Interview conducted by Sofia R.
11:26 a.m: Meeting right after a shockingly brief assembly, Roven and I flee from the chaos of the Courtyard, reaching the benches near the Scott building. In the final days until Spring Break, campus looks miserable with assignments and antsy for much needed relaxation. I click record. Welcome Roven. The interview has begun.
Sofia: The first question is, What's something you're passionate about?
Roven: Something I'm passionate about… I think something that I'm really passionate about is music, both in terms of listening and playing. I grew up listening to my dad's music, a lot of rock from the 60s and 70s, and that's definitely remained my sort of staple when it comes to what I listen to, and then I also play guitar. My family's very musical. And yeah, writing music has definitely been like a creative outlet for me, a form of expression. So that's good. Definitely passionate about that.
Sofia: What did you think of the music in the musical?
Roven: It was good! I didn't actually know the Chorus Line music before I did the show, but it's constantly in my head almost a little bit too much. And also I’m just so impressed with the orchestra. And you know, Ansel for arranging all that music and yeah, I don't know. It was a really fun musical to learn how to sing and stuff.
Sofia: Okay, next one, what's one of your favorite songs?
Roven: Okay, my favorite song of all time, is called Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Neil Young. Neil Young is my favorite artist. Yeah, I heard it for the first time when I was seven. It was playing in the kitchen. I was like, What is this? And that's what it was. And I'm forever changed.
Sofia: That's cute. Okay, what's one item on your bucket list?
Roven: I created a bucket list at the beginning of 2024. I was like, these are some things I want to do in 2024. But they're very abstract. Like there's ‘hug a tree’. I actually haven't done that yet. I could do that now. But I think I'll wait. Write something I’m proud of, discover a new restaurant I love, have a meaningful moment in the woods. I feel like I don't really need anything too extravagant. Or at least I can't really think of anything that feels like a lifetime goal. But there are just little things that I want to do this year that I think will just sort of brighten my year.
Sofia: Are these specific moments? Like could it be any tree, or the tree?
Roven: It definitely could be any tree but I feel like I will be called in the moment to hug the right tree.
Sofia: Okay, I see that. Okay, how have you changed during your time at College Prep?
Roven: I think I've changed in a lot of ways. I think I was a really different person entering CPS when I was 14 and it was on Zoom. I think I've definitely spent a lot of time sort of just examining my own identities, and sort of trying to just sort of work on understanding who I am and thinking about how I relate to myself. I'm learning how to prioritize my needs, just like my social needs, and all of that. Definitely an ongoing sort of process. But I think it's interesting, because I was such an extrovert when I joined CPS, I felt like I needed to put myself out there especially in order to make any connections. And now I feel like I'm a little bit more laid back, I wouldn't call myself an introvert, but I do think that I prioritize alone time more than I used to. But yeah, I feel like it's an ongoing process of change and self discovery. Yeah.
Sofia: And then, what's one of your favorite College Prep memories?
Roven: Oh my god. Okay. Um, let's see. Oh, in freshman year, over zoom, I had become friends with Riya and Mikey and it was Spirit Week of the fall semester and there was a lip sync contest. And it was I think, the freshmen were 60s themed because it was like decades day or whatever. And we put together a video of us lip synching to Bohemian Rhapsody. And then the survey to vote for the winner was set up so that you could vote a bunch of times, and then a bunch of freshmen spammed us and then we won. And it was so fun. So then we did it again. The next semester we did it with the Bon Jovi song Living on a Prayer, but I was Bon Rovi (get it?) And it was so iconic, and we were on campus, still like masking and socially distant, but we made a whole music video and it was so fun. And then also this past Saturday was senior night for Drama, and the juniors just put together this super beautiful and really meaningful celebration of the seniors, and I mean it was incredible as a beautiful sort of wrap up of that show and it meant the world to me.
Sofia: Yeah, what was spirit week like on Zoom?
It was weird. I mean, I think as a freshman, I was really excited to participate. I can imagine that most people weren't doing that much because you're on Zoom. But I did all the dress ups, I did many of the activities. The Spirit team did amazing for having to be on Zoom. But you know, they hosted like a James Bond movie watch party, and there was a plank competition we had. We just had like versions of the stuff that we do in the gulley, or in the auditorium now I guess, but on Zoom, so it was weird, but also hadn't known anything before then so I was like, this is cool. It was still like a fun week of stuff, but now it's much better in person.