“Meeting…” is an ongoing series from HHS Press that features people from all parts of the high school community (inspired by the NYT Open series of the same name).

What are your pronouns?

She/Her.

Which class/year are you in?

Freshman.

What is a job/title/role you identify as?

A daughter.

What does that mean to you?

It means helping my mom when she needs it. I help her with grocery shopping and when she needs someone to talk to.

How long have you been part of the high school?

One year.

How do you start your day?

I wake up and get ready. I take a shower usually, blow dry my hair real quick, put everything in my backpack, unplug my Chromebook, and unplug my phone. I usually have a bagel with cream cheese. Sometimes I drive to school, and sometimes I ride the bus.

What is something you’ve spent a lot of time on recently that really interests you?

Probably volleyball because I’ve been working and practicing for it.  It stuck with me, and I find it more fun than other sports. It’s less serious to me and calming when I practice. I’m going to do club, but I mostly do clinics and practice in my backyard when it’s nice outside.

Tell us about a project/accomplishment/hobby/goal, in or out of school, you’ve worked on and you’re especially proud of.

Learning sign language. I’m learning the letters first. It’s taking me a little while. I wanted to do this to communicate differently than English, and it’s something different that not everyone can do.

What is your favorite subject and why?

Probably social studies this year, Modern World History. My teacher’s really nice, I understand everything that’s happening, and it’s actually pretty interesting. We learned about Columbus’s arrival. It’s better than Civics class last year. I like world history as opposed to government. 

What is something most people don’t know about you?

I really like animals, and I have three dogs and one cat. They’re cute, and they comfort you a lot. I like all animals, though. My favorite one’s a bunny. I’ve always loved animals. I’ve had 12 pets in total over the course of my life. My favorite pet I’ve ever had was probably my cat, Maxie because he was super sweet. 

What is your secret to happiness?

Surround yourself with good people who care about you and will always support you. Over time I’ve realized that the more you surround yourself with good people, the happier you are. Someone who always supports me is my friend Grace. 

What is your superpower?

I can do multiplication super quickly in my head. It helps when I’m going to a restaurant and I need to do the total because I can do it pretty quickly.

Who or what inspires you?

My mom. She’s had her ups and downs in life, and she got through it. She’s persevering. My mom has always been there for me, and whenever I need someone to talk to, she’s always there. I see her as a role model because she’s always nice to others.

Name one thing you’re excited about right now.

I get my math test back soon, which I think I did pretty well on. And for Friday because it’s a half day.

What is your best advice for your fellow students?

Surround yourself with people you like. If you hang out with bad people, you’ll turn into a bad person.