Seniors of CPS: Anika Sherer

Interview conducted by Jessie H. '28

It’s a cloudy afternoon on November 11th, 2025. Anika and I take a seat…It’s 3:24 PM, and the interview begins. 

Jessie: Hey Anika, welcome to your Seniors of CPS interview!

Anika: Hi Jessie!

Jessie: Okay, so first we’re going to start with some rapid-fire questions, and then we’ll move into the longer-response ones. 

Anika: Okay, sounds good!

Jessie: Favorite Trader Joe’s snack?

Anika: Probably the meringues…you know, like the vanilla meringues. I love those.

Jessie: Yeah, yeah, they’re really good. I’d just binge them all day. Laughs

Jessie: Gym Deck or Student Commons?

Anika: Student Commons — which I feel like is kind of an upper-classmen thing. I’m not supposed to say that because Chabon really wants us to make it…but it’s like a rite of passage. Like, I feel like next year you should go to the Student Commons at least a little.

Jessie: Of course. go-to karaoke song?

Anika: “Before He Cheats,” Carrie Underwood.

Jessie: Oh that’s a good one.

Anika: laughs 

Jessie: I love screaming it out in the car. Alright, now we’re going to move into the longer-response questions. What’s one of your favorite CPS memories?

Anika: Favorite CPS memory is probably freshman retreat — but like, as a senior going, as one of the seniors.

Jessie: Ohhh, like this year? 

Anika: Yeah, yeah! Like going on the freshman retreat, you know, to facilitate for the new freshmen. I think that’s my favorite College Prep memory because it’s just such a small group of seniors and you get closer, I mean, we stayed up super late talking and hanging out. It was just such a good bonding experience. I mean, it seems like people in PHIRE and CAP get really close to each other, so I’d definitely suggest trying to do it — it’s such a nice little friend group.

Jessie: Was it like a full-circle moment going back?

Anika: Oh my gosh, yes. SO nostalgic. Singing songs by the campfire…And it’s fun because you see everything from the other perspective. Like, when you’re a freshman you’re stomping around the balloons — you know what I’m talking about? 

Jessie: Oh yeah!

Anika: But when you’re a senior you’re the one spending 11 p.m. the night before blowing up balloons in a room, playing house music, dancing with the other seniors and Chabon. It's really fun.

Jessie: Laughs I would love to do that!

Jessie: Okay, last question: Where do you see yourself in five years?

Anika: In five years…I’ll have just graduated college. I’ll probably be either in New York, Chicago, or D.C. I feel like I’m definitely like a “uh I definitely wanna live in a city in my 20s.” And I’ll probably have a roommate and live in a cute little apartment — laughing because I definitely won’t have a ton of money right out of college. I’ll definitely have a cat. And I feel like I see myself just trying to join the workforce or preparing to apply to law school. But I’ll probably be exploring the city, enjoying my 20s. I think I’ll have worked really, really hard in high school and college, and I’ll want to just like, I don’t know, maybe travel a bit, see the world, just like have some fun, and enjoy my youth.

Jessie: That sounds like a great plan. It’s definitely nice to relax after working so hard for a while!

Anika: Yeah, totally.

Jessie: Okay, I think that’s all we have for today. Thank you so much!

Anika: Thank you, Jessie! Yay!

Anika in the van freshman year!