it is for them to balance schoolwork and extracurricular activities. With so many extracurricular activities available to students today, there’s an intense struggle to maintain balance. But, there are always exceptions– which includes senior Kush Patel. Dabbling in music, surfing, speech, debate and medicine, there seems to be no bounds for Patel.
Even though most seniors choose to have a laid-back year, Patel is taking Calculus 3, Spanish 4AP, English 4 AP, Wind Ensemble, Chemistry Honors and AP Economics. With a GPA of 4.33, Patel has always been driven for excellence in academics. In addition, Patel has been in band since middle school and has been playing the saxophone for nearly eight years.
“I started off from the alto and so far, soprano is my favorite,” Patel said.
It’s not abnormal for Kush to visit his friend’s house in the middle of the night and start playing saxophone on the spot.
“It is the most hilarious thing watching him play his heart out in the middle of the street outside of their houses,” sophomore Jake Hamilton said.
Even though he is occupied with a challenging school curriculum and is an intern at a prestigious pharmaceutical company, Kush is still very socially active. He enjoys spending time with friends and goes to the beach at the crack of dawn to surf. Patel’s close friends admire his passion for his music, extracurricular activities and devotion to school.
“He’s one of those guys that don’t look like that they can be so devoted to school and also be so cool with everything else,” Hamilton said.
Patel recently got accepted to Santa Barbara College where he is planning to major in psychology, but he is also eager to study jazz too. While some are driven to success by outside motives, Patel is propelled to do well by his intrinsic motivation.
“I never really had anyone to push me in a certain direction,” Patel said. “My parents encouraged me to go after medicine, but I had to go out and get things for myself.”
Whether he’s seen studying for his AP classes, rocking the saxophone, listening to his vinyl records, or surfing in the early morning, Patel stands as true example of commitment and drive.
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