Catching Up with Jonathan Saitta
Jonathan is a recent graduate from OHS (Class of 2016), and now attends UC Berkeley. We spoke with him to find out about his transition from OHS to college, his plans for the future, and his look back at OHS.
Pixel Journal: How long were you at OHS?
Jonathan: I started OHS in 8th grade as a part time student and went full time for the remainder of my high school years there.
PJ: What are two stand out things about you that you would like to share?
J: I’m passionate about entrepreneurship and I’m currently learning West Coast Swing dancing!
PJ: How did OHS help the transition to college?
J: OHS’s rigorous course load certainly helped me transition. Most people consider Berkeley to be one of the most rigorous colleges in the US, and I would say that it’s actually very comparable to the workload I had grown accustomed to at OHS (disclaimer: this might not apply to STEM majors). Another thing that OHS definitely prepares you for is the ability to manage your time. The schedule in college is very similar to that of OHS, so the idea of figuring out time to do your homework and have fun in between classes is nothing new for me. Socially, OHS forces you to seek out relationships with people, and I think that it’s the same deal in college as well. Especially since I go to a very large college, I have to make an active effort to meet people, go to office hours, and schedule times to meet up with my friends.
PJ: How has OHS guided your academic interests?
J: Going to OHS gave me the opportunity to have time to start multiple business ventures and I believe that my experiences with those really inspired my interest in business and entrepreneurship. I’m currently pursuing those interests as a pre-Haas major (business). The core series (especially DFRL and CRA) made me very interested in some of the rhetoric and philosophy classes here at Berkeley as well.
PJ: How do you view your OHS experience?
J: Considering how well prepared academically I feel, I would definitely view it as a net-positive. I met some great friends, one of which is actually my roommate! I definitely think about what it would have been like to have the real “high school experience,” but I have no regrets.
PJ: Would you change anything about that experience?
J: I might have gone part-time and attended a local high school in addition to OHS. Other than that, not really.
PJ: What tips can you share from your OHS experience?
J: Pay attention in your core classes—the stuff you learn there will prepare you for a lot of classes you will encounter in college. Make an active effort to meet people and get to know them—you get out what you put in. Use your free time to pursue something you find cool—you don’t have to have found your passion yet (if you have, awesome), but do something. If you ever feel overwhelmed with college apps and tests on top of your workload, just know that it doesn’t really get any worse.
PJ: What do you plan for the future?
J: After graduating from Berkeley, I plan to pursue a position in either the technology or renewable energy industries. Then, after a few years, I would like to get a law degree that I could use to become General Counsel for startups in Silicon Valley. After a career in business, I’d like to eventually get involved in politics.