Sometimes, we just need a “hey, how are you?”. Just a quick checkup from someone is all that’s needed to make someone smile! And on that note, that’s the reason as to why we went out on a hunt. Thus, our interviewers questioned students at school: “What made you smile today?”.
Interview 1: Daniel (11)
C: “Can you state your name?”
I1: “Uhhh, I’m Daniel.”
C: “What grade level?”
I1: “Uhhh, I’m a junior.”
C: “Has there been anything today that made you smile?”
I1: “ Uhhhhhh no not really. Today’s been kind of… alright.”
C: “Thank you very much”
Interview 2: Maritza (12)
C: “Can you state your name?”
I2: “Maritza Garcia”
C: “What grade level are you in?”
I2: “I’m a senior”
*Cue sad piano BGM*
C: “And, has there been anything today that made you smile?”
I2: “No. *laughs*”
C: “Damn. Thank you for your time.”
Interview 3: Alejandro (12)
C: “Can you state your name”
I3: “…My name is Alejandro Contreras”
C: “What grade level are you in?”
I3: “I’m a senior”
C: “Is there anything that made you smile today?”
L3: “Um, YOU sir. Y-you’re a very funny man.”
C: *Gasps*
C: “Uh, thank you”
Interview 4: Abraham (10)
C: “Can you state your name?”
I4: “Um, Abraham B.”
C: “What grade level are you in?”
L4: “I am a sophomore…I am in tenth grade.”
C: “Has there been anything today that made you smile?”
I4: “Okay…there was this… okay… I was…I was just chilling on the…during lunch, right? And then I, I saw this one video, right? It was about a dog and like he’s so cute. And he smiled.”
C: “Thank you very much”
Interview 5: Andy (11)
C: “Hello, can you state your name”
I5: “Andy Contreras”
C: “What grade level?”
I5: “11th”
C: “Has there been anything today that made you smile?”
I5: “Seeing my friends over the weekend”
C: “Thank you very much”
Interview 6: Dorian (10)
C: “Can you state your name?”
I6: “Dorian”
C: “What grade level?”
l6: “10th”
C: “Has there been anything today that made you smile?”
I6: “I mean…my friends—seeing my friends”
C: “Thank you”
Interview 7: Mario (12)
C: “Hello, can you state your name?”
I7: “Hi, my name is Mario Salvador”
C: “what grade level?”
I7: “I’m a senior”
C: “And, what made you smile today?”
I7: “What made me smile today was the end of the class in ASB”
C: “Thank you”
Interview 8: Nicholas (12)
C: “Hello, what’s your name?”
I8: “Nicholas Flores”
C: “What grade level?”
I8: “12th”
C: “And has there been anything that made you smile today?”
I8: “YES. Physics evaluation.”
C: “Thank you”
Interview 9: Marilyn (11)
C: “Hello what’s your name?”
I9: “Marilyn”
C: “What grade level?”
I9: “11th”
C: “And what made you smile today?”
I9: “Uhhh, my best friend Diana”
Interview 10: Hugo (10)
C: “Can you state your name?”
I10: “Hugo”
C: “What grade level?”
I10: “10”
C: “Has there been anything that made you smile today?”
I10: “Me and my friend Chris”
C: “Thank you.”
Our peers had a diverse range of responses, as to what made them smile. Some said, because they saw their friends—most of them actually! Some found an animal video funny. Some said that, just merely leaving their class made them smile—a smile of relief. One said that they were happy about their physics evaluation. And while some said “nothing” others smiled because they were asked what made them smile today.
It seems that some of us depend on the media to bring a smile on our faces, and some have friends to talk to and joke around with. What does this prove? Our students are lonely souls. And while most of these interviewees are stressed seniors and juniors, it’s safe to assume the situations for underclassmen could be just the same. The thing is what should we do about it? Well, like Sindelar says, “be the reason someone smiles today”. Get out there and get out of your comfort zone and shoot up a conversation with someone!
About the Contributor
Emily Hang, Staff Editor
Emily is a rookie-writer in the Steeler's Chronicle. She's an ambivert and her MBTI switches between INFP and ENTJ, but don't worry, she's not bipolar. She's "Kind of a Big Deal", sucks at French, and hopelessly pursues to be an intellect and polyglot one day.