Senior Spotlight: Alice Stricker (12-4)
Laura Shin (12-3)
What are you looking forward to after graduation?
I’m looking forward to getting back to in-person classes in the fall, picking my classes in college, and just college life in general, I guess. For the summer, I’m looking forward to trips with my friends!
You are going to George Washington University. How do you feel about leaving home for college?
I actually don’t feel too scared about it. I have a lot of family in D.C. so that’s a big comfort spot for me. It’s also pretty close to Philly, so overall, not feeling too worried about it.
Favorite memory from senior year?
Senior Prom at Water Works! It was so fun to see everyone for the first time in like forever; I feel like I hadn’t talked to half the people there in a year or so.
If you could give one piece of advice to your freshman self, what would it be?
It’s kind of cheesy, but I would say to not worry about what everyone else is thinking about you at the moment. Because all they’re thinking about is what you’re thinking about them.
You are a former gymnast and currently teach gymnastics at Philly InMovement. What was it like balancing gymnastics with high school?
I loved doing gymnastics in high school; I loved my gym so I never thought about giving it up. But it was definitely a little frustrating at times. I didn’t have time for other school activities, like sports after school (I tried it my freshman year and it was kind of miserable), so I didn’t really get that entire high school experience. But I don’t think that would ever be a reason for me to give up my time with gymnastics, because it was really important to me.
Photo courtesy of Alice Stricker (12-4)
How was coaching during the pandemic?
Coaching during the pandemic has been really interesting. Before I started getting back to coaching in-person I started coaching virtually on my own, so that was a weird adventure, like starting my own mini-company with a bunch of little kids. Coaching virtually to a bunch of five-year olds is not the easiest thing, but it was definitely fun and something to do with my time during the pandemic. Now I coach fully in-person, obviously masked, but it’s pretty much back to normal. I just love to coach, so I was happy to keep doing it during the pandemic.
Biggest Masterman pet peeve?
There’s never enough toilet paper in the bathroom. That’s something I’ve loved about the pandemic, never having to go back to a Masterman bathroom. Having to ask the person next to you for toilet paper? So annoying. I’m going to have to get back into the habit of checking.
Cats or dogs?
Dogs!
If you could be any fictional character for one day, who would you be and why?
I would be Katara from Avatar the Last Airbender. She has very cool, tough vibes. Also, bending water seems pretty fun; you could have your own water balloon fight whenever you wanted, or your own water slide. She’s also friends with so many animals, which I would enjoy. And she gets to fly on Appa.
What would you like to see change at Masterman?
Better communication between administration and students.