Senior Spotlight: Angela Xhori (12-2)

You are co-captain of Masterman’s Girls Varsity Volleyball team. How has volleyball impacted your highschool experience and what has your favorite memory been?

I’ve had a weird experience with volleyball because I had never played until high school. I didn’t get to play freshman year because of COVID. I started in 10th grade and I was kind of on varsity, kind of on JV, kind of on both, kind of on neither. In 11th grade I started working towards it more. This year and last year I was a starter and now I’m a captain. All of my friends are from volleyball so it's probably the largest community I’m a part of at Masterman. Being captain is so great. Having the title and knowing that I used to look up to the older players that were captains is trippy because of how old I thought they were, and now I’m that age and I don’t feel old at all. My favorite memory from volleyball is oddly enough a Boys Volleyball memory. I manage Boys Volleyball and we went to states last year. That was nice because my boyfriend plays, well he doesn’t play, but he’s on the Boys Volleyball team and all of my friends are on the team or help manage, so we basically got to take a trip together and skip out on school. We lost, but it was still super fun. 

Do you have a pregame pump up song?

No, because Otarola will yell at you if you play or practice with earbuds in because you “practice how you play.” I think my music taste is too pop and mellow. I usually listen to Hozier or Taylor Swift type of stuff and I’m too scared to play that. I know Kate and Ayla have pregame playlists that are mostly Drake, Sza, and Travis Scott. That’s what we listen to on the boombox before games. So yes and no. 

What will you miss the most about Masterman?

Probably the people and the community in general. Almost all of my friends and mentors are within Masterman. I’m not part of a religious community or anything like that outside of Masterman. Leaving Masterman is leaving all my closest friends. Not just the friends I’m closest with right now, but people I was friends with in middle school, early highschool, and people I had online classes with during the pandemic. The fact that the students and faculty have been together for so long is a weird feeling that I think is really easy to take for granted. So I guess what I would miss the most is the people, the community, and the comfort you get from being at such a familiar place. 

If you could give advice to your freshman self what would it be?

Join debate! I think I would have been really good at debate, but I was really scared to join debate when it was online. I had a traumatic experience where I tried to join a debate meet and there was a partner activity and I didn’t have a partner. It scared me so bad I just left the zoom and never did debate again. So first it would be to do debate. Also, I think it has only been this year that I have allowed myself to become closer to teachers and faculty. I’ve gotten a lot closer to my coach, Ms. Jones. Everyone at Masterman, but especially faculty, want to get to know you and want to be the person that you would go to outside of school. You just have to give them that opportunity. That would be my advice. 

What clubs have you participated in throughout highschool and which has been your favorite?

I’ve been in Student Government every year since fifth grade. Last year I started doing Mock Trial and Ethics Bowl. I’ve done Girls Volleyball every year since freshman year, and managed Boys Volleyball but that kind of doesn’t count. I’m also in Peer Counseling. Attending Ethics club meetings and competing in Ethics Bowl has been my favorite because it relates to what I’m going to major in - philosophy, politics, and economics. Ethics Bowl is a competition where you get to go and talk to people who are also interested in that sort of stuff and get down into the details of it. That has been my favorite from the short time I’ve been doing it. 

What are you looking forward to after highschool?

I’m actually really excited to go to college. I know a lot of people are nervous about leaving Masterman and being around people they don’t know. While it makes me feel sentimental, I’m not scared. I’m actually really excited. Beyond college, and in my life, I’m really excited to explore career options. I know the themes of what I like doing, I like working with people, I like working in law and economics, but I don’t know necessarily what job I want to do. I think there is so much out there and I’m really excited to see where my interests take me. 

Favorite eatery in Philadelphia?

I’m such a picky eater. I’m the worst person to ask this question to. I would have to say Sang Kee in Chinatown. I eat it every time I go over to my boyfriend's house. It has the best pork and rice in the world. They also have amazing duck. That is the best place.

If you could spend the day with any teacher who would it be and why?

Realest answer: Ms. Elana. She reminds me a lot of my mom, but she’s not my mom. So it would be like me and my mom hanging out if we were only friends and not mother and daughter. She’s also the funniest, most honest and genuine, but also no BS person in this building. She does so much for her students and everybody in this building.