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Photo courtesy of Anna Thanasi (12-4)
Describe your interest in volleyball.
I initially got interested in Masterman volleyball after my friend recommended an anime called Haikyuu. And so I watched it and I thought, “This is really fun, and I definitely want to do it.” And at the time, I was still considering a sport to play for high school. So I thought, you know what, I like the anime. It seems really fun. I’ve played volleyball before a couple times. So I decided to join the team. And so, before freshman year I started practicing. I started watching a bunch of official olympic matches, official VNL matches. I practiced for that and came in freshman year, and it kind of happened from there.
What is the best part of virtual school?
No commute. I can get up at 8:10, get to class, and everything will go smoothly. No more waking up at 6 a.m.
What would you like teachers/peers to remember you for?
A person that’ll hug you when asked. I think in the eighth grade, one of my friends came up to me.
She was like, “Anna, can you hug me?” And I was like “Yeah, sure, why not?” From then, it was kinda just like, if you ever need anything, just ask me...don’t ever be afraid to come up to me. I’ll definitely be willing to help or give you comfort or anything like that.
What do you consider to be the greatest achievement of your high school career?
One thing that I take pride in...was the first game of the year, sophomore year. During that entire game I’d gotten 26 points off of serves, and that was the most I’d ever gotten in any game.
Describe as vividly as you can where you hope to be 10 years from now.
If my life goes out ideally...I’d have a doctorate in audiology, I’d be some place in the country trying to get out of my student debt, working as an audiologist, hopefully with a dog and an apartment, [and] probably still within the state. [It’s] not very vivid, but I have no clue what my future is going to be like.
Favorite Valentine’s Day memory?
I think at one point in elementary school, I was randomly at the store and I saw a bunch of boxes of candy hearts. I’m like, “Mom, I need these candy hearts.” They weren’t the normal sweet ones; they were the really sour ones. And so I was like “Mom, I need thirty of them.” I definitely got more than thirty; I got at least forty boxes. And so I came into school that morning with like three bags full of candy hearts and I started giving them out to my classmates and other people in the lunchroom, and I had so many left over I just spent the entire day giving out candy hearts to people.
Any parting advice for Masterman students?
I’d say take it easy. I think everything is gonna be a little bit wavy. There’re gonna be ups and downs, you’re gonna feel frustrated, you’re gonna feel happy. I think you have to take what life gives you and roll with it. Just try and adapt as well as you can. Especially with Covid now, it’s been getting so rough...just don’t be so hard on yourself.
Favorite cheesy joke?
It’s a pun straight off my name. Caroline said it, I think in the sixth grade: “Hey Anna, you’re the only ten I see.” Because my last name is Thanasi. She just said Anna Tennessee instead.
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