Senior Spotlight: Nora Stocovaz (12-4)
Anna O'Neill-Dietel (12-3)
Photo courtesy of Nora Stocovaz (12-4)
What has serving as the president of the student body been like during quarantine?
It’s been kind of weird because the one consistent thing we do year to year is the events aspect. Everything else, the issues that are being brought to our attention are dealt with as they come. This year we’re still going to be doing international day, spirit week, and the talent show, but that’s only three when there’s usually closer to ten events to do. That aspect of our workload has dropped, but that other aspect of being the voice of students has greatly increased because we’re doing virtual school and kids are having issues on a larger scale with asynchronous work, screen time, and specific teachers.
What do you hope to accomplish this year as the president of the student body?
I had a lot of goals last year but now everything is so different. I’d like to maintain and increase a sense of community and create a more supportive community. I feel like Masterman is a really competitive environment, and I feel like that is important to maintain, but it shouldn’t be an environment that crushes kids or makes them feel lost, left out, or less than. I hope by the end of the year we’ll have a more supportive environment.
You work at the Night Kitchen Bakery and Cafe. What has that been like, especially now?
It’s definitely been really weird during the pandemic. I feel like it’s already hard working in a customer service position. Because of the pandemic there’s this added layer that I can only allow four people into the store at a time, or people don’t come in with their mask properly, or people come into the store without a mask, and I’m like, “What are doing, you should know this!” It is so frustrating.
Still, it’s really fun working at a place where it’s not just that aspect, making coffee and filling orders. There are so many beautiful cakes they make that are so cool to see, and to be able to go into the back and see these artists building thes beautiful cakes. I’ve learned how to do rosettes and I’m learning how to write on cakes and it’s a really unique opportunity.
What is your favorite item on the menu?
Food-wise I think my favorite menu item is the lemon curd cupcakes. A little known fact is that you can also order a lemon curd cake. It’s so good, there’s cream cheese icing which is incredible (and which I think is the superior kind of icing). My favorite drink is chai lattes. Now I have unrestricted access to them whenever I’m at work and I drink far too many.
Your family has grown since March. What has that experience been like, what advice would you tell anyone else in a similar position?
It’s been such an adventure, to say the least. I already have a pretty big family, but it started to dwindle over the years with Will, my older brother, going to college, and it was like, “I’m next!” Then, my grandmother moved in with us, and Will came back back with his girlfriend because she lives in England and couldn’t actually go back.
That was nine months ago when we found ourselves with so many people in the household. Me and my siblings pretty much have the same values, we live our life the same way. But living with someone from a different country and someone from another generation has definitely been a learning experience, navigating these vastly different lifestyles. It has helped during this pandemic when we’ve been able to put nitty-gritty personal things aside and say, this is what it’s like, this is what we have to do. Any advice is to one, not take things too personally. Sometimes you just have to move on. You also have to remember you’re in this situation for a reason, and 99 times out of 100, it's the better situation. Especially right now, it’s the better option out of two.
You have to grin and bear it, and it will be fine. You’ll learn some different things. Hopefully it won’t turn into 9 months… but it might.
If you could live in one fictional universe, what would it be?
I would want to live in the whorld of Harry Potter because… who wouldn’t? I also would want to live in the world Jane Austen writes about, so it’s not technically a fictional world but like, beautiful things happen everyday in her novels.
Best gift you’ve ever received?
When I was a sophomore, Will was a freshman in college. My birthday is in September so he had just left a month ago, and on my birthday I got a package from him. It was my birthday gift and it was so good because I didn’t expect anything. He had just left, and I was like dang, he’s never going to be home for my birthday again (well, I was wrong because a pandemic came). Anyway, he got me a fuzzy blanket and it’s still on my bed and I love it.
If you could give one piece of advice to your freshman self, what would it be?
Don’t procrastinate, it is never worth it. It will also be so worth it in the long run if you just go the extra little bit, even when you don’t want to. Do the little extra bit and you’ll feel good about yourself.
What are your hopes and dreams for after high school?
All I can hope and dream for is that I can find myself doing something that makes me happy and makes me feel fulfilled and good about what I’m doing, whether that’s in school, or pursuing a career or internships or whatever that may be.