Senior Profile: Sabrina Talir

Senior+Profile%3A+Sabrina+Talir

With a woven mandala tapestry covering one wall, a yoga mat and exercise ball in the corner and a dreamcatcher hanging from the ceiling, you would think you had just walked into a yoga studio. But, you are actually in the bedroom of Sabrina Talir.

“I was trying to find an easy way to exercise that wasn’t really at a gym and thought [yoga] seemed fun,’” Sabrina said. “I just started trying it and kept doing it.”

Sabrina does yoga on a weekly basis, either by following a YouTube video or doing one of the sequences she has memorized. She said it is nice to take some personal time, whether it is 20 minutes or an hour.

“[Sabrina’s room is] kind of a refuge because she has three younger brothers and [our house is] noisy and busy,” Holly Talir, Sabrina’s mother, said. “She works really hard at school and spends a lot of time on her homework. Yoga is something that keeps her sane.”

Both Holly and Dr. Amy Barker, one of Sabrina’s favorite teachers, said that she is “quiet but powerful” and always strives to work hard in everything she does. Not only does she push herself in yoga, but she also excels in school and horseback riding.

“[Sabrina’s room is] kind of a refuge because she has three younger brothers and [our house is] noisy and busy. She works really hard at school and spends a lot of time on her homework. Yoga is something that keeps her sane.

— Holly Talir, Sabrina's mother

“It can be difficult to work with other people, because a lot of times, [they] have ears on their head but that doesn’t mean they use them,” Barker said. “Sabrina’s such a good listener, so she gets 10 times as much done as everybody else.”

Sabrina started Western style horseback riding lessons at age 5 after going to Dallas to visit her grandmother. She got her first horse, Sierra, at age 14 and is currently in the process of selling her since she will not be able take her to college. Sabrina will be attending Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, an all-girls school known for being one of the 50 best liberal arts schools in the U.S., according to Time magazine.

“I’ve only done unranked shows before, but Mount Holyoke has an awesome equestrian team so I’ll start competing in ranked shows,” Sabrina said. “Unranked shows are just for fun and they’re a good experience. I have done a lot of rodeo and speed stuff, but I currently do hunter and jumper.”

Sabrina plans to double major in biology and environmental sciences, but she is also interested in civil engineering, being a wildlife veterinarian or helping other countries with deforestation. She wants to keep her options open and is looking forward to all the experiences she will be able to have in college.

“Going into college, I realize it’s much better to have a broad perspective and try different things,” Sabrina said. “I know that seems crazy, but it really is totally fine if you don’t know what you’re doing.”