Alexandra the Great: An Inside Look at the History of Alex Anderson

 

Alexandra the Great

An Inside Look at the History of Alex Anderson
By: Sarah Woods

 

     Alexandra "Alex" Anderson was born in Monterey Bay, California, on Valentine's Day, 1999. As a baby, she was promptly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and her family was informed that it was unlikely their new child would survive. However, Alex, even as a baby, was not one to give up, and she miraculously pulled through. Now, she lives with her parents and brother in Virginia, and is a member of our WSWC at West Springfield High School. But, what occurred between then and now? What events shaped Alex into becoming the person she is today? Follow me as we take an inside look at the life of Alex!  

 





                                                   Alex through the Ages

Little Alex and her mom

Baby Alex is happy to see you!

 

 

 

Alex and her brother as children

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reach for the sky, little Alex!

 

 



 

Baby Alex in the tub

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What About Writing?

Q: What led you to writing?

 

A: Well, it's relaxing, for one! It just kind of happened, and I fostered it on my own.

 

Q: What's your favorite type of writing? Why do you write?

 

A: Creative Writing, mainly because you get to do and say whatever you want. I write mainly because it's relaxing. Besides that, I don't really know- it's enjoyable and a way of expressing myself. It's a necessity.

 

Q: What's your least favorite thing about writing and why?

 

A: I hate writing by hand- I'll just give up and type; I literally hate writing by hand...My hand cramps and I have really messy "doctor" handwriting. One time, at the end of a timed writing when my AP Lang teacher gave me my paper back, it had a decent grade but said "work on handwriting" and I pretty much died inside. Another time in Key Club, I was signing in and I wrote "Alex Anderson", but apparently my "n's" look like "u's" and so for the first couple of meetings I was "Alex Andersu!"

 

Q: What led you to tutoring?

 

A: I was recommended by my teacher at the end of 10th grade, and I thought that it sounded fun so I signed up! Also, I hoped it would help me become a better writer myself and hopefully get over my messy handwriting.

 

Q: Why do you tutor?

 

A: To help other people improve their writing and to improve my own writing in the process. It's neat to see other people's styles of writing because everyone has a different one!

 

Q: What's the most rewarding thing about tutoring?

 

A: The most rewarding? Seeing the tutee's start to learn and do the things that I've corrected them on by themselves. Definitely, the best part is seeing them learn. Especially when the thing they're fixing is a mistake that I've seen numerous times in their paper, and then after I correct them one time they go through and start fixing them on their own.

 

Q: How do you deal with [ug]-tutees?

 

A: I grin and bear it- they're here to get help. After they start to get disrespectful, though, I'm not as motivated. I guess the best way to put it is that I'll give what I get. I'm definitely going to help them, no matter what they think or how they act.  

 

Q: Any funny stories about tutoring?

 

A: Okay, I have two:

     One guy, a senior I think, was working on an essay and when he came in and we started working, his first question was if I was "qualified." To make matters worse, I was being observed, and the other tutor and I kind of looked at each other and went, "Is this guy serious?" I politely corrected him.

     Another time, this kid came in about 20 minutes into lunch, sat down across from me, and demanded I "teach [him] how to write an essay." I was taken aback, to say the least, but I said, "Sure!". Yet, when I asked him what he was working on he said he didn't know, and he didn't have anything on him but a cap sitting backwards on his head and a half-finished ice cream sandwich from lunch. It was an...interesting day.

 

 Fun Facts About Alex!

Alex styling her new purple hair!

• Her hair has been four colors: pink, red, purple, and blue- by accident!
• Her favorite food is ramen noodles with feta cheese and olives on it; "It tastes so good despite what it looks like! Can you see my Greek showing?"
• She goes to Marvel Movie Premiers at midnight- and she usually cries at them.
• She really wants a dog.
• She doesn't have a favorite kind of music, except she does have a least favorite- country! (much to the dismay of this author!)
• She wants to get really good at drawing, but she doesn't have the time for it.
• Her favorite word to say is "tragic", and she says it at least 20 times a day, by her own admittance.
• Her favorite thing in the world are those cute little mechanical pens and pencils, as well as those tiny erasers and pens that have erasers; "Seriously, I could probably blow about $500 in Staples like right now."
• She can't sleep without a pillow on each side of her because she'll roll off her bed.
• She hates odd numbers; "They're unnatural!"
• She's a neat freak- everything has to be organized or she can't focus.
• She has an addiction to hole-punching things.
• She enjoys spending her time buying items or just browsing on amazon.com.

 

       Alex's Hobbies: Complaining, sleeping, eating, guitar, drawing, cooking, video games, physics, and finally calculus.



 

Personal Questions!

 

Q: What's your most embarrassing childhood memory?



Yearbook photo of Alex

 

A: I was at the zoo with my dad and I got lost; it was really crowded, so I was looking desperately for him. I saw his coat, so I ran up to him all relieved that I had found him and went, "Dad!"; only, it wasn't him, and I started crying. Luckily, my dad heard me and came looking!



 

Q: What's your favorite superhero and why? Or are you a villain girl?

 



A: Captain America; he and Peggy deserved better. Why? Well, Steve finally got what he wanted from life and then he accepted death for his country, and everything got mixed up. I cry every time.

 

Q: What's the weirdest thing you've ever seen/done?

 

A: A grown man dressed as My Little Pony- Rainbow Dash, I think. Once you've been to a convention, nothing phases you anymore. You've seen everything.

 

Q: What's your favorite subject and why?

 

A: Physics! (proceeds to excitedly mumble, "physics, physics, physics" under hear breath for the next thirty seconds) It's the best class! I've never had a class that I just get, or at least, not until this one. Also, I really love helping people out in that class and it's just a lot of fun for me. Calculus is a close second.

 

Q: What do you plan on doing later in life?

 

A: I'm torn- either a doctor or an engineer. I've had some really bad doctors, as I spent a lot of my childhood around them, and I don't want anyone else to be put through what my family was put through. I don't really know why I'm considering being an engineer- my dad's an engineer and the things he does seem like fun!

 

Q: Talk to me about college.

 

A: ANXIETY. See above. My top choices are either Virginia Tech or Georgia Tech, and Carnegie Mellon also seems nice, but it's super expensive. I spend a LOT of time on FCPS Blackboard checking grades, assignments, and the like! I'm almost always on SIS as well! 

 

Q: If you had a nemesis, who or what would it be?

 

A: Whoever decided that history should be a required 4-year course in high school; FIGHT ME.

 

Q: If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

 

A: Napping in sweaters. (Bonus: Unparalleled crippling anxiety)

 

Q: What's your theme music?

 

A: Someone plunking around on a xylophone with a kazoo going on in the background and someone yelling "Yay!" once in a while. Like the background music for a cute chubby toddler who's running around pushing a fluffy bunny on a toy train.

 

Alex's Favorites!

1. Movie: Big Hero 6- she still cries every time; "It also makes me want to go study since all of the characters are geniuses. I literally want to be Honey Lemon."
2. Book: Favorite book? That's like asking me to choose a favorite child!
3. Clothing: Sweaters and fuzzy socks any day of the week.
4. Accessories: Gold necklace and earrings that she wears everyday without fail.
5. Sport: Professional Mathlete ; "I wish I was athletic, but I'm not, so I don't really know about any sports. Volleyball was fun."
6. Hair Color: "Pink was by far my favorite!"
7. Saying: "If I fits, I sits."
8. Motto: "I'll sleep when I'm dead." 

Have more questions? Contact Alex at ahalseyanderson@gmail.com or contact the author, Sarah Woods, at woodsyclan99@yahoo.com.

 





Alex (left) and Sarah Woods (right) going as broke Med students for Halloween.