THE WHITESIDE FORUM

O.C.OLLIE CAMPEAU

“I would say the first year was a little rocky because those were obviously the COVID-19 years. I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say that our mental health declined during COVID-19 by a lot. Junior year I really had to just try to get back on my feet. I would say my junior year I felt like things really started to open back up. I was actually able to live out the true Community experience, which is hanging out with your forum, making friends and going across the street to Kerrytown. Forum Day and Field Day represent the true Community experience. During high school, please be true to yourself. I mean coming into this school as a closeted queer person, it really helped me open up over the years. I saw that there were a bunch of queer people here when I walked in freshman year. And then, as the years went on, I found who I was. I’ve been looking at how far I’ve come, specifically getting better as time goes on playing jazz. My first memorable moment from jazz class was playing in the Mendelssohn for the first time. It was pretty nerve wracking because you have jobs that you need to fulfill, like taking a solo. You breathe through it and then just don’t even think about the audience.”