“Set thy heart upon thy work, not upon the goal.” April’s senior of the month Rudra Joshi considers this adage as an apt reminder to enjoy life daily, and it has become one of his favorite quotes. Originally from a small town in Michigan, Rudra moved to Edison around the age of six and has lived in Edison since. 

Both inside and outside of school, Rudra devoted part of his high school career to being a tennis player, having been on the varsity boys team during his freshman and sophomore year and won Athlete of the Week. Maintaining his dedication to tennis, Rudra now trains outside of school, occasionally attending and participating in tournaments whenever his busy schedule allows. 

One of Rudra’s most treasured Edison High School memories is of his experience on the tennis team, as he recalls “playing singles for EHS against some of the top players in Middlesex County.” Rudra also expresses the sentiment of loving the game, regardless of the outcome: “[I] enjoyed playing tight yet exciting matches, even if I lost some of them.” 

Among his other memories of Edison High School, Rudra also considers Dr. Nasser’s Genghis Khan trial from December 2019, one of his favorites. He reflects upon the experience fondly, and mentions, “it was a tiring yet satisfying experience to attempt to defend the Khan family.”

Rudra dedicates a substantial amount of time to extracurricular responsibilities as the vice president of Edison High School’s UNICEF Chapter. Rudra reflects upon his contributions: “I have enjoyed helping out in clothing, food, and blood drives for the local community.” In addition to UNICEF, Rudra devotes his time to running an independent organization for students at Herbert Hoover Middle School, known as STEM4MS, which “aims to expose middle school students to the STEM fields and instill critical thinking skills.” 

When asked how his time at Edison High School has changed him as a person, Rudra says, “Ultimately, the experience has endowed me with the lessons to become a better student of life, a better contributor to society, and a better leader among my peers in the effort to elicit change.” He also accredits Edison High School for “giving [him] the opportunity to have moments of self-introspection.”

His advice for freshmen is to take life day by day, and to live mindfully. “High school is a marathon, so pace yourself well. You are going to go through your ups, your downs, your best times, and your worst times along the way. Embrace each moment and each failure as a learning opportunity to become a better person. Everyday, you should aim to become a better person than yesterday,” he advises, quoting Mark Twain, “Don’t let your schooling interfere with your education.”

In the coming years, Rudra would like to see that Edison High has maintained their role in enriching students’ lives: “I would like to see that supportive nature in EHS continue to foster, allowing each student to tap into their full potential and become the best version of themselves after high school.”

As Rudra completes his last few months of high school, he would like to offer a “big shout-out to Dr. Nasser.” Rudra expresses how he is grateful “for the deep conversations we would have prior to and during the pandemic. His history class, while a lens to comprehend the pivotal moments in history, instilled in me the philosophies and lessons I wish to carry as I embark on the next chapters of my life.”