I had a really rocky freshman year. I fell ill, missed a few months of school because of it, and was constantly in and out of the ER and hospital. It was rough, really rough. During this period of time, I sat in my bed all day, and to cope, I would watch interviews with these people I looked up to. I could tell you every word that came out of Kurt Vonnegut’s mouth in 1994. I could tell you exactly what color David Bowie’s hair was on January 10th, 1972. I was a sponge for anything that interested me. I fell into this interview fixation and gained more and more interest in the idea of understanding why people are successful or what makes them tick. This interest coincided with a strong love for music, and I began to blast through interviews of bands and artists I admired. I was encapsulated. I was beyond fascinated. 

Eventually, I came back to school and would always show up to my fifth-period English class early and write in my class journal while listening to whatever music was capturing me at the time. My teacher, Mr. Gardener, actively encouraged me to devour anything and everything musical and to write about what I wanted to, even if it was off-task at times. It was Mr. Gardner who put up with my constant rambling about Swedish psychedelic rock or the latest record store special. It was Mr. Gardenr who eventually pointed me towards Sb and said he believed I would thrive in the Journalism program. 

My interest in interviews and expanding my knowledge of the world combined with my want to support my community and raise those around me lead me towards journalism. I am so grateful for the experiences and learning opportunities I’ve had in journalism, and I cannot wait to see where the skills I’ve learned in this class will take me.

Before high school, I struggled to find places where I could express myself. Newspaper not only gave me that, but also a community where I felt I belonged. I would like to thank P Swizzle, Val, Emmie, and Sebastian for making me nearly pee myself laughing every class period, Harvey Spindor for keeping me in line, Gabi for encouraging my creative pursuits, and Sb for keeping it all together. The memories I’ve made in this class have left an indelible print on my life, and for that I am eternally grateful.