Daishalyn Satcher is truly a North Atlanta senior on a mission. This Class of 2021 17-year-old is excited for a future built on her passions, and she will stop nowhere short of the finish line to achieve her life goals. 

  Satcher gets her motivation for excellence from her desire to become an architect, a dream she has maintained since middle school. She recognizes that it is rare to know what you want to be at an early age, but stresses the importance of building your time around activities you truly enjoy. “At the end of the day, I am not 100 percent sure about where I want to be in five years,” she said. “Regardless, I would be sure to explore your interests and see where your passions take you.” 

  Particularly in the current COVID era, many students are finding it difficult to stay motivated and focus on evolving their interests with a raging pandemic in tow. Satcher, a dedicated student with various extracurriculars under her belt and in unwavering pursuit of attending Georgia Tech in the fall, realizes that educational activities are still meant to be enjoyed. “The thing about all the activities I do is that I thoroughly love every single one of them,” she said. “Make sure to pursue things you actually want to do and explore your interests, because it really is a drag to do all this stuff if you don’t have fun with it.”

  As a second-year student in the school’s prestigious IB Diploma Program, Satcher is a veteran when it comes to eliminating distractions and maximizing productivity. She has learned that technology is the leading cause of late-night homework sessions, and needs to be the first to go. “There should be no distractions when you’re doing homework. It’s the simplest, most important thing,” she said.” “I like to throw my phone across the room, because I know I’m not going to get up and go on it once it’s there.” 

 ` The dedicated Class of ‘21 leader knows what it takes to work, but also to recharge. When she is not acting an associate editor for the Warrior Wire, leading a club meeting at NAHS Architecture Construction and Engineering Club, or playing softball on the Dubs varsity team, Satcher is going on fun weekend trips with her friends, reading up on the latest in newspapers and magazines, and pursuing additional hobbies, such as piano and guitar. “Free time is precious and I like to use it to balance all the craziness of life,” she said. “It’s nice to take time away from electronics and homework and crazy stuff to just be in the moment.” 

  Although Satcher is experienced in branching out, pursuing passions, and making her voice heard, she realizes that not everyone knows what they want to do or how to do it. She feels like a lot of the activities she now thrives in are a result of recognizing what she truly loves to do and pushing that. “In terms of finding new things to join, I get a good amount of information from friends, listening to the announcements, and of course, reading the Warrior Wire,” she said. 

  The Class of ‘21 graduate may be working through high school in the midst of a pandemic, but that won’t stop her from keeping up with her passions. Satcher has made a mark on North Atlanta in her years here and will continue to express her individuality in college. Whether it’s through writing, playing softball with her team, or analyzing architecture, Satcher knows how to pursue what she wants for her future. “I know this sounds cliche, but I try to push myself to be the best version of myself, and avoid worrying about what others are doing, she said. “There is no one who is the exact same as me.”