The curtain rises as Lucy Self steps into the single spotlight. As she looks out into the dark audience, she realizes that this is the moment—her moment. The opening to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” begins to play, and all of sudden something clicks. It’s then that she realizes her absolute love for singing and acting. Ever since this moment, Lucy has found every opportunity to get back on the stage and relive that opening night experience. This has allowed her to explore her many interests in the arts. “I have always loved anything having to do with the arts. That’s honestly my favorite thing ever,” she said. 

Being homeschooled, her education has always been tailored to her, meaning that she has been able to pursue any subject that fascinated her, which is a lot. Lucy is a very versatile person and has a variety of skills that allow her to be successful in almost anything she does. However, this year Lucy will be taking on a whole new adventure as she says goodbye to her definition of normal. This coming fall she will be leaving home school behind and stepping into the unpredictable hallways of high school. “I’m both excited and overwhelmed. Having been home-schooled up until now,” said Lucy, “being thrown into a whole new school situation my second year of high school is a bit unnerving, if I’m being honest. But for the most part I’m ready for a new adventure.” She is looking forward to the independence that comes with attending high school, as well as a group of peers to interact with.

As for what she wants to study, Lucy has her long term goals in mind. “[In college] I want to major in performing arts and voice. I have so many interests though, so I might double major in Political Science. Maybe even throw in some foreign language,” she said. In this way Lucy is very much like her grandmother, who also happens to be one of her biggest inspirations. “She has always surprised me with her ideas and many interests, such as her love for horror novels and nail polish,” Lucy remarked. “She has always been willing to teach me new things.” Lucy admires the way her grandma cares for her family and her community. She claims it has always been very inspiring to her. Lucy’s grandma is a bright light in her life. In this way, she too wants to be remembered. “I have always wanted to be known for something. I want to be remembered in a positive way . . . I feel the need to leave my mark wherever I go,” she said. 

Before she goes to college and makes all her ambitions a reality, Lucy wants to take a gap year so that she can travel the world and see all it has to offer. When her dad was younger, he would go all over to places like Europe and South America. He would always bring back stories from his travels. “Hearing those stories has really influenced how I see the world and the experiences I want to have,” Lucy explained. “He’s been skydiving, has tried so many new foods, and has met so many different people.” 

With so many big aspirations, sometimes navigating life is tough, especially when a big change comes, but Lucy has found a way to help make sense of all the crazy. When she was a kid, she would see things in the newspaper about horoscopes, and she thought it looked interesting. As she grew, she did more research on astrology and birth charts. “I realized it was a very complex and ancient system for making sense of life. It just really fascinates me and is a fun hobby!” She exclaimed. Astrology helps Lucy see the world in a whole new way. It gives her a whole different understanding of life. 

Considering everything going on, Lucy has many questions and concerns about the world we live in. She explained: “This is going to sound cliché, but we are all connected. Like a ripple in a pond. There is no such thing as a decision that doesn’t affect someone or something else.” She asks why people place their individual values above all else? She wonders how people’s choices made from their values affect others and the environment. Lucy finishes our interview with this statement, “If we don’t look out for each other, no matter our differences, no one will.” Strong words from a very strong girl who will no doubt make her mark on this world.