By Lenaia Powell
Isabelle Lounsberry, sophomore, has always been an intelligent and spirited student, who isn’t afraid to voice her opinion and be blunt with her friends. And while some people who voice their opinions can be real… annoying about it, Isabelle also strives for kindness, meaning she’s not out to tick you off, which sets her apart from the majority of teens. Pursuing a plethora of different activities ranging from the athletic to artistic fields, Isabelle is on her way to gaining as much knowledge as possible, as materialistic ideals such as success don’t mean as much to her as the endless amount of understanding that one can attain.
What are your ideas for school or plans after college? Have you looked more into journalism as a career?
Um, I want to do something with writing as a career, or just something with English in general, I thought maybe being an English professor, for like a college. But my parents aren’t into that a whole lot, so I’m also thinking maybe a business major? And then, if you don’t know, I do Taekwondo quite frequently, and they’re kinda wanting me to open up my own school, or at least help, opening up a school.
That’s interesting because my next question was gonna be what is your goal with Taekwondo?
Oh, man, I wanna be a master! *laughs*
So you want to continue after high school, after college?
Oh yeah, definitely. I’m a blue decided right now, which is like the second step, I guess? And by the time I graduate high school, I’ll be a first-degree black belt. It’s actually next year, I believe, I’ll be a first-degree black belt, by December. And then after that I wanna continue, and I believe you have to have your fourth-degree black belt to be a master, so I’m gonna work towards that.
Do you know where you wanna go to college?
I would like to go to FSU, ‘cause I heard they have a really good English program, but I don’t have anything set in my heart.
Would you say that your writing has improved or changed since the beginning of the [school] year?
It’s definitely improved, I got an essay back recently from AP Lang, from like the beginning of the school year, and I read it, and just realized how much I’ve changed not only as a writer but as a person, ‘cause it was a particularly personal topic that I was writing about, and I definitely think I’ve improved, in both areas.
Are there any hobbies that you’ve picked up this school year that you’d like to devote more time to?
I’ve practiced music a whole lot more, I was kind of into it before but not as much as I am now, I’m going to all county for guitar on Tuesday, and I want to devote more time to it, I’ve also been practicing ukulele a lot more, I’m getting better at that, so, I’m hoping to work on that more.
What about drawing, are you continuing that? I know you started water-coloring.
A little bit, most of what I’m doing now is just experimenting with things and trying to figure out what I like, I did a painting that I was particularly proud of the other day, I did like a little galaxy, and I got some white acrylic paint and did the little flick thing with the brush, and [it made] stars and I really liked it, so I’m continuing with that. I’m also trying to develop my style a little bit more, ‘cause right now it’s just kind of, all over the place.
Back to guitar, what are your plans for it? Do you want to continue that after school or is it just a hobby as of now?
It’s more of just a hobby, I enjoy music in general and I particularly enjoy specific kinds of music I guess, I would consider myself an indie fan, and I like playing music like that, but I don’t… I’m not gonna pursue it as a career or anything like that.
How would you describe your fashion style?
It’s pretty indie as well, I kinda go for 90’s fashion, a little bit, I like the mom jeans, with the combat boots and the shirt tucked in sort of thing, but also I just like to be comfortable a lot of the time so I end up wearing yoga pants and large sweaters. *laughs and tugs at the big sweater she is wearing with yoga pants*
Are you happy with your grade so far this year?
I know I can do better, right now I’m kind of an AB-student and I know I could be a straight-A student if I applied myself, but so far this year I haven’t had the motivation to apply myself, and so I’m hoping throughout this year and starting next year to just kind of, devote more of my time to focusing on school and studying more. That’s a major problem I have, not studying for tests, so I’m hoping to develop that skill.
Have you always been a straight-A student?
Pretty much, I was one of those kids in elementary school that always just – never tried but still got straight A’s, so that’s kind of been a slap in the face since I got to high school because I can’t do that anymore. But I don’t have the skills to study effectively or do things like that. So, it’s kinda difficult, but I’m working on it.
What new year’s resolutions have you already broken if any?
I don’t really do new year’s resolutions that much. I kinda set like a main goal for myself and then I have little mini goals throughout. My main goal for this year was just to be more productive, and I’m accomplishing it but not in the sense that I had originally thought I was going to. I originally thought to be productive in school work and things like that, but now I’m more focusing on the things I’m interested in, so like I’m being more productive with practicing guitar and painting paintings, and drawing and things like that, and writing my own stories instead of things for school. And so in a sense, I’m both completing my new year’s resolution and I’m failing it at the same time.
What are you looking forward to most this year, as in 2018?
I think I’m just looking forward to learning and growing as a person, especially this year, I’ve had a fascination with learning everything I possibly can because I think knowledge is just so wonderful, and so I’m really excited to grow as a person and develop more of myself and more of the things that I enjoy.