SAN DIEGO — On Wednesday, Snigdha Nandipati returned to Francis Parker School for the first time in about seven years.
"It's just like a whole wave of emotions just rushing in," said Nandipati, sitting in the middle of campus.
The class-of-2016 graduate left quite the impression on campus after winning the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
She can still spell the word that won her the massive trophy - “Guetapens."
Since graduating from high school, literature has remained a part of Nandipati's life.
She is now in medical school in Virginia, but during her gap year she wrote a book about the challenges people from different cultures face navigating healthcare in America.
Nandipati has also spent years volunteering her time to helping other students competing in spelling bees.
"It's like, really surreal being on the other side of that and those kids and their parents coming up and asking me for advice," said Nandipati.
When asked what advice she would give students participating in this year's spelling bee coming up in May, Nandipati said to enjoy it.
"Just enjoy the learning, like you're learning a lot form this experience both words wise and life lessons wise," she said.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is put on by ABC 10News's parent company, E.W. Scripps.
