Staff Q&As: Amanda Bartolovic
Name: Amanda Bartolovic
Grade: 12
Position: Social Media Manager
Semesters spent on staff: 3
1. Why did you decide to join TCT?
“I almost didn’t join The Central Trend, but I decided to join last minute. I was scared because I didn’t consider myself much of a writer, but I decided to join because I really enjoy writing and thought it would be a fun opportunity. Also, Mr. George highly recommended joining while I was in Honors English 10, which is a big reason why I considered joining in the first place.”
2. How has TCT helped you grow as a writer and person?
“The Central Trend has allowed me to explore my voice in writing, and writing three stories every two weeks has helped in developing my abilities and creativity, as well. After writing so many stories, I sometimes run out of ideas, but this [has] only pushed me to think more deeply and creatively. It’s helped me as a person because being on the staff has allowed me to meet so many wonderful people that I may have not met otherwise.”
3. If you were a cheese, what type of cheese would you be?
“I’d definitely be something not too wild but not too bland either. I think I’d maybe be a nice mozzarella.”
4. What is your favorite thing about writing?
“This question is like asking a reader, ‘What’s your favorite book?’ There’s an endless number of reasons why I love writing, and it really just depends on the moment. Sometimes, my favorite thing is finding the right word for a feeling. Sometimes, it’s discovering something I didn’t even know about myself through writing my thoughts. Sometimes, it’s how words sound together. I don’t think I have a black and white answer for this.”
5. What’s your funniest story of complications while working on a story?
“One time, I couldn’t contact my interviewee in order to get a picture of her for a profile I wrote on her. So, I went to hunt her down and pull her out of her sixth hour to take a picture, but she left school early. Knowing I needed a picture, I went with someone else from the TCT staff, Natalie, to pull my interviewee’s friend out of class in order to ask if she had a picture [of my interviewee]. Her friend looked very confused, and it was a very hectic moment. But it was funny, and it all worked out in the end.”
6. Who’s your favorite literary character and why?
“I admire a lot of literary characters, but I think my favorite is Minerva Mirabal [from In the Time of the Butterflies]. She was also a real person, so it makes her even [cooler]. Her bravery and nerve is astonishing. She’s spunky and bold. Her story is inspiring and so is she.”
7. What is your favorite type of story to write and why?
“I think columns are my favorite story to write because the only thing I need to rely on is my own thoughts. With a review, I have to find an interesting movie or place. With features, I have to rely on quotes and topics. But with columns, it’s just me and my mind. It pushes me to think of ideas deeply, which I think is good for me. They’re also just fun to write.”
8. What are your aspirations for the upcoming decade?
“This is a heavy question, and I’m not really sure how to answer it. I feel like I should say something about school or finding a job or connecting with people. But honestly, all I can hope for is to be content. Happiness is a hard goal because it’s not concrete and emotions fluctuate a lot. But I like to think feeling at peace with my life is a good aspiration.”