In just a few weeks, Taliya McClure will graduate, and her immediate plans are to spend time traveling with her friends.

While that sounds like fun, she will still need to work and she has a plan. McClure intends to start a career selling real estate and eventually earn a degree in the medical field. She intends to start at a community college, but wants to transfer to an out-of-state college for new experiences and a new environment.

“I’ve grown from being the scared little girl into this woman who takes initiative and isn’t afraid to do what I want or go for what I think is good for me. I’ve had personal growth, too, like managing time for myself and for my mental health,” she said.

Still, McClure is excited for this chapter of her life to close and to move on to the next, because “the school years have been stressful and the craziest, I have so many serious classes. It was very irritating on how my classes keep getting switched and the expectations of me got higher,” she said.

Her favorite moments in these crazy years are when she walks down the hallways of Armijo High School and thinks to herself that she’s actually graduating. That’s a humbling and  exciting feeling.

While school might seem stressful, there are several things she does to keep her sanity. Her favorite hobbies are playing video games, crocheting, and doing art.

While she’ll be leaving the campus behind, McClure wants the upcoming seniors to know that they need have a good support system and and good friends that want to see them succeed. They also need to be Solo Dolo.