There are different kinds of people here at San Luis Obispo High School. One interesting student here on campus is senior Melissa Meza. Expressions sat down with Meza to ask her about her core values, dreams in life, and what it has been like for her to spend not four, but five years at SLOHS.

Expressions: What is it like for you to have to do another year of high school?

Senior Melissa Meza: At first it was kind of difficult. I was kind of nervous and upset that I was lagging [slacking] it that year. This year I know it’s going to be my last year. I’m going to keep it up and try not to lag [slack] it like I did those years.

Expressions: What would be your dream job after high school?

Meza: I have a lot of dream jobs. My first is being a singer because I love singing! When I’m in the car, I’ll be the first to sing. My second one is acting because people have always said I’m a drama queen, but I don’t see it. My third one would be dancing because by listening to music it’s like you’re listening to a story. By dancing it, people understand visually what the song is about and what it relates to.

Expressions: Will you be the first in your family to graduate?

Meza: Actually, I’ll be the second person to graduate from high school, but I’ll be the first to go to college straight after high school.

Expressions: Do you wish you had a certain trait or quality?

Meza: I’d just like to be myself. Everyone is beautiful no matter what, and if anyone says anything [cruel], then screw them.

Expressions: If you could go anywhere for college where would you go and what would you study?

Meza: There are a lot of colleges I would want to go to, but I want to go to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in Los Angeles so I could study music and act over there. That’d be my number one pick for college.

Expressions: If you were chosen to give the valedictorian speech at graduation, what would you say?

Meza: I would say “We did it, we finally did it. We put up with a lot of homework, we had so much drama, we had relationships, lost relationships, family issues, friend issues, pretty much everything, but we made it.”