Student Feature: Alana Fahey

By Maddie York

Written June 12, 2020

As the Class of 2020 leaves MHS and begins the rest of their lives, we can look back on some of the most influential members of the senior class. Alana Fahey is probably one of the kindest, smartest, and most hard-working people I know. During her time at Melrose High, Fahey has played a huge role in the Class of 2020. As Class President, she helped organize and fundraise for her class, and helped set a great example for the entire student body. Towards the end of her senior year, I interviewed Fahey (virtually, of course) and she reflected on her experiences in high school as well as her plans for the future.

Next year, Fahey will be continuing her education at Yale University, where she plans on studying the history of science, medicine, and public health. She was inspired by the late Mr. Noone to look into public health. He recommended a book called Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder. Fahey says that “I didn’t believe that books could change your life until I read Mountains Beyond Mountains” and that the book inspired her to look into careers in public health. While she hopes to be able to attend school in person, she is nevertheless excited about the prospect of such a world-class education in a field she is passionate about. I asked Fahey why she chose Yale, and she said that she felt it was the perfect place for her. She said that it is an amazing opportunity for a great education, and she is very excited about the specific programs at Yale. There, Fahey will be able to study science and medicine, as well as the humanities. It combines her interests instead of forcing her to choose. As Fahey looked towards her future, she also talked about her past at Melrose High.

To describe her experiences as a senior at MHS, Fahey initially seemed at a loss for words. This is understandable given how unconventional this year was. Eventually, she settled on “unexpected” and “surprising”, but also “exciting” to describe the past year. She says that obviously, with the coronavirus, her senior year was not the one she expected, but until March it was very fun. She says going through the college process, from applications to acceptances (and of course, the ever-dreaded rejections) with your friends makes it much easier to manage.

To finish up with school-talk, Fahey has some advice for the rising seniors. Most importantly, she says that everything will work out in the end, and that you should trust that you will end up where you are meant to be. She says that the fall as a senior is a really tough stretch, but once you get through that, senior year becomes really fun. Once you submit all of your applications, and are left with nothing to do but wait, it can become very stressful. Fahey told me that to help with this pressure, make sure to make time for your friends and family. She said, it is so easy to get “bogged down” with everything that you are going through, but being with your friends makes it so much better and can help relieve some of the stress. Fahey advised me to keep an open mind during the application process, and that it is easy to go in with a lot of expectations but in the end there are too many surprises. She said she knows it is hard to keep an open mind, especially when you love a school so much, but to try to be open to new things and different schools. If she could tell her freshman-year self one thing, Fahey said “try to be present in every moment, appreciate the people around you, and know that you will end up exactly where you are supposed to.” I think that is a very good thing for everyone to remember. For her favorite memories of high school, Fahey said that it is a toss up between a few moments. One being the 2020 Mock Election, mostly because she got to relax after counting up ballots and eat pizza with friends during school, and also because she went to the beach at the end of the day with her friend Victoria. Another stand-out moment is the pep rally. Fahey said “It was really great to see all of student gov’s work for spirit week come to such a successful end. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the camaraderie I felt among my entire class that day… that was pretty special”. And her final favorite memory is the last class she had with Mr. Noone. During that class, they had group competitions, and although Fahey’s team did not win, she said, “I always smile and feel incredibly lucky when I think about that day — it was just the best class with the best teacher. F Block AP Econ forever”. Fahey’s made a lasting impact during her time at MHS, an impact equal to the one her teachers and friends have had on her.

Lastly, I asked Fahey about her favorite movies, things to do, and what she has been up to during quarantine. The most surprising fact is probably her favorite movie- Cheaper by the Dozen 2, explaining that “there simply isn’t a more iconic duo than Steve Martin and Eugene Levy” and I have to agree with that. Her favorite things to do are spend time with friends, family, and her dogs, Remy and Jack. She enjoys listening to music, watching movies (like Cheaper by the Dozen 2), reading, and photoshopping. Fahey is also a counselor at a summer camp for girls with Type 1 Diabetes, which she “absolutely loves.” On ways to relax, Fahey says “getting ice cream with friends is my go-to whenever I’m stressed, confused, or just need a break (shout-out to Richardson’s, Cravings, and Soc’s for always being reliable, and my friends for always driving since I don’t have my license). Playing with my dogs always helps me relax and laugh, and I’m also a firm believer in ending a long day on the couch with a favorite movie and some popcorn”. Finally, as for what she has been doing to fill her time during quarantine, Fahey described how she has been doing a lot of baking and she is “happy to say that after several failed attempts, I finally managed to make a good batch of chocolate chip cookies”. She has also been listening to music (and singles out Lorde as one artist on repeat), reading, and doing some college planning. To stay active she has gone on a few runs, and of course, played with her dogs. Most importantly, Fahey has been spending a lot of quality time with her family. Clearly, both in school and out, Fahey is a very busy person, but she makes time to do the things she loves with her family and friends.

Though her time at MHS may be over, I am certain that this is not the last time we will be hearing of Alana Fahey. She is a motivated, driven, and friendly person who is sure to make a great impact on the world.

Fahey, pictured here with her dog Remy.