the
VOICE
The Meaning of
Huntley High School • 13719 Harmony Rd. Huntley, IL 60142 • (847) 659-6600 • @huntleyvoice • huntleyvoice.com February 26, 2016 • Volume 19 • Issue 5
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What is the meaning of life
Since 2007, The Voice has published a Meaning of Life issue, every year. This issue, different from our typical magazine, is a sampling of Huntley High School. Students and staff members are interviewed to give readers a snapshot of their personalities and individual perspectives of life.
VOICE STAFF
the
Editor in Chief • Adam Reckamp • Print Editor • Courtney Thomas • Online Editor • Ashley O’Brien • Assistant Online Editor • Camille Paddock • News Editor • Mawa Iqbal • Opinion Editor • Maddy Moffett • Features Editor • Charlie Vavrick • Design Editor • Sumbul Shakeel • A&E Editor • Devin Martin • Sports Editor • Tyler Watkins • Photo Editor • Ryan O’Sullivan • Staff Writers • Sarah Biernat • Brandon Frey • Danielle King • Alex Landman • Tyler Lopez • Maggie McGee • Lucas Modzelewski • Joe Rizzo • Raemon Savillo • Mohammed Syed • Natalie Trzeckiak • Austin Zeis • Photographers • Michael Czapka • Dana Kalish • Sehba Faheem • Adviser • Dennis Brown
Editorial Policy
H
HS Media are the official student-produced media of news and information published/produced by HHS Media students. HHS Media have been established as designated public forums for student editors to inform and educate their readers as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to their audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Advisers may – and should coach and discuss content – during the writing process. Because school officials do not engage in prior review, and the content of HHS Media is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself; its student editorial board and responsible student staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication.
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hris Campbell
people, but he grew up to be a full bird colonel in the military. One time I rolled down a mountain for about 150 feet and a cactus ended my roll. I bled a lot. My last day on Earth would be spent doing anything because I could not get in trouble for it. Going to Nevada has to be my greatest childhood memory Favorite Restaurant • Buffalo Wild Wings because I Favorite Band • Hates One Direction went with Favorite Movie • The Revenant my brother Biggest Pet Peeve • When people drive under the speed limit and Dad. We Cat vs. Dog• Dog person jumped into Favorite Place I’ve Lived • Born in Elk Grove category four Favorite Sports • Chicago Blackhawks white water Favorite App • Instagram while cliff diving. It was also nice because I like traveling anyIf I was able to choose my last meal, where outside my boring house. I would choose Buffalo Wild Wings The Caribbean would be my ideal because I might as well die happy. I’m always embarrassed when my place to live because there I wouldn’t have to deal with this cold weather and mom is my substitute because I never the water there is clear. know whether or not to call her Mrs. I think that living when the Romans Campbell or Mom. were in power would be the best time to I look for someone who is loyal and be alive. It would be cool to relive all of honest when wanting to make a new the history that happened during that friend. My perfect weekend would be go- time. It’s better to try something and fail ing to Chicago with my girlfriend and my brother and watching a Blackhawks than to not do try at all because when you try, you at least put effort into it. game with them. And as Wayne Gretzky once said “You I am one big soup of nationalities. miss 100 percent of the shots you never I am Scottish, Irish, British, French, take,” which is why I always give 100 Canadian, Polish, German, and Native percent in everything I do. American. A huge deal breaker for me in a relaI look up to my Uncle Tom because tionship is if she smells bad. If she smells him and I both are not the smartest My hero would have to be Pat Tillman because he left a multimillion dollar NFL contract to go fight for the Army, and ended up dying by friendly fire. I find him to be my hero because that takes a true man to do what he did. Playing lacrosse brings the most joy to my life because I get a rush of adrenaline when I play.
Quick Facts
THE MEANING OF LIFE
“Dedicated” Junior
interviewed by brandon frey • staff writer
bad, I’m out! I would want to end child malnutrition with $1 million. Too many children die every year from something that can be prevented. The best advice I ever got was take any bet that involves money. Once I got bet $50 to eat a goldfish(a real goldfish) and I did not take the bet. I learned that little Chris was dumb. Now I take every bet that involves money because I always want the possibility of winning money. I think that the problem with our school system is the amount of teachers who are too busy and worried about themselves and not the kids. What we should look forward to, considering that they are our teachers and they are supposed to come into class with energy and get us involved in the class, is them actually teaching us and not just coming in and saying here’s your homework, teach yourself, and have fun. S. Faheem
February huntleyvoice.com 3
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THE MEANING OF LIFE
livia Hernandez
I was brought up everywhere, I basically lived with my grandparents when I was younger. When I was little, I would call them Mom and Dad, I have the closest relationship with them. Traveling to 45 out of the 50 states, I have a different perspective on things. I didn’t always live in the safest place. My parents tried to keep me naive to what some of my family was doing. Some are in the Spanish gangs. All of my family is from Michigan. I was born in Grand Rapids, Mich., and lived there till the age of nine. I
imaginations, which is something a lot of people lose. My grandparents taught us wildlife skills, and we pretend to go on adventures. Being there in the middle of nowhere forces you to be adventurous and imaginative. If I could go back in time, I’d go back to Oct. 13, 2003. This was the birthday and the day my sister Erin Lynn Hernandez died. A couple years later, my sister Isabelle was born. When she was born I was screaming “No no! I want a little brother!” Because I was afraid of losing another sister. Around this time was the Favorite Food • Egg rolls beginning Favorite Song • Into Deep by Sum 41 of my best Favorite Movie • Anything Jurassic Park childhood Biggest Pet Peeve • Passive Aggressiveness experience If I wasn’t here right now, I would be in... Grandparent’s House so far. I was Favorite TV Show • The Flash three or four Favorite Place I’ve Lived • Grand Rapids, Mich. and it was nap Favorite Sports Team • Detroit Tigers time, so that Favorite App • Snapchat explains why the dream wasn’t long. moved to Downtown Chicago, West In the dream, my grandpa and I were Dundee, and then to Huntley when I was 12. Huntley had the best schooling. in his late ‘80s, early ‘90s, red Chevy truck, listening to Spanish cassette tapes My family and I are extremely close. I’ve been listening to since I was born. I My cousins Jerry, the twins (Lucas and swear, the nurse had to tell my grandpa Lucy), and I always hang out at our to stop being loud because he played grandparent’s, it is my favorite vacation them in the hospital. Any ways, that was spot. I’m closest with Jerry because I’ve the whole dream. Oh! And there was grown up with him since I was a baby. a dog in the seat with me, a dog with a Our grandparent’s house in the middle thick fur coat. I have an old soul and it of nowhere so it makes us exercise our
Quick Facts
“Motivated” Sophomore
interviewed by sarah biernat• staff writer
just made me really happy Fast forward to two years ago, age 14, this was the happiest day of my childhood. I was at my grandpa’s house. Him and my grandma live in the middle of acres and acres of land, and way far back behind the house is a river. My grandpa was sitting on a chair right by the river. Out of nowhere came a dog; a dog that looked just like the dog in my dream from when I was little. My grandpa called me over and when I saw the dog I began crying my eyes out. We then washed the dog and returned it to the owners. Overall the meaning of life is to feel. If you can’t feel, you are either a sociopath or dead. Happiness is free, and you know of happiness when you can feel. I have a friend I’ve known since second grade named Liam, he is deaf. Liam is one of the happiest people I know, because he can feel. Even though he can’t hear us, and even though I’ve taken on sign language to talk to him, he can feel emotions. One thing nobody knows about me? Well, everything you say about me I hear, and I forgive easily. You don’t hurt my feelings because I’ve heard worse earlier on in life and I know you have a reason for saying what you have said, it’s a first judgment. I would hear a lot about my appearance and [my] gay parents. I wear baggier clothes because they’re more comfortable and gay marriage is legal now so... February 2016 huntleyvoice.com 5
R.O’Sullivan D. Kalish
THE MEANING OF LIFE
E
rin Erb
I have a killer volleyball spike. My friends joke with me that I might kill people on the court. I’ve broken four girls’ noses because of it. A big deal breaker for me in a relationship is sarcasm. They have to have it. If they don’t get my sarcasm, or can’t give it back, it just won’t work out. I collect anything that has to do with penguins. Penguins are everywhere in my room. I have four giant stuffed animals, little trinkets, ornaments, mugs, key chains, a scarf, and the list goes on. I think I counted it all up and I have about 120 penguin things.
“Quirky” Senior
interviewed by charlie vavrick • features editor
out and play in the snow. We would play games like king of the hill and make giant forts and have huge neighborhood snow wars. It was amazing! I miss that. I would have loved to live in a world without cell phones or social media, where you could just live your life and not really have to worry about much. I want to be able to read people’s minds. I hate not knowing what someone is really thinking, especially if I’m trying to help someone and they’re not telling me their full story. If I could read minds, I could just figure that stuff out for myself. I love Ireland. The Irish culture is actuFavorite Restaurant • Texas Roadhouse ally really fascinating. Favorite Song • Dessert by Dawin If I could chose to Favorite Movie • Remember the Titans move to one other Biggest Pet Peeve • When people use the word ‘moist’ place in the world, it Cat vs Dog • Dogs would definitely be Favorite TV Show • Big Bang Theory there. I’ve never been, Where You Were Born • Huntley but it’s on my bucket Favorite Sports Team • Green Bay Packers list. Least Favorite App • Useless Ones You Can’t Delete I love anything from Texas Roadhouse, but specifically, I love their cinnamon butter. Not just It’s annoying that I can never shop the cinnamon butter though. It’s really online. If I don’t physically go to the good, but you have to have the rolls. mall, I’m never able to find anything I’d love to be able to sleep in, get that fits me because I’m too tall. ready at my leisure, go get some ChipoI used to live in a cul de sac when I tle, because it’s always a good time at was younger. Every winter, the snow Chipotle, go to a Blackhawks game, plows would come and push all the watch them win, and then get to talk snow to the middle of the court. It with the players. That would be a great would make massive snow piles in between all of our houses, so we would go day for me. I try to always be there for my friends.
Quick Facts
6 hunteyvoice.com February 2016
Whenever they text or call me, I’m always there for them. My ideal date is pretty laid back. It’d be just going out to eat somewhere. Nothing too fancy, just casual. Then, we would go home and just play video games or watch Netflix. My biggest downfall was listening to other people and not how I feel. If I just listen to myself, things always end up better. That’s the best advice I was ever given. No matter what, do what you want to do, not what society wants from you. Do what makes you happy. I’m terrified of heights. In my head, because I’m tall, it’s a longer trip to the ground, it is a longer fall. It’s just scary, okay? One time, I ran head first into a handicap sign in a church parking lot. I was out for two minutes. That’s probably the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done. What do I want to do with my life? Well, I want to become a nurse and work in an ER. Once I get that figured out, I’d like to go through culinary school. I just love food I guess. Mac and Cheese is my life. I love all kinds, but specifically the Spongebob Squarepants Kraft Mac and the Panera Bread Mac. There are all sorts, but those are my favorite. To be honest, food brings me happiness. Me and food are real close. Food is the reason Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. When I’m having a bad day, food is always there. When I’m having a great day, food can make it even better. .
R. O’Sullivan
THE MEANING OF LIFE
R
yan Borens
There’s this song called “I Lost My Wallet in El Segundo” that’s literally just about this guy losing his wallet. It was cool in the way that it wasn’t extremely vulgar like most rap songs. I’ll listen to anything that’s innovative. It’s broad, but that’s it. I’m open ears to anything. My parents told me that there was a flood in my basement on Christmas. I knew they were lying. My mom says I was 6, but I definitely think I was 8. I just remember walking down the stairs and just dropping to the floor in sheer amazement. I would take that
“Non-comformist” Senior interviewed by natalie trzeciak • staff writer
I failed at doing what I love to do. It’s better than being afraid of what my life will turn out to be because I’m playing it safe. The Internet is the best and worst thing that mankind has ever encountered. So many people don’t see other people’s passions as something good enough. Whenever I do something outside of the social norm, people mock me. I have to validate my love of music. They don’t realize that I work just as hard in different aspects as any person who plays sports. Independence Day because it’s pure irony. Favorite Home Cooked Meal • Lasagna We all live in this Favorite Bands • Tame Impala “free” country, and Favorite Movie • Whiplash yet we’re all just a If I wasn’t here right now, I would be in... • Portland, Ore. bunch of robots Favorite TV Show • Top Gear controlled by the Favorite App • Instagram government in this Favorite Sports Team • Chicago Blackhawks civilian world. I’ve always been told, “Follow your little drum kit and put it on the coffee dreams, Ryan.” Honestly, who cares? table every morning before I went to Everybody knows that’s the stupid preschool, and I’d put in this VHS of thing that your mom always told you a Kiss concert. I’d look at Peter Criss when you were down. That’s not what while playing and envision that I was it’s about. I love the saying, “Don’t talk in his place. He was the first drummer about it, be about it.” That’s the greatest that I looked up to. little line. So many people talk about We built this country on dreamers, what they want to do, but they never entrepreneurs, and people who innofollow through with it. vate things. Yet we all seem to follow It was my closet thing. I was a closet this one set path because of fear of drummer that never had the opportunot establishing financial security. nity to play with people until recently. I’m totally okay with finding out that
Quick Facts
8 huntleyvoice.com February 2016
I would definitely not put [my money] into a normal charity like everyone else does. We all know that they only do it because they’re greedy and they feel bad for spending all of it. I wouldn’t necessarily spend it all on personal gain, but I would take a fair share of it and buy a bunch of instruments and equipment to start a studio space. I think it would be cool to start a fancy little club that wasn’t focused on packing the place. I want to be that guy that let’s bands play even though there’s only 12 people there to see them. My dad owned a furniture store that I used to go to before it closed down. I used to get a toy every day. I was a spoiled motherf***er. Music is the transfer of emotion. Everybody’s connected. You go to a concert and the opening band plays, and everyone thinks it’s good. The moment the band you came to see comes out, everybody is going nuts because they’re all connected through this one thing. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. Some people think that I want to sell out arenas or be the next Rolling Stones, but that’s not realistic. If I can fill up a club with 500 people who care about what I’m doing then that would be enough. That’s what I love about music. It’s seeing the world through the artist’s eyes. It’s their interpretation of what’s going on around them. I’m a walking example of what society doesn’t want a human being to turn out to be.
M. Czapka
THE MEANING OF LIFE
R
asheed Ahmad
There’s those coin things, like the pennies that have indents for where you’ve been. I collect those. First time was Shedd Aquarium and my mom told me to hold onto it, so every time I look at them it reminds me of the trip there. Education is broken, but something broken can be fixed. When I look at systems around the world I see good systems but they still practice some of the old methods, like punishing children in the classroom. You want the children to be happy and make their own class. Today, you see people attempting to fix it, but it’s going really
“Determined” Sophomore interviewed by tyler watkins • sports editor
in my life where I was realizing that I was starting to grow up. I started listening to those songs and I got hooked into the positive music instead of listening to like rap all the time. Best advice I’ve ever gotten is try everything you can, live with no regrets. Florida, Spring Break back in like 2012. I went to this place, they had gators and everything, and I had a really great experience there. I got to wrestle one gator, that was interesting. Interesting yet you had to sign paperwork and everything. The meaning of life is to do anything and everything that interests you. Stay positive, Favorite Food • Chicken Marsala keep stress out of Favorite Band • Coldplay your life, and just do Favorite Movie • Godzilla anything really. Biggest Pet Peeve • Leaving Things Around True happiness If I wasn’t here right now, I would be in... Nigeria is not having a comFavorite TV Show • The Flash plete offset of happiFavorite Place I’ve Lived • North Carolina ness and stress, you Favorite Sports Team • Chicago Bulls need both in your life. Favorite App • Notespad Happiness and stress kind of balances. My fear in life is one day I might be slow. It is broken and needs a lot of like so depressed and I might not have fixing. any friends. That’s the biggest fear right I cook a lot. I do special dishes, like the Lutherburger. It’s a really fatty burg- there. I went to a water park when I was er, a lot of calories, you’ve got a glazed younger and we were going down this doughnut and all the breakfast stuff in it. I cook mostly meat, I’m a grill master slide, and my swimming trunks got caught on something, and they ripped, somewhat. I cook steaks for my dad for and I had to hold my swimming trunks certain things, and smoked briskets. like all day until we could get a new pair. I never skip “Runnin” by Nico and Vinz. They symbolize the turning point Everyone was looking at me like “why is
Quick Facts
10 huntleyvoice.com February 2016
that boy holding his swimming trunks, why is it all ripped up?” I wouldn’t want to lose my friends. I have a pretty tight friend group. If I lost that I don’t know where I’d be right now. What makes a good friend, is being able to understand where they’re coming from and being able to interact with them. When I was younger, no one really told me what to do, I didn’t have really good grades. When I started turning my grades around, my personality started changing. I started being really positive and made that part of myself. That’s around the time I started going to Willow Creek too and that helped. Everyone in my household has been a mentor in a way. Even my younger brother because he does some incredible things too. Amari is doing really good in his spelling bees right now. He’s going to state now. He’s doing really good in his running and that’s inspiring me to get better so that I have something for him to beat when he gets here. I’ve had a couple situations, where I’ve had to deal with racism. I didn’t know what racism was back then, so anytime someone was like that I’d be really nice. I just said “hi” right back really nicely because I didn’t know what they meant. My first dance I went to, my 5th grade dance, was really big for me. That was the first time I did something that was like outside of school and parents weren’t involved in it.
M. Czapka
THE MEANING OF LIFE
C
harlie Nugent
I take bubble baths with the lights dimmed and candles, and you can’t forget about the chocolate-covered strawberries I prefer music and dance because I have been told I am the sound bird of our generation, and I have moves like Jagger. I can also hit a mean whip. I have been told I am an entertaining soul I collect pet rocks. My favorites are Peanut and Wrigley. If I could have dinner with 5 people, they would be Derek Jeter 5 times. If I had one last meal I would eat a Dragon’s Leg so that way I would be the only person in this modern era to slay a dragon.
“Undescribable”
nights straight Skittles are my favorite candy because I like throwing them in my mouth, except for purple Spongebob is my favorite character because he just knows how to dig deep in my soul When I was younger, I always played backyard baseball with the backyard kids and being chased by some 80-year-olds. P.S. they could never catch me
My perfect day is to go on a date with the most beautiful girl and she has to be nice, that way I can treat a lady right. I would probably bring her to a Cubs game. The meaning of life is to be happy and Favorite Homecooked Meal • Mom’s mac and cheese always find the best Favorite Song • Die a Happy Man in something. Always Favorite Movie • Sandlot or Benchwarmers have a positive attiCat vs Dog • Dog tude and keep a smile Favorite Vacation • Disney World on your face is what I Favorite Place I’ve Lived • Huntley live by. True happiFavorite Sports Team • Chicago Cubs ness is when you are Favorite App • Flappy Birds Justin Beiber Version surrounded by your loved ones and being a lovable person and being loved If I had 24 hours to live starting right My favorite movie is ‘Sandlot’ or now, I would spend it with the people who mean the most. If I could tell the ‘Benchwarmers,’ they are two classics world one thing it would be that guys and I love funny baseball movies these days need to learn how to treat a My dream job is a professional baseball lady right. player. I would want to play shortstop I hate it when people never attempt for the Cubs anything at all because in life you regret 10 is my favorite number because things that you don’t do, if you don’t that’s my baseball number. I also like take chances the next thing you know in 2 because Derek Jeter is my favorite a blink of an eye the opportunity is gone, player. and you will be depressed for exactly 15 My favorite animal is a sloth be12 hunteyvoice.com February 2016
Quick Facts
Senior
interviewed by joe rizzo • staff editor
cause they are chill and have no stress to worry about. My greatest achievement in my life is I have gotten an offer to play baseball in college. Snakes are my greatest fear. They are slithery and poisonous. They can come up your pant leg at any time One of my most embarrassing moments was when I jumped straight out of the bubble bath and slipped and broke my heel bone. The most traumatic moment in my life was when I was attacked by a dog in 8th grade. I slept over at a friend’s house, and in the morning we couldn’t find his dog. We saw him in his neighbor’s yard so we got him and crossed over the electric fence. My friend Jason and I played with the dog in the garage and once the owner left the dog went berserk and Jason started running and I turned around and the dog took a bite out of my knee. I kicked that thing in the face 10 times and ran in the house. I went in the ambulance by myself and got 24 stitches. Biggest regret would be not giving 100% effort with my grades freshman year Steven Nugent is my hero, because he basically turned me into the person I am today and he has been there for me no matter what. If I had $1 million, I would make sure my parents wouldn’t have to work a day in their life and then I would donate some of it and save some for what I need.
M. Czapka
THE MEANING OF LIFE
B
“Optimist”
rian
Zimmerman
I feel like there are things in my life that cannot be explained. There are things in my life and in the universe in general that I think are explained well by the existence of God. I think even like science and stuff; it all has a rhyme and reason to it. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. I thought about maybe I was supposed to be in the ‘50s, but then I realized I have access, right now, to everything Frank Sinatra has ever recorded. I’m meant to be in this time period for a reason. People are too skeptical about
teacher because I enjoy the subject and I want to make a difference in the world by inspiring young people to also enjoy it. Mr. Swartzloff is sarcastic and makes history enjoyable with his humor. I love him. He’s why I want to be a teacher. He is a national treasure. You expect me to choose between a Chicago-style hot dog, deep-dish pizza, and Italian beef ? Andrew Jackson is literally terrible. He hated currency and money and the National Bank and we put him on our most used bill. They don’t want to put a woman on the twenty Favorite Food • Cheeseburger because Favorite Song • “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” by Frank Sinatra people Favorite Movie • Airplane! like the Biggest Pet Peeve • Being ignored twenty. If I wasn’t here right now, I would be in... New York They Favorite TV Show • House of Cards don’t Favorite Place I’ve Lived • Grayslake, IL want to Favorite Sports Team • Seattle Seahawks give a Least Favorite App • Vine woman that high spot because, you know, God each other, and we’ve kind of lost forbid a woman is on the twenty dollar trust. When somebody says somebill, so they’re going to take Alexander thing, people don’t necessarily Hamilton off, who created the National believe it right away. We live in a Bank, and he’s got his own musical. Does very doubting, skeptical society. I Andrew Jackson have a musical? No, he think we need to be more optimistic killed Native Americans. about things. I don’t have a favorite color. I think Don’t have “what ifs” in your that all colors are beautiful. My favorite life. Just do it. color changes based on mood or where I want to become a social studies
Quick Facts
Senior interviewed by lucas modzelewski • staff writer
I am. I’m obligated to say that my favorite band of all time is the Huntley High School Marching Red Raiders. The worst feeling in the world is when you have a great thing to say and you can’t interrupt because that would be rude so you’re just gonna wait, and then you slowly realize they’re transitioning away from the topic, and you’re like, “No!” My face gets red all the time. I don’t necessarily have to be embarrassed. Even slight emotion turns it red or sometimes people will be like, ‘Your face is getting really red. Are you embarrassed or something?’ And I’ll be like, ‘What? It is?’ Like, no, my face just hates me. I was a huge fan of cheeseburgers and I used to order them everywhere. Now, I have diversified my menu, but the cheeseburger still holds a special place in my heart. I don’t look for anything in specific. You can look at trends of who I’ve dated and you could probably see some stuff, but I think mixing things together can create something great as a whole that’s unique to that person. You can’t take a person and look at them by one feature or interest, it’s the entire whole of that person that makes them likable or unlikable. The meaning of life is whatever you want it to be. Life is what you make of it. February 2016 huntleyvoice.com 15
R. O’Sullivan
M
atthew Jensen
I don’t think I would ever be able to pick one single band or song. I love too many types of music to select just one. Also, at least in my perspective, music evolves so quickly and so often that I would never be able have just one song to listen to. Of course, there are a few songs I don’t like, some that I would even say I can’t stand, Adele’s ‘Hello,’ for example. I don’t think there is an era of music that i would even say I didn’t like. There is always some new music, whether it’s to be released tomorrow, or it was released in 1973, there is always new music. Sometimes you just have to listen.
THE MEANING OF LIFE
“Athletic” Junior
interviewed by raemon savillo • staff writer
eat reflects your personality, at least to some degree. People who eat spicy foods generally like to live on the edge. Those who seem to constantly be eating candy are more mellow, and sometimes may even appear to be sweeter than others. I would spend my final hours touring Europe and meeting some of the greats. For some reason, I have always wanted to meet Queen Elizabeth. Some part of me thinks that she would be a great person to have a luncheon or tea with. I also would want to see Italy. Verona seems like a beautiful city, and I would like to see it with my own eyes one day. I would also want to tour France, and see the Favorite Home-Cooked Meal • Steak and Potatoes City of Light. Along Favorite Song • Loves All Music these tours of these Favorite Movie • Lion King wondrous countries, Biggest Pet Peeve • People That Don’t Try I would spend my Cat vs Dog • Dog time doing things like Favorite TV Show • Elementary ski in the Alps, surf Where You Were Born • Michigan along the coast, dine Favorite Sports Team • Manchester United at some of the finest Favorite App • Spotify restaurants known to man, and play soccer on some of the best known fields, I think I would be a little bit of alongside the best players in the world. everything. I love trying new things, But I don’t think I would be able to do especially new and exotic foods. I’ve any of these things if I couldn’t bring my eaten some pretty wild stuff in my life, family along as well. Whether it be in including alligator, octopus, pheasant, 50 years and it’s my kids, my kids kids, turtle, and buffalo. I think the statement and I, or it be tomorrow and just my ‘“You are what you eat” has some truth brothers and my parents, I would want to it that some of us may not have even them to come along for the ride. thought of before. I think that what you It is much worse to never have at-
Quick Facts
tempted something. I would rather fail in front of a crowd of a million people, than to never take the chance. Life is about taking chances, and if you never take a single chance, what have you amounted to? Nothing. Nil. Zero. If you take a chance and fail, what have you done? You have learned. You now know whether or not to do something, or how to adjust something so it works better the next time. imagine if everyone in the world were to stop attempting things. There would never be anything new. We would be stuck in a continuous cycle, practically living the same day over and over again. Imagine if everyone in the world were to stop attempting things. There would never be anything new. We would be stuck in a continuous cycle, practically living the same day over and over again. That is not a world I am willing to live in. Is life worth living? Soccer is played with a ball. Ball is life. Therefore soccer is life. Basically, that is the transitive property. Shout out to Mr. Allen! What brings the most joy to my life is probably music because I think I have never gone a day in my life without listening to music. The best advice I was ever given was to enjoy high school because it will go faster than you think. For incoming freshmen, you should always perform at your best even if your best feels like your worst.
February 2016 huntleyvoice.com 17
D. Kalish
MEANING OF LIFE
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MEANING OF LIFE
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THE MEANING OF LIFE
B
“Sarcastic”
rad Sesko
I think a lot of people just perceive me as this a**hole kid, and I think people don’t know that there’s a lot more to me than some a**hole. When I was one, I went and took a bunch of sign language classes by myself, these people just signed to me, never spoke and that’s how I learned that. My sister is the oldest, so when she was first born [my parents] were just going through the motions of having their first kid. They just thought she was slower at starting to say stuff. Eventually they took her in to get her hearing tested and they figured out she was deaf.
Senior
interviewed by ashley o’brien • online editor
wrapped up in the wrong thing because you’re gonna regret it later down the road. Always strive and prosper. There’s a lot of important things besides revenge. Everyone has problems; just the way you handle it is what’s going to make them go away. I’m just trying to do anything I can and see as much of this world as I can instead of just working at a desk. I will honestly be homeless before I just sit at a desk for the rest of my life. I kind of had to fight for the attention, and be a lot more independent at a younger age. I had to mature myself and step up and be something that I could be to help my parents and kind of Favorite Restaurant • Grandma’s Jumbalaya stay out of their way. Favorite Band • All music But as I’ve gotten Favorite Movie • Never Back Down older I understand Biggest Pet Peeve • Throwing garbage on the ground why my parents went If I wasn’t here right now, I would be in...Italy about things the way Favorite Place I’ve Lived • Arlington Heights they did. I realized Favorite Sports Team • Chicago Cubs this is something Favorite App • First National Bank of Illinois people don’t get to experience and I do, I’m gonna have to give a shout out so I just have to try to embrace it and to Mr. Swartzloff and his current issues share it and let it be known. class because that was probably the Everyone’s opinion should be dopest class I’ve taken in all of highconsidered; you might be having a school. good day, but someone else might not It’s cool that she’s deaf, people be, and you could say one thing that always try to apologize to me like it’s might change their whole day. a bad thing and I don’t see it as a bad I feel like I look like a boss in black, thing, it’s like an obstacle. You have to it just suits me. get through it and figure out how to I don’t want to listen to some stupid make things work out for everyone. issues with ‘this’ person and ‘that’ Don’t let immature kids get you person because I don’t care.
Quick Facts
20 huntleyvoice.com February 2016
Focus on yourself and your future and what you want from other people. It’s the people around you that are going to make a difference, not the things that you surround yourself with. It doesn’t even have to be a person, whatever you like doing or whatever makes you happy; you’re going to love that. I was in like fifth grade maybe, going into middle school [and] I had my family of five, my uncle, my two cousins, and one of the workers he worked with, staying with us. So there was like nine people living in [my] house and my mom had to feed everyone. We all just had to try to live together. It wasn’t easy, and it’s not like it sucked or anything, it was kind of fun for a while. I don’t think anyone has an answer to that, everyone has their own path. I think we all live to die. I used to want to be a MLB Baseball player, and then I realized I had no time for myself. I hurt my arm which was kind of a blessing in disguise, cause now I think I just want to go through life and try as many different things as I can. It sucks because I know I have to go to college and I know I need money to do all this, but I am pretty motivated to do it. I’m nice to people, I’m not nice to people; you never know what to expect. You just gotta come see me one day like you’ve never seen me before. Everyday is a new day for me to be a f***ing idiot.
R. O’Sullivan
MEANING OF LIFE
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ELLE SALON!
A
llie Szuba
if I could. It’s my go-to food when I’m hungry. When we die maybe we go to heaven or hell and party. Physically our bodies are buried or cremated but our souls live on as something else. I get so impatient in the hallway when people are slow, and being able to fly would solve that problem. Just imagine flying wherever you want. I’ve always wanted to live in those houses with the orange clay roofs and cream siding- it’s so cute. The smallest of spiders make make me want to cry. I was home alone once and Favorite Song • anything by Justin Bieber there were two spiders Favorite Movie • The Night Before in my room and I Biggest Pet Peeve • People chewing loud called Bri just to make Favorite TV Show • Friends her kill them. When she got here, I didn’t school but it’s only 7 a.m. I’m still drivknow where they went and I still don’t ing there and school hasn’t started. know where they are. When people ask why I ignore them I just tell them I was at work and I literally feel trapped and like I am forgot to open their text, but really I’m in prison when I’m at school. School is not for everyone, especially me. just ignoring them. I remember in middle school I was I got pulled over once because I had walking to go upstairs then somehow I an expired license plate and insurance card. I just have to go to court to show I completely ate s*** and fell on my face. It was right after lunch and there were have valid ones but it was so scary. a ton of people around who saw it hapEveryday I say, “I’ll just take the pen. quiz tomorrow,” but it usually doesn’t During the beginning of my drivhappen. ers test I backed out the wrong way in I did competitive cheer for four the parking lot. The guy let me start over years when I was younger. I loved it so but I thought I would still fail. At the much but I fell during a tumbling pass end he had to remind me to put the car and landed on my neck. It scared me in park- somehow I passed. so bad that I lost all of my skills and I was too afraid to work on getting them One time I was on the phone with my boyfriend while laying on Camille’s bed back. against the wall. Her bed isn’t pushed It’s weird but I love cereal so much. I would eat it for every meal of the day all the way in [the wall] and I was slowly At my first job my bosses were like 400 years old and they were always crabby. I got hired, worked for one day, went home, and called them saying I quit. Then like a month later I needed a job, so I got hired again. I still hated it but I was scared to quit again so I made my friend pretend to be me over the phone and quit- it worked. Don’t be obnoxious because you’re finally in high school. Just chill and move out of the middle of the hallway or else upperclassmen will hate you. Sometimes I want to go home from
THE MEANING OF LIFE
“Funny” Junior
interviewed by bri governale • staff writer Courtesy of A. Szuba
Quick Facts
falling further and further into this space without even realizing it. When I realized it, it was too late and I was completely stuck. Bri, Camille, and Camille’s brother tried pulling me out but it wasn’t working. So they got Camille’s mom and she magically saved me after 20 minutes of trying. Cats creep me out but not as much anymore. I would want one cat, so seeing some ladies with like 40 cats makes me wonder- that’s a lot of litter. I was bullied in middle school because I stuck up for my friend. They didn’t like that so much so they turned on me. I’m over it but I’ll never forget the situation. It changed me. Let’s say you win a million dollars. Obviously you’re gonna be happy, but if you lose it you’re gonna be pissed. You were only happy because of that money. To me, living is my greatest achievement. It sounds weird but some days I want to give up. So the fact that I’m still here is pretty great. February 2016 huntleyvoice.com 23
THE MEANING OF LIFE
M
“Funny”
adison Kerley
My guitar. I couldn’t sell it, I wouldn’t be able to. My dad surprised me with it my summer going into freshman year. He tricked me into it, he was like ‘You do need new guitar strings right?’ for my old guitar. We went straight into the acoustic room and he bought me a $600 guitar, I was like ‘Okay!!’ My favorite costume ever, I was a TV. My dad and I built it; it was the coolest thing I have ever been. On the TV was Phineas and Ferb, it had a vase, a shot glass, a CD player with a CD out on it, and an antenna and everything it was honestly the coolest. If I had a million dollars I would save it up. I wouldn’t spend it on one thing, but I would buy a camera because I really
Sophomore
interviewed by maggie mcgee • staff writer
lines. I also liked Barbies, and I was always the guy because my older sister made me. I always wore this shield and it had a sword and all that too. Seeing my dad cry. Actually, seeing my mom cry because my dad always cries! He’s a very emotional man. My dad cried at my parents wedding, and he even cried when I sang to him. It takes a lot for my mom to cry, so if she cries you know something really really bad happened. The ‘80s when everyone was experimenting and trying new things because like right now for us we have social media but nothing really has drastically changed but for them, they went through so much and it’d be cool to see it. Anything, I Favorite Restaurant • PF Chang’s would literally Favorite Song • “You Make Me Feel So Young” -Frank Sinatra put anything on a Favorite Movie • Harry Potter sandwich. My dream Biggest Pet Peeve • Budding into conversations sandwich would be If I wasn’t here right now, I would be in...Hawaii the regular meats, Favorite TV Show • Grey’s Anatomy lettuce would be Favorite Place I’ve Lived • North Carolina my number one Favorite Sports Team • Greenbay Packers topping. Probably Favorite App • imessage iceberg lettuce, just lettuce is amazing. At Jimmy Johns I ask for extra lettuce, and want one. I would buy something big for it’s literally just a mountain of lettuce. I my parents to thank them for everything also get lettuce instead of bread, like the they’ve done for me, like a house or lettuce wraps. something. I’ve been playing guitar since I I literally live such a boring life, was in 5th grade, I play ukulele which there’s really nothing I’ve ever done I picked up really quick, I play piano that’s so crazy. One time my mom told which is also really easy for me since I me to do the dishes, and I didn’t do can read music. I’ve been singing for a them. really long time too. Honestly I was such a Tomboy when Something really random about I was younger, so anything along those me is that my third toe is bigger than my
Quick Facts
24 huntleyvoice.com February 2016
second toe. I would spend my last day with my loved ones and cry because I’d be saying goodbye to them, it’d be sort of a happy cry. Seven people I would want to have my last meal with are Barack Obama, Zayn Malik, Lauren Herrera, Beyoncé, and Kanye because he would make it interesting, and Lauren Jauregui that’s like my number one, and Taylor Pacana of course. If I could tell the world anything it’d be, ”Yo...stop being so hot”. My dream meal would be lettuce wraps from PF Chang’s as appetizer, lobster as the main course, and then my mom’s apple pie for dessert. I hate raccoons! I’m so scared of them! I am so scared of shootings because I saw a TV show once where there were a few school shootings. It made me realize how much it would hurt my loved ones if that happened and it’s such a tragic way to die. My sister Jakie was always my biggest role model growing up because I thought she was the coolest person ever. She’s always been there for me and has taught me how I want to be there for people too. She’s my older sister so I always wanted to be her so badly. She had so many friends too, so I always wanted them to like me and be around them. Getting the guts to sing on stage was probably my biggest personal change I’ve had to make. Before I get on stage I feel like I have to pee so bad, but then I’m scared to drink water but I have to after I sing. I always get so nervous I’m just gonna pee!
D. Kalish
M. Czapka
B
en Litwin
My hope that my greatest achievement will be going to state as a thrower in track and field. Before I leave high school, I hope to become a Raider Nation leader and carry on the school spirit to everyone else that comes through this school. After we die, I think we get to see our loved ones that have passed. The American education system is broken because students spend hours learning subjects they will never use unless they go into a specific career. Students cram to remember what is on there test tomorrow and forget what
and there I decided that it would be my favorite color. I was born and grew up in Skokie, Ill. and lived there until I was about 6. Then we moved to our current house in Algonquin. I went on the Heineman side of the school process. My class is the first class to go from kindergarten all the way to senior year in District 158. Yo, I could always go for tacos with ground turkey instead of ground beef. Whenever we have tacos at my house we never use ground beef so I’m just used to it, even though it seems a little weird to have ground turkey. Alright, my favorite artist would have to be old Kanye, like Favorite Restaurant • Chipotle I’m talking “GraduaFavorite Band • Kanye West tion” days, especially Favorite Movie • Remember the Titans pre-Kim K days. Biggest Pet Peeve • Someone ordering same thing When I am at a resIf I wasn’t here, I would be in... Caiman Islands taurant and someone Favorite TV Show • The Walking Dead orders the same exact Favorite Place I’ve Lived • Huntley thing as me, like there Favorite Sports Team • Chicago Bulls are so many options Favorite App • Twitter that it just bugs me when someone gets the same thing. they learned a week later. It is important for students to take classes they are I think it was my 8th grade year we legitimately interested in and not classes went on a cruise to the Caiman Islands and it was me, my sister, mom, and my they are forced to take just because the dad. We left straight from Miami and government makes them. People also went Cozumel. We just kind of went take a test at 16 that basically decides around the islands and went to a bunch the rest of their life for them. of beaches but what really bothers me Orange because in 3rd grade nois that we were supposed to get to swim body in my class didn’t say that orange with stingrays but it got cancelled. And was their favorite color, so right then
Quick Facts
THE MEANING OF LIFE
“Outgoing” Sophomore
interviewed by austin zeis • staff writer
I don’t know why, but to this day it still upsets me. Then when we went to Cozumel we swam with dolphins which was cool but the rays would have been better. I’d go forward in time, just for about 10 years to see where I am at when I’m 26. I just want to see how life is going for me and to see if I’m settled down with a wife or kids. I wouldn’t touch or mess with anything because if you do you might screw everything up, you never know. The meaning of life is to….I don’t know. Just to make every moment of your life worth it and I feel like you should always have a goal in mind so you can never waste anytime. There is just so much to life that you never know what is gonna come next. With a million dollars, I would make sure that I get a nice car, pay for college, and get my parents a house of their own. Then after that I would buy a bunch of cool stuff like a really nice house, a cool wedding, even more cars. But you know, I would do all the stuff you are supposed to do as a millionaire. I have been doing sports my whole life and I feel like you just have to fit in to be an athletic director. The job is also really stable, like every school needs one and it will never go away. The best part though would have to be that you get to be bossy whenever you wanna be and nobody would throw a fit.
February 2016 huntleyvoice.com 27
THE MEANING OF LIFE
N
ate Ellis
“Awkwardly eccentric”
Growing up, I was a mix between the weird kid and the nerd. My grandma messed up with my dad, so when I came along she saw me as a second chance. But I feel like I was a big struggle in their lives for a long time. They’ve always wanted the best for me, so me not getting the best would be a huge deal to them because they put so much time and effort into making sure that I have a good life. I usually sketch things with symbolism like the tree of life or a snake coming out of a human skull. I draw what I want to express. The extreme
because I don’t like the idea that we’re told to be a certain way. I feel like we should know why we’re doing something. Be the best “you” you can be. I don’t feel the need to stand up and pledge my allegiance to a corrupt country. I find the tradition to be almost cult-like and I’d prefer to not be a part of it. I hate the news. Everything in major production that we see is controlled by a very small group of people. I don’t like that because they’re really good at making you believe what they want you to believe. It’s Favorite Restaurant • Asian Harbor propaganda Favorite Bands • Arctic Monkeys and The Black Keys on a larger Favorite Movie • Seven scale. Biggest Pet Peeve • People constantly “plugged” into technology I hate the Favorite TV Show • How I Met Your Mother American Favorite Place I’ve Lived • Washington education sysFavorite Sports Team • Chicago Blackhawks tem. I think it is an institution that trains people of any emotion will really make me to regurgitate information and to sit want to draw. down, be quiet, and do what they’re Art makes you feel like an told to do. Education should really individual, like a person. I don’t like be about expanding your mind, but that it’s so undervalued in society, that’s not what our system here is. and I think that if the arts were acOur economic system is based cepted, people would understand on producing the most amount that it’s okay to express yourself and of money, which often results in we wouldn’t have this issue of mass negligence of the environment or conformity. humanity itself. I think we would You can’t truly live if you can’t be be better off if we were kind to each free. It’s human nature to not be tied other and we just helped each other down. out. We would all be thinking about I question anything that I can
Quick Facts
Senior interviewed by mawa iqbal • news editor
what’s best for all of us and not just what’s best for me. I think the key thing that no one wants to talk about is that we can do something. We all say that “I’m just one person, I can’t make a change,” but in reality any of us can make as much change as anyone else, and the only way we’re going to have change is everyone comes together. If people were raised to believe that giving and not expecting anything in return is the right thing to do, we would have people who wouldn’t care if they had to give something away because they would know that person is taken care of. I want to be an environmental engineer, and I don’t know if I want a job in the long run. I want to set up my own self-sustaining life by growing my own food, collecting my own water, and producing my own electricity. I probably wouldn’t make money because I don’t want to be a part of the consumerist economy. I would take us off a monetary system. We wouldn’t be looking for profit, and that would be the key to keep everything the way that it naturally was. There wouldn’t be any money, we would just produce things. If we weren’t looking at who has more, we would be so much better off. I’m hopeful. At this point in my life, I believe there’s good in everything.
February 2016 huntleyvoice.com 29
R. O’Sullivan
T
THE MEANING OF LIFE
ara Wills
Probably my summers I spent touring with the Dead. Like when you’re a kid and I left my house with less than 100 bucks in my wallet and didn’t come back for three months, like that takes some skill and dedication and craziness. And it ended up being some really great times. It was sitting around on a Tuesday in somebody’s basement, totally bored, and then it just comes up and it’s like yeah, you know what, let’s do it! And two days later we were leaving for the entire summer, knowing you weren’t gonna be back. For a couple of summers that was pretty wild. Really wild. But I got to see the country that way, I got to
“Complicated” Teacher
interviewed by courtney thomas • print editor
tie-dyed pancakes. Those people [who never attempt it] are dead. You might as well get into the casket and move on. That’s like one of my strongest governing beliefs. If you’re not willing to change or try new things and take a risk then you might as well just get right in there and close your eyes, because what the hell’s the point. You’re dead anyway. The only time you’re ever going to be able to travel is when you’re young. It will never happen so don’t put it off. If you ever get a chance to, there is no word to say except for okay, yes. Don’t say no, you will regret it.” Probably to take a chance and just do it. Whatever the hell it is you want to Favorite Restaurant • Rosebud do, do. You’re going Favorite Band • Grateful Dead to hurt people your Favorite Movie • Usual Suspects or Pulp Fiction whole life, I used to Biggest Pet Peeve • Liars and whiners be really hung up on If I wasn’t here right now, I would be in... Washington I don’t want to hurt Favorite TV Show • Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones people and I still Favorite Place I’ve Lived • Washington don’t. I’m a horribly Favorite Sports Team • Chicago Bears guilty person, I don’t Favorite App • Amazon like seeing people hurt. But you can’t see America. We sold tie-dyed panlive your life that way. So somebody cakes. We would go to Sam’s Club in once told me you’re only here for every city or state we were gonna see a short while, you have to do what a show, buy M&M’s and huge boxes makes you happy, and almost everyof pancake mix, make pancakes in the thing at the end of the day doesn’t matmorning, and sell a plate of three panter. Almost everything. Like that’s kind cakes for $3. We made enough money of been my litmus test. to see every next Greatful Dead show. If we didn’t have a culture that We had enough money to pay for gas, completely convinced us that lying was for food, for tickets, and travel, you a great necessity in life. I truly feel like know campgrounds, whatever. All on when you’re little and you blurt out
Quick Facts
whatever the hell it is you think, yes you may piss people off, but everybody knows exactly what you like, what you don’t, where you stand, how you feel. And then we get older and we’re taught not to upset people. And I think that’s tactful yes, but this whole idea that we just lie to make everybody feel better, is just bad. I’ve been proposed to eight times. I have five of the rings still. All different people. The guy who’s family owns Fisher Nuts, he asked me to marry him, in a helicopter. That was probably the most creative. My kids are like the greatest kids that have ever been born. I have like the whole range. Super wild, super crazy, to like incredibly rule-oriented, rules are made to be followed. I got my kid who’s like a 4.4 student, who’s never been a minute in her life, so I just hope to god that he lives through high school. Like both ends of the spectrum. Makes for an excited household. It’s never boring there, ever. I’ve been blessed with incredibly, athletically gifted children so we do sports all the time. I just have cool kids. Weird kids. They’re all weirdos. Not a docile one in the bunch.” I’m a failure of the highest regard. And I wish that more of my students were failures too. That’s where you learn, that’s the only way you learn. When you look back at your life and you figure out who you became, it almost always has to do with struggle and failure.
February 2016 huntleyvoice.com 31
Courtesy of Tara Wills
S
zekely Twins
Maddie: The ‘80s because they all wore the coolest stuff and the music was good in the ‘80s. Tyler: No dumbest thing I ever heard, I don’t know, ‘70s, oh wait no ‘60s. Maddie: Grease the hair, the hair. Tyler: I would be a greaser. Maddie: Definitely, because they broke the rules. Maddie: Purple because I have always loved it. Tyler: Red. Because when I was younger I always had the same favorite color as Kyle (cousin) and when he decided red I just stuck with red, but it actually is mine now. Maddie: That’s actually so funny. Maddie: Invisibility, I want to... Tyler: Creep. Maddie: No, not creep I want to listen to
squished worms and he would throw up every time. Maddie: When I’m in class and people sniffle or click their pens, during a test, when it’s just silent and people make noise, or when it’s quiet and everyone can hear someone’s music. Tyler: When people are gross. Maddie: Yeah he hates that! It’s actually funny. Tyler: I hate when people smell. Maddie: I would never live with him he is so messy and it would drive me insane. Tyler: Disorganized, the only thing that is messy is my room. Maddie: Peanut butter and jelly. Tyler: What!? Maddie: I’m not an extravagant eater. Tyler: #16 club lulu Jimmy Johns. Maddie: See when Madison: I go to Jimmy Johns I Favorite Restaurant • Olive Garden or Chipotle get the slim #1 which is If I wasn’t here right now, I would be in...California ham and cheese. Favorite TV Show • Bridesmaids Tyler: We are not alike at all with that, with Tyler: food. Favorite Restaurant • Maggianos or Kyoto Maddie: Yeah I like If I wasn’t here right now, I would be in...California simple, I like peaFavorite TV Show • Other Guys nut butter and jelly, noodles, my favorite meal is Chicken Kiev. what everyone is saying but not have them Tyler: Steak and ribs. know that I’m there. Maddie: I like shrimp that is probably the Tyler: Definitely fly. most extravagant thing that I like. Maddie: Sharks and butterflies. Maddie: Christmas because I get Ever since I was a little girl I have been presents and I can give presents. deathly afraid of butterflies. Tyler: Thanksgiving, food I like food a Tyler: Worms! lot. Maddie: He throws up everytime he sees Maddie: I get to give presents and I like one. that it’s fun picking out stuff for people Tyler: I threw up on the bus every mornand seeing them be excited and *squeals* it ing. makes me feel good. Maddie: One of the kids at the bus stop Maddie: 100, it is when my life would be
Quick Facts
THE MEANING OF LIFE
“Friendly” Sophomores
interviewed by danielle king • staff writer fulfilled. Tyler: I want to die at 70 because I don’t want to have 30 boring years of my life. Maddie: Okay. Tyler: I kinda just want to live around 60 or 70. Maddie: TYLER 60 is young, our mom will be that age in 8 years. Tyler: I mean 80 80 80, if I live to 100 it means that I didn’t have fun when I was younger. Maddie: What? Tyler: I had a boring life that is healthy, if I die too young. Maddie: 60. Tyler: That means I messed up so around 80 is good. Maddie: I actually feel lucky because it is not normal and I will always have that. It’s kind of nice having someone, he makes sure I never do anything stupid. Tyler: Maddie helps me, she put me in my place sometimes when I do something dumb. Maddie: I give him advice a lot of the time. We both give each other advice and it’s nice since he’s a guy and I’m a girl. I feel like I would fight with my sister all the time if he was a girl. Tyler: Yeah but also if I had a guy to play sports and Xbox with it would be pretty cool Maddie: He actually kind of knows more about me than anyone else probably, even like my best friends, like I can tell him more than I will tell than any of my best friends. Tyler: Tell her not to do something. She tends to listen to what I have to say. Maddie: He always doesn’t listen to me so if I just told him to stop, I would want him to listen to me. We don’t really argue that much. We used to in middle school and freshman year but now it’s not that bad.
February 2016 huntleyvoice.com 33
Courtesy of Szekely Twins
THE MEANING OF LIFE
K
ylie Mahoney
I have a lot of little embarrassing moments, like when someone waves at you and it’s not [for] you. I would like to be a cop or I would like to open up my own business, sort of like a boutique [and a] salon. [I love] the ‘50s because of their fashion. [I also like to see] all the couples from the ‘50s and things were so much more classy and adorable. When I think of the ‘50s, I think of the big ponytails with the curls and all those poodle skirts. I also like the guys’ fashion back when rock was starting to become popular. I’ll pull out a leather jacket once in awhile.
“Happy” Freshman
interviewed by devin martin • a&e editor
insulted by someone. I feel like that’s one of the most hurtful things people have to go through because I mean if you hurt your arm, that heals. But if a person hurts you, then I feel like it hurts people a lot [more] rather than a physical injury. People don’t forget about that certain stuff and I feel like if everyone was nicer to each other then everyone would be happier. There would be no negativity! I think I would like to have super speed. Well, I would never be late to class, also I play soccer so it would be cool if I could zoom by and get the ball so no one would see me. It would be fun! Like what if I had every power? I Favorite Meal • Grandma’s Stuffed Peppers could zoom up to Least Favorite Song • Happy by Pharrell someone and stop Favorite Movie • Devil Wears Prada time, then I would Biggest Pet Peeve • Bad Grammar When Texting have super strength If I wasn’t here right now, I would be in North Carolina so I could move a car Favorite TV Show • Modern Family out of the way, and I Where You Were Born • Joliet would be the ultimate Favorite Sports Team • All Chicago Teams superhero. Favorite App • Trivia Crack The biggest thing [I worry about at night] would be if If I had [any] ultimate power, I would I haven’t picked out my outfit from just have everyone be nice to each other. the day before. My priorities are I like That is probably the best thing I could to dress so it looks like I woke up at 4 wish for, world peace. I feel like it would o’clock in the morning to get ready. be a good different, peaceful, calm, and My family brings the most joy in better. I feel like there are certain peomy life, and that includes my dogs too! ple that are more sensitive than others I feel like they are the closest people to and I feel like [the truth] coming from me and they always love me no matter other people hurts more than if you’re what. We also just have a lot of fun. I re-
Quick Facts
34 hunteyvoice.com February 2016
member not this past new year, but the new year before that we were at a beach in North Carolina and we had rented a beach house. There was a pool there and I remember my dad, my cousins, and I were in the pool. We were playing music from my dad’s phone to the speaker and we were just screaming the songs and we were dancing in the pool. “Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line was what we were singing a lot. Christmas is my favorite holiday and I like it because my whole family gets together. I think the meaning of life is a lot of different things but I think the main one is be yourself and be nice to people. Well, I have a lot of fears! But I feel like one of the bigger ones would be not taking chances or opportunities. I mean, when you miss an opportunity, it’s gone and I feel like some decisions or choices I could have made differently for some things that it might lead me to regret some more things and one decision could change my whole life. My mom has been my role model for my whole life and mostly because she’s always been there for me though like everything and I trust her more than anybody and I can just go and talk to my mom. When my friends say something and they’re like ‘Don’t tell anyone’ in my mind I say ‘My mom doesn’t count, so I can tell my mom!’ She’s been a best friend to me for my whole life.
S. Faheem S. Faheem
THE MEANING OF LIFE
E
mmanuel Miller
One thing I want to accomplish before I die is to become a successful corporate attorney or be rich, whichever comes first. Even though life may seem hard, keep on going because you can always get up the next day and have a better day than yesterday…unless you die. I’m just a 17 year old teenage guy who doesn’t have his life figured out. As stereotypical as this is about to be, fried chicken and strawberry Koolaid would be my last meal because it’s been food that I’ve grown up on and
“Beyoncé-Lover”
As of right now, I have two potential baes. My sister told me to turn in every single homework assignment and study for every single test your freshman year because it’s important. And damn she was right. A good friend needs to be truthful, be able to have fun, and be able to have a serious talk when needed. The meaning of life is to work hard early in life so it won’t be as hard later on, as opposed to life being easy now and having to work hard later. Favorite Restaurant • Bang Bang Shrimp at Bonefish Have you seen Favorite Song • anything by Beyonce her? First of all, Beyoncé is beautiFavorite Movie • The Conjuring ful, and her voice If I wasn’t here right now, I would be in... New York is fantastic. My Favorite TV Show • Scandal love for her startFavorite Place I’ve Lived • Lake in the Hills ed when I heard Favorite App • Twitter. Follow me @miller_eman “Crazy in Love” in Favorite App • Amazon kindergarten and then watched the video for it. strawberry is obviously the best flavor. Beyoncé because she’s a damn I could spend all of my money on queen, Martin Luther King Jr. because gummy bears. They are totally my favor- he was a pretty important person for my ite candy and I could eat them all day. people, and Barack Obama because he We are either goin’ to Heaven or seems like such a chill person. Hell. It’s our choice which one. Racism describes a system of disThe world needs to stay positive advantages based on race. Black people and not let yesterday’s mistakes ruin cannot be racist because they don’t tomorrow. stand to benefit on such a system. Dear white people, black people To my least favorite teachers, thank cannot be racist towards you. Prejudice, you so much for making potentially cool yes. But not racist. classes ABSOLUTELY HELL. But I want everyone to have the ability thank you to Ms. Fulling and Mr. Nixon to be educated because honestly, you for making hard classes really fun. can’t better the world if you’re stupid.
Quick Facts
36 huntleyvoice.com February 2016
Junior
interviewed by alex landman • staff writer
Maybe the fact that some students just don’t try in school and yet they complain that the school system is broken. If you want your life to go well, you have to try hard in school. Surround yourself with positive vibes, bruh. I never believed in Santa Claus. I remember asking my parents who Santa Claus was, and my dad straight up told me that he was Santa. I was just like, “okay.” Going through tough times, I shut people out because I like to be alone and I like to think I can fix everything on my own, even though I know it’s not true. Let me tell you, I remember going to a concert and straight up freaking out because she was so beautiful and lowkey, that’s definitely what my future wife is going to look like. I was so nervous and felt so cool even though I wasn’t even a starter. I remember winning and thinking OMG that was totally crazy. I just won a game and had no prior football experience. Freshman year, one of my friends wanted a vape pen, and I thought it would be a really good friend by giving him a suggestion of who to get it from. Then his mom found out, and I almost got in really big trouble. SQUUUAAAAAA!!! Trust is everything, man. If you don’t have trust, you don’t have anything. It can be hard for someone to feel that they’re appreciated when they don’t put themselves out there.
R. O’Sullivan
B
ill Hollatz
I was born in Woodstock, and have never moved out of my house. My parents built the house before I was born, and we have stayed there since. As a family, we have gone on tons of vacations. One of the best vacations I have been on was Seabase. It is when we stayed on an island with minimal things to survive on. It was a unique experience.
ogy. My favorite band of all time is The Beatles. I grew up listening to them and I have always been a fan of their music. They’re just amazing. I personally don’t get really annoyed, but I don’t like when people unnecessarily escalate their emotion in a conversation. You see, I’m usually most of people’s pet peeves, I don’t really have any. Currently, Favorite Candy • Crunch my favorFavorite Band • The Beatles ite show is Favorite Movie • Star Wars Episode V1: The Reurn of the Jedi Doctor Who, Biggest Pet Peeve • When people unnecessarily escalate their but if I was emotions in conversation asked a year Favorite Color • Green ago what my Favorite TV Show • Dr. Who favorite show Favorite Place I’ve Lived • Woodstock was it would Favorite Sports • Chicago Bears be Castle. I Favorite App • Tumblr am really into science fiction and crime shows. My favorite candy is Crunch. As a kid, I would watch anything on Something about crisped rice and Cartoon Network. Cartoons are just so chocolate is just really tasty to me. My funny. I don’t think I can have a favorite favorite food is anything homemade, especially my aunt’s lasagna, because it is cartoon character, but they always made so much better than anything you could me laugh. ever get from a restaurant. It is made by I have too many movies that I like a lot, but if I had to pick one it would deffamily, and family is great. initely be Star Wars Episode VI:Return I’m a huge fan of music. Before, I of the Jedi. I have always been a huge fan would only listen to old music like the of Star Wars. beatles, who are my favorite band, but now I listen to pretty much everything My favorite toy as a kid was Legos. and anything. to be honest, it is almost I loved the freedom to build whatever I impossible for me not to like music now. wanted. I still love that kind of freedom today. My favorite song still is Don McLean’s When it comes to sports I don’t re“American Pie”. My favorite color is green. I love the ally watch any, but my family members are huge Chicago Bears fans. However, color green. In school, I like any class that deals with engineering or technol- my parents are split on the Chicago
Quick Facts
THE MEANING OF LIFE
“Cool” Junior
interviewed by tyler lopez • staff writer
White Sox and the Chicago Cubs. As of right now, my favorite app is Tumblr. I love the fan made artwork on the app. My least favorite app is Amazon. Not for any reasons, but just because I don’t use it much. Despite me not liking Amazon, I usually shop online. I’m too lazy to go to stores now and it’s just easier to shop online. I’m a very tech-oriented person, so my ideal day is just watching YouTube all day, which is also what I do if I’m not studying or doing homework. I don’t have any opinion on cold or hot weather. I grew up in the cold, but heat is always nice. Heat always makes for an ideal vacation. My favorite holiday has always been Christmas. Being with my family on such a big holiday is awesome. My fondest memories are traveling with my family. I love being with them and going to numerous places with them is always great. I’m mainly German, which means I have a huge family. And a crazy one. A huge, crazy family. I think it is always best to try. That way, even if you fail, you know you tried. Trying is always better than not trying at all. To me, a good friend is anyone who is willing to deal with my extreme ability to annoy people. The craziest thing I have ever done was when I TP’d my friends house. I don’t think I’ll ever laugh that hard again in my life. True happiness to me is laughing each and everyday. It feels amazing to laugh. Everyone should laugh everyday. february 2016 huntleyvoice.com 39
M. Czpaka
M. Czapka
S
honna Rankin
I like music because there are so many different kinds, there’s a song for every feeling you have. Probably a flower crown hat I got when I was a flower girl for my aunts wedding and every time I see it in my room it makes me smile. For as long as I can remember I’ve always wanted to be a teacher because my aunt is a teacher and I just really love kids. I have always liked my teachers so I have always wanted to be that good teacher for someone else. I was always inspired by my teachers, and I want to inspire other kids.
THE MEANING OF LIFE
“Funny” Freshman
interviewed by camille paddock • assistant online editor
Kids. My dad really likes sour stuff and he would always eat them around me, so I started liking them too. Chicken alfredo with french fries, because I love Italian food and fries. My mom used to make chicken alfredo all the time when I was younger and it was my favorite, but now she never makes it because my little sister can’t eat it. My mom is my hero and role model because she has always been there for me, she always helps me, and I can tell her anything. I don’t necessarily think the education system is broken, I just think some people don’t care. Everyone just Favorite Restaurant • Olive Garden needs to work Least Favorite Song • Anything on the radio too much together, there’s no Favorite Movie • Divergent reason to be fighting. Biggest Pet Peeve • Slow hallway walkers If I wasn’t here right now, I would be in... Disney World My ideal day is not having to wake up Favorite TV Show • None early, eating cheeseFavorite Place I’ve Lived • Huntley burgers and fries, and Favorite Sports Team • Chicago Blackhwaks just not having to Favorite App • Snapchat worry about anything. Try your hardest and be yourself My parents help me keep my faith. no matter what happens. My grandma I just always remember things can be told my mom that and my mom told me worse than they are right now. that, so I know I’m going to tell my kids It’s worse to fail because you never that too. It’s so important to be yourself. know if you don’t try. You will always Being the oldest of two sisters has regret not doing something later in life. always been hard for me, but it’s also It seems like high school is a lot difcool because I can encourage them. ferent, but it really isn’t. As long as you Don’t let your fears stop you from try your hardest it will be fine. doing something. I have a really strong relationship with My favorite candy is Sour Patch my mom, growing up she was a stay at
Quick Facts
home mom so I was able to be close with her. I remember going to Disney World, which was such a cool experience. My mom was on a business trip in Florida, and we were waiting at the airport to pick her up and my dad said “why don’t we just fly there and see if we can find her”. I just remember waking up and being at Disney and I was so excited. I’m basically an open book, I always tell my friends everything. I’ve always wanted to visit all 50 states. I would spend most of it with friends and family, and I would love to do stuff I’ve always wanted to do. I would love to go to Disney again because it’s such a special place to me and my family. I would want to go back to the start of the Women’s Rights Movement, it would’ve been cool to be apart of that. I like purple because it’s not too bright and it’s not too dark and it’s really calming. Reading minds would be cool because I like knowing what people are thinking, but then it would also be hard so I’d only want it if I could pick what could hear. We rescued my dog from an animal shelter, she was found in a box with her siblings, but now she’s awesome. I don’t think there’s a real answer to the meaning of life. But I think it’s just to be yourself, to believe in yourself, and to do everything to the best of your abilities.
February 2016 huntleyvoice.com 41
MEANING OF LIFE
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THE MEANING OF LIFE
K
ate Dougherty
My biggest fear in life is to fail. I want to succeed and be the absolute best in everything that I do. I’m determined to do it. The best advice I was ever given was just to keep doing what I’m doing. When I thought I didn’t wanna live anymore, I think of my big sister, who is mentally handicapped. She’s always been there for me and she’s the reason that I wanna be alive. Whenever I feel like I’m doing something wrong, or I feel like I’m not good enough, I just gotta remember to keep doing what I’m doing, just remember to be determined and be the best.
“Determined” Senior interviewed by sumbul shakeel • design editor
weekends, it’s nice to just sit and get lost in another world that I have come up with. I love with coming up with stories. So yeah, I love to write, I love to get lost in another world that’s all my own. I would say go harder. Push yourself to be the best in life, push yourself to be the best in this moment right now, live for right now. Do everything you can to be the best right now so you won’t regret it later.’ So just go harder. At the end of freshmen year, I kind of went into this little state, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m a freshman in high school, I’m really not liking myself right now.’ I didn’t like the way that I looked. So I Favorite Meal • Spinach and eggs in a tortilla decided that maybe it Favorite Band • Breaking Benjamin wouldn’t hurt me to Favorite Movie • Chucky lose a couple pounds. If I wasn’t here right now, I would be in... The gym I was eating like 200 Favorite TV Show • The Vampire Diaries calories a day. I was eating like an apple, and a boiled egg every day. That was all Do you want me to be completely I ate. So me deciding that I wanted to honest right here? I do not believe be better, turned into me being worse. in any form of God. I think God is a I became sick and depressed and I was scapegoat for when you have problems not happy. I didn’t wanna live. It’s a disor you need someone to blame. I don’t ease of the mind. You don’t choose to believe that there is a higher being in be anorexic, it chooses you. It’s a disease the sky that we can call to when we like anything else. So like I said, it’s not need help. The only thing I would say something that I’m proud of, but it has I really believe in when it comes to definitely changed my life for the better religion is nothing. I just live my life. I from fighting out of it, and it has made don’t believe that there’s a higher being me into who I am today. that you confess a sin to. One day I was just so hungry, so I Everyday is the same: I get up, I go ate a rice cake. A 40 calorie rice cake. to school, I go to the gym, I go home, And I balled my eyes out because I felt go to bed. So sometimes, like on the
Quick Facts
44 huntleyvoice.com February 2016
S. Faheem
so guilty for eating 40 extra calories. I went to my mom and said, ‘Mom I need help. I cannot live like this anymore. You know, one or two more days living like this, and I could be put in the hospital. I don’t want that.’ So I kind of broke out of that mental disease in that moment. I was like ‘Mom, I don’t want to live like this.’ It really changed who I am, it made me who I am. Someone like my big sister, like I mentioned, with down syndrome, who has a mental handicap, she will never ever go out into the world and have her own career, she won’t get married, she won’t have kids, she will never drive a car. So my purpose in life is my sister. I have given my life meaning by giving it to my sister. Go out and do something with your life. Do what you love; I love to exercise, I love group fitness, I’m going to do that for the rest of my life. The meaning of life is to give it purpose and do something with it; do not waste it.
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MEANING OF LIFE
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MEANING OF LIFE
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46 huntleyvoice.com February 2015
M
THE MEANING OF LIFE
ike Grocholski
The time I got to spend with my Dad [was my fondest memory growing up].I don’t really see my dad that much because I don’t live with him and he travels so much for work. But we have a mutual understanding that we don’t really need to see each other that much to understand each other. And when he is in town, he goes out of his way to meet up. [If I could live anywhere in the world] I would live in DC, in the Georgetown neighborhood specifically. Georgetown is a vibrant community, it
Senior
interviewed by adam reckamp• editor-in-chief
I would consider myself a libertarian. I think people shouldn’t rely on the government for housing or food, etc. I think there needs to be a safety net, but there shouldn’t be a constant flow of income coming from it. Because if there is, then there is no incentive to achieve better for yourself, or to live a fuller live. I don’t think the government should tell you what religion to follow, Christian values should stay out of the public sphere. That’s why I agree with Democrats on social issues. I do believe in God. I believe in a higher power, he is called a different Favorite Food • Thin Crust Classic Pizza from Genoas name in lots Least Favorite Artist • DeJ Loaf of different Biggest Pet Peeve • When people walk slow in the hallways languages. I Favorite TV Show • White Collar don’t know is old and stuffy while still having the whether it acknowledges us or not, I do history I love so much about DC. You believe though that throughout history could be involved in a lot of business anything that has been a God or Deity and politics, I think that would be really is everyone calling the same thing differinteresting. ent things. I would want to give a speech about My interest in economics stemmed personal accountability. I feel like from my interest in politics. I found mypeople nowadays rely too much on the self caring less and less about the social government for things. They think the issues and instead on what would make government should be helping them or sense economically for the country. I doing this for them when really they just started reading books about econeed more personal accountability nomics and that turned me on to it. when it comes to certain things. They I could see myself opening up a Conneed to take responsibility for their own gress lobbying firm because you have actions and know they aren’t entitled to such tight ties with corporate America. anything. I feel like politics and consulting would flow really well together. My goal is to
Quick Facts
“Ambitious”
eventually be CEO of McKinsey and Company (The biggest consulting firm in the US). One of the biggest things I am a proponent of is extra bathrooms. If I had the money, every room would have their own bathroom. I share a bathroom with my step brother and I wouldn’t want my kids to go through that. The best advice I was ever given was something my dad told me, proper planning prevents poor performance. I think the US is in a good place. I don’t always like the progressive movement but I guess it is needed for change, things that I can’t see that maybe others do.
S. Faheem February 2016 huntleyvoice.com 47
THE MEANING OF LIFE
W
eideman Twins
Scott: It’s a lot of fun. I like [being a twin]. I guess it feels like you share every thing basically. That’s kind of how it is. Eric: It’s nice [being a twin], but sometimes it’s annoying because every day, we get asked questions. I think I’ve been asked the question if you switch classes with your brother. I’ve been asked that question hundreds of times in my life. Scott: I don’t really know what to tell [people] because I obviously can tell the difference[between Eric and] myself. I don’t really know how to exactly say it.
Quick Facts Scott:
Favorite Movie • The Big Lebowski Favorite Vacation Spot • Disneyland Favorite App • Madden Mobile
Eric:
Favorite Movie • The Blues Brothers Favorite Vacation Spot • Arizona Favorite App • Snapchat
Eric: We’re pretty similar. I don’t think there’s any differences right upfront. You really have to get to know us. Our friends can tell. Some people don’t know that there’s two of us so we mess with them a little bit before we let them in on it. And yes, we’ll mess with people, but we won’t switch classes. Scott: I always wanted to get a lightsaber, like one of those collectible 48 huntleyvoice.com February 2016
“Opposites” Seniors
interviewed by mohammed syed • staff writer
ones, but our parents think is a waste of money, which is kind of true. I don’t really have a “Star Wars VII” theory, but I think that every thing that people are saying is wrong. If you’re able to guess it, then it’s too easy for them and they’re not going to do it. Eric: I would say that Rey is a Skywalker, but that seems like it’s too easy for them to do. They’re going to do something that’s completely different. We would know because we used to read a lot of comic books, especially “Star Wars.” Scott: I don’t really listen to that much music, but I kind of like strange movies. I just saw “Hail, Caesar!” I thought it was okay. It was kind of a weird movie, but I like movies like that. Eric: TV show-wise, there’s this show that’s on right now that’s called “The People v. OJ Simpson,” so I’ve been watching that for a couple of weeks. It’s really good. I enjoy it. I [also] like the new “Star Wars” movie. I saw the new one twice. I don’t really listen to a lot of new music, only very little. Eric: I was just at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show in Rosemont, Il. It was nice to see some of the new stuff that came out this year. I have a small 125cc and a bigger KTM and I can’t wait to get my licence. Eric: Basically, there’s a bunch of crazy people who come into [McDonald’s]. There’s this one guy who eats crazy amounts of food and he goes to the bathroom, barfs it all up and comes
back and he wants more. He’s there every day. It’s like he scares me. I learned that you have to be patient with people sometimes. If you’re going to be a jerk to somebody, it’s not going to help you. You just gotta be nice. Scott: I learned that I want to get a real good job so I don’t have to work at McDonald’s ever again. It’s okay I guess. I guess it’s McDonald’s so it’s not that great, but it could be worse. Like Eric said, we have some interesting people who come, so that’s fun. Scott: I’m either going to the University of Minnesota or North Carolina State University. I’m not really sure what I want to do, maybe get a job in science. Eric: I’m going to go to the University of Arizona and I don’t know what I want to do after that. Scott: I’m voting for Trump. Eric: No, don’t. Scott: Just kidding, Bernie Sanders. Scott: My ideal day would be to just sleep a lot and then wake up and just relax the entire time. Eric: I would just wake up late and do nothing all day, hang out, watch TV, and then go to bed. Scott: I think the meaning of life is to do whatever makes you happy. Eric: I was going to say the exact same thing.
M. Czapka
THE MEANING OF LIFE
O
la Oladipo
When people say “Hola, Ola!” Every time someone learns my name they say it, and then they laugh like it’s the funniest thing. I’ve never met anyone with the same name as me. Not many people can pronounce my real name, so it makes me feel special. And it makes people remember me. I hate cats; they scare me. At my friend’s house, she had so many cats and I was so scared. When they “meow” I just get so freaked out. And then their eyes... I’m like “get away from me.” I really like Shiba Inus. I think those are frickin’ cute. My dad has Pit bulls, so I
“Happy” Freshman
interviewed by maddy moffet • opinion editor
they’re amazing. Does applesauce count as a candy? Because I love applesauce. If I don’t wanna bite into an apple, I just get applesauce. I meet in the middle. “Sherry” by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. It’s so catchy. It’s a really fun song to sing, even if the song is like three octaves higher than my voice. I don’t like reading. I understand that it helps you and makes you smart, but sometimes when I’m reading I ask myself “why?” And there’s too many words on the page. I like picture books and coloring books though. I do a lot of crazy things, it’s hard to count. I always say Favorite Food • Applesauce embarrassFavorite Song • Sherry by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons ing stuff, I Favorite Movie • Forrest Gump just don’t Biggest Pet Peeve • People Greeting Ola by “Hola, Ola” recognize it. If I wasn’t here right now, I would be in... The Beach But one time Favorite TV Show • The Boondocks I was trick Favorite Place I’ve Lived • Chicago, IL or treating, Favorite Sports Team • USA Track and Field Team and this one Favorite App • Twitter and Snapchat house had their lights on, but they didn’t have any candy. I was like Pit bulls too. really mad, so I kicked their pumpkin My number one dream is to steal a horse with my friend Missy. It’s going to and left. I don’t think I have a role model. be a baby horse, and then we are going You can’t really look up to one person, to raise it, and when it grows up, we’re because no one is perfect. So if you’re going to steal another horse so we can looking up to someone, you’re looking breed it and make horse babies. Then up to their flaws too. we’ll steal a farm. We’ll be called the My brother used to be really into horse bandits. “Star Wars” when he was little, so my Swedish Fish; they’re just the best. mom bought him a bunch of lightThey’re chewy, they’re sweet, [and]
Quick Facts
50 huntleyvoice.com February 2016
sabers. He would attack me with them and he’d always win, but it was always really fun. You can go to heaven; I don’t really believe in hell. If you’re really bad, you just don’t go to heaven and you just become a ghost. And if you become a ghost, you show up on one of those freaky ghost hunting shows and just haunt people. Who cares? Because sometimes I’m just not interested in situations, so I’m just like “whatever.” I just don’t stress about it. People’s opinions don’t really affect me. Especially when they’re purposely trying to be mean. The 1960s, ‘70s, or ‘80s because they have the best music. I really like The Temptations. I’d like to go to an Amy Winehouse concert too. I’d really want to go back in time and meet her. I just think she’d be a really cool person based on her music and her accent. A lot of people don’t know this but my parents are divorced. They have been since I was seven. I mostly only see my dad in the summer, and that’s not a lot. With all my sports and school it’s hard to find time to talk to him. I play the trombone. I don’t really know why I play. These people from Heineman came over and I really liked the trombone because it was loud. And I got to middle school and didn’t really want to do it anymore, but I was too far into it to quit and I’m pretty good, so I thought why not?
R.O’Sullivan