Q: What made you want to join yearbook?

A: I did yearbook in junior high, and I’ve always enjoyed writing and taking photos, so it just kind of fit me. After taking journalism, my first advisor made me realize I was actually good at it, so I wanted to keep doing it. 

Q: How did you feel when you first found out that you were going to be the editor in chief of the yearbook?

A: Last year, I was really the only returnee, so I already had a feeling I was going to be but whenever we went to our banquet, I was on a high the whole rest of the night. I was so happy. It was one of the best days of my year. 

Q: What is your favorite part about being editor in chief? 

A: I feel like I get a lot of freedom in this class. I’m in here all the time. Mrs. Bruce does a good job of making me feel comfortable and I feel like I have a lot of control. It’s gonna be a rewarding feeling when we get the book.

Q: What is the most challenging part about being editor?

A: There’s a lot to do. Last year, I had four other editors, and we were like a team – we had our two editor in chiefs, the design editor, copy and then managing. We had somebody for everything and now it’s just me doing everything and it’s so much work. I’m doing two pages right now, and five modules, and senior ads, and the freshman modules, and checking everyone’s pages. That’s the hardest part – just how much work it is.

Q: What is the process like for making the yearbook? 

A: It’s like blinking. When I started I felt like it was so behind, but apparently we were really ahead. And now we’re really behind, so it’s unpredictable, because it’s like, you’re covering the year. Last year we had a whole winter storm, so we had to add that. It depends on what’s going on. So it’s just – it changes like the ocean. It’s fast. Everything goes really fast, and you don’t realize how fast it’s going, but you also don’t realize how you could be going slow. It changes a lot, it flip flops. 

Q: What is one life lesson that you learned from yearbook?

A: If you look at me, during journalism my freshman year and me now, it’s two completely different people. The photographers don’t even remember me from journalism [in freshman year] because I was so quiet. Now I feel like I found myself a lot more, I’m a lot more extroverted. I didn’t feel comfortable interviewing before, and now I feel like whenever I’m confident in myself then I could do everything. When I don’t feel confident, then I don’t do what I can but whenever I feel good, I do good. 

Q: What do you think has helped you become more confident? 

A: Honestly, I think I was really insecure about my appearance before, and so I feel like I just started to do a bunch of colors with my hair last year. I think just figuring out what I like – that might sound conceited, but just the way I figured out my style of fashion. I feel like I worried a lot about my appearance, going to a PWI my whole life, but I think now, I feel good about myself, you know? So I think that’s one of the main things, just starting to like me and not looking for validation. 

Q: What is one life lesson that you’ve learned from high school?

A: You’re not going to stay friends with everyone and that’s okay. The people I came into high school with are definitely not the same people I’m going to be leaving with. My circle is a lot smaller now. It’s okay to end friendships. You know, because you change throughout high school and so the people that you surround yourself with should be the people that support who you are now.