Olivia

Olivia was in two of my classes in high school, including AP Calculus BC. She is a determined student and an idealistic young lady who has many ideas about improving our world.

What is your name?

Olivia Manes

When and where were you born?

July 7, 2000, in Palm Springs, CA.

Where did you grow up?

Cathedral City.

Eleodes beetle. Photo by Olivia Manes.

Where did you go to high school, where are you now, and how far are you planning to continue your education?

I went to high school at Rancho Mirage High School. Currently, I’m attending Stanford University. I plan on going to graduate school/law school.

Do you have specific career plans?

Right now, I have a general plan to go into public policy, publication, or academia.

Are you politically active?

Yes — I vote, I’ve been to demonstrations, I contact my representatives when I have an issue, and I stay informed about issues.

Are you religious?

Yes.

Do you have pets?

Yes, 3 dogs and 2 cats.

What are you reading? Watching? Listening to?

I do quite a bit of reading for the Structured Liberal Education (SLE) course that I’m taking, which covers everyone from Plato to Nietzsche. When I’m not reading for that, I like to read T.S. Eliot, Flannery O’Connor, Adrienne Rich, Graham Greene, and many others. I watch a series called “Man in the High Castle”, “Breaking Bad,” of course “The Office,” “Twin Peaks”, and tons of random movies. I listen to Post-Punk (Joy Division, New Order, Nirvana), Dream Pop (Slowdive, Hibou), Sufjan Stevens, Frank Ocean, and Hozier.

Dust first, then vacuum, or vice versa?

Dust first, of course.

Which is worse: fast in the slow lane or slow in the fast lane?

Fast in the slow lane.

Do you have advice for high-school students who want to pursue the best education they can?

Practicing and improving your writing and verbal abilities will take you far in the college application process. Join Debate! We teach you how to structure arguments and express yourself in an articulate fashion. Also, read.

Do you have specific study techniques you’ve used?

Turn off your phone, go over a list of all the topics you’ve covered, do some practice questions for each topic, and gradually narrow down the areas you’re weakest in. Re-read your notes and continue practicing with them until you feel comfortable.

You were accepted at several of the top schools in the U.S. How did you make your choice?

It was an incredibly tough decision for me and I had to be logical when making it. When I was trying to decide between Princeton, Harvard, and Stanford, I tried to focus on the most important things about each school — things like how good each program was for my area of study, where I want to go to grad school, and the kind of community I wanted to be a part of.

You maintained a high GPA throughout high school. How did you find the motivation?

Frankly, I’ve always known that I wanted to get out of the valley. College was always my way to do that — and that’s what I always kept in mind throughout high school.

Do you think public K-12 education is working, or is there something you would change?

I think there is a fine line between criticizing the public education system and being a fatalist about education as a whole. Do I think a country with public education of any quality is better than a country without any public education at all? Yes. Do I think public education is incredibly flawed and needs to be improved? Absolutely.

Primarily, the issue for me comes down to money; people invest in things they care about, and the fact that education does not rank high in the US’s budget says a lot about our society. First and foremost, pay teachers more and give schools the funds to build their programs.

Secondly, however, I think there needs to be an emphasis on developing writing skills from a young age. Yes, STEM is important — but college applications, interviews, etc. are all based on verbal ability, which we don’t really teach in school. I think that puts disadvantaged, low-income communities at a massive disadvantage compared to kids with highly educated parents who are able to help them with developing writing and verbal abilities.

How is college different from what you expected?

College is both stressful in ways I did not expect and less stressful in ways I did not expect. The most surprising thing I’ve found in college is that no one really cares about what you’re doing, unlike high school — everyone is just focused on their own, unique goals.

Is there a skill you picked up in high school that turns out to be more important in college than you thought it would be? Is there a skill that you thought you would need that turns out to be less important than you predicted?

Basic habits and principles — things like organization, self-motivation, initiative, and study habits — are far more important in college than any one aspect of the curriculum.

Is there something you did in high school that you might not choose to do if you could go back in time? Is there something you wish you had done?

If I could choose to go back in time, I would probably avoid spreading myself so thin among so many organizations and clubs and focus more on the things I really cared about and enjoyed.

Do you have advice for high-school teachers? Counselors? Administrators?

If a student demonstrates willingness, initiative, and genuine excitement about a project or opportunity, do what you can to help them.

Do you have advice for parents of students?

My parents have always allowed me to be my own person while encouraging me to be the best that I can be. Treat your kids like adults, and they are more likely to act like adults.

Do you have advice for students who are about to head off to college?

Starting college was, for me, both one of the best and worst times of my life. I told myself from the beginning to keep my expectations low, and that’s helped me tremendously — at the end of the day, universities are just institutions, and like any institution, they’re imperfect.

Are you enjoying college?

Yes. I’m much happier in college than I ever was in high school.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

I think getting into some of the top universities in the US has to be at the top of my list, but I’m also proud of the relationships I’ve built and maintained with people.

Rank in order of importance: money, fun, love, security.

1. Love
2. Security
3. Money
4. Fun