For Norah Yang ’25, trying something new has been a constant at Castilleja. Despite describing herself as “a little bit more introverted,” Yang constantly strives to step outside of her comfort zone. From coming to Casti as a new nine, to finding new ways to explore her interests, to approaching new challenges, the word “new” is almost old in Yang’s vocabulary.
Castilleja has enabled Yang to practice golf—one of her favorite activities—in a new way: “I’ve played ever since I was eight years old, so it’s kind of been a big part of my life. At Casti, I expanded on that with [the] golf team.” Playing on the Castilleja golf team has helped her find a strong community at Casti. “Golf is normally a very individual sport, [but] at Casti, I found more of a team environment, which I really enjoyed,” Yang said.
Yang has also found community through food, team dinners, school lunches and trips to Town and Country. “I’m a huge foodie. I’ve realized how that can be an advantage because I’ve connected with people through food so much at Casti,” Yang said. “I will say Casti is a school of foodies.” Yang has tried all sorts of new foods through Casti lunches, including black bean burgers, which she finds “high-key really good. Like really delicious.”
One of the most valuable lessons Yang has learned at Castilleja has been failure: “I failed, like completely failed my Calc test last year. That was like the first time I really struggled in that class. I feel like that’s something that has always stuck with me. I felt a lot more accomplished after that because I studied really hard, and I fought back.”
Looking back at her time at Castilleja, Yang has a unique view on her memories and experiences. “Casti’s a small environment, [so] I felt more comfortable to try new things, be open and embarrass myself. Honestly, sometimes I still don’t do that, [but] I wish I did. Don’t be afraid of embarrassing yourself. Those are the memories that you’re going to remember. Somehow, I don’t remember anything, so maybe I should have [embarrassed myself] more,” Yang said. “Just be open, try new things, [and] have fun. Life’s not that serious.”
Next year, Yang plans to study business and global affairs at Georgetown. Yang is also excited about travelling in the future, and she will visit China this summer for the first time in six years: “I’m really excited to reconnect with family, make our Chinese teachers proud by speaking in Chinese, shop, eat [and] just having fun before I go to college.”
Overall, Yang’s willingness to try and explore new things is a testament to all of the endless possibilities that Castilleja has to offer.
