G.S.
GABRIEL SEMRAU
“I started doing theater about four or five years ago. I just really liked it and I kept doing it. As I went along I realized that I wanted to keep doing this, telling these stories the way a director does. I haven’t done a ton of directing since there aren’t a lot of opportunities for high schoolers, but Community has impacted me in so many ways. It’s made me a better person. I say thank you to Community for what it has done for me. I don’t remember the online year, it was all a blur. One thing I remember is that a lot more happened than I thought would. I thought it was going to be a lot of nothing. I thought it would be lots of waiting, and it was that. We all just waited for things to be okay but it was cool to see how we made it all work. The thing I’ll remember the most is CET. I’ll remember the really cool shows we got to do. Especially this year with “The Visit” and “Cabaret.” Also probably the online year. I didn’t do “The Tempest” but that was certainly an experience for others. Now I laugh thinking of the online year. But I think it was interesting coming back and trying to get back into it all. It wasn’t as jarring a shift as I thought it would be because I adapted really easily. One thing I’ll for sure take away is being self-motivated, and how important that is for everyone. To just succeed at what I want, having the drive for that.”
E.S.
ELIZABETH STRUMBA
“Community as a place makes me think of the teachers. Students come and go, but the teachers are the lifeblood of Community. They shape the coerces, the environment, and culture. The way they teach and act has a massive impact, and I’ll always admire them, and enjoy the memories of those classes. Outside of class material, I’ve learned how to be more confident in my image, and how to express myself in different ways. I feel that the environment that Community, and especially my friend group, has created is very welcoming and accepting, which made it easier for me to feel comfortable experimenting with how I dress, exploring different forms of self-expression, and questioning my identity. While I’m still unsure about what the future holds, I’d say I’m a lot more excited for it. There are plenty of things that cause me anxiety, but there are a lot more that I’m looking forward to after high school. But on a smaller scale, I’m not as anxious about things… freshman year I had difficulties walking down the hallway during passing times, because they were so crowded and it gave me anxiety to the point of feeling physically unwell. I ended up either rushing to class as soon as possible or being a couple minutes late, because that was easier than walking through the crowded hallway. Now I am a lot more comfortable with people, and I’ve learned how to manage my anxiety better. Figuring out when to space out walking to my next class isn’t even something that I take into consideration. I also think I’m a lot happier as a person, I have a good group of friends, and Community has a very positive environment that I definitely feel rubbed off on me in a good way.” 94