When Felix ’27 first set foot in our building, he felt a bit like he was wandering “a maze of rooms.” While he’s (mostly) learned his way around Commonwealth’s serpentine halls, Felix has uncovered labyrinths of a much greater magnitude in rigorous classes and compelling assemblies that have opened his eyes to just how much more exploration awaits him, whether in his remaining years at Commonwealth or in life beyond our walls. Read on to get to know this tenth-grader from Cambridge and discover his favorite quality in Commonwealth teachers, why he doesn’t mind waking up early on a Friday morning, and where those pencils you left lying around went…

Getting to Know You

What is bringing you joy right now?

Right now, AP season and all the research paper stuff kind of winding down. And then we're getting ready to go to Hancock, so that's really exciting.

What is your favorite book or a book you've re-read?

There's this book I really like called What If?, by Randall Munroe. He's the guy from xkcd [webcomic], and in this book, his readers submit these really stupid questions and he answers them with actual science. Like, what would happen if you pitched a baseball at the speed of light? He actually goes in depth and explains it and gives you what might actually happen if this hypothetical thing were to happen, which is really cool.

What do you think is the most intriguing paradox?

I watched this video about the Banach-Tarski paradox, which is that if you decompose a sphere into points, and then you rotate them in some way and manipulate them, you can actually get two spheres out of the exact same number of points, which is crazy that you can take this one thing and just duplicate it.

What are your favorite comfort foods?

Ramen is definitely my go-to.

What was or is your favorite class, either at Commonwealth or elsewhere?

My favorite class was probably City of Boston last year. I had Ms. Haber, and she's super passionate about Boston history and just knows so much. It's really inspiring and it makes me want to learn more about the city.

When do you feel most enjoyably challenged?

This year, definitely English assignments. I have Ms. Brewster, and she has very high expectations of us. But that makes sure that my work is the best that I can do. And it is fun to think deeply about a passage and then analyze it—like, not just how do you read this, but why? What is in the text that actually makes you feel a certain way? That’s really cool.

Related: Patience, in a Word: The Power of Close Reading in High School

What never fails to make you laugh?

Just hanging out in the annex during lunch with my friends. It's a good pause from all the hectic school.

What are people most surprised to learn about you?

Something a lot of people don't know from just looking at me is that I'm actually fluent in Chinese. They're really surprised when they find out!

Pen or pencil?

I would say pencil; that's what I normally go to. People always leave these regular pencils around and then, you know, they’re free! Also, my handwriting is really bad, so it doesn't really matter what I use, to be honest.

Coffee or tea?

I would say tea for the taste, but if I had a rough night, then, you know, tea is probably not going to cut it. So I just get a cup of coffee and put all the stuff in it that I can to make it taste less bitter.

Fall, winter, spring, or summer?

That time from around Halloween until New Year's is my favorite time of year because there are all of these holidays, and also my birthday is in there. So, in my unbiased opinion, it's the best.

Life as a Commonwealth Student (and Beyond)

What was your first impression of Commonwealth, and how has it mapped to your experience?

I remember when I was visiting here, I was wandering around the third floor desperately trying to find my way to a staircase because I was just so confused, and there was this maze of rooms everywhere. Now I'm more used to it, but sometimes I still manage to forget where 3B is. I mean, that's just how the school is, you know?

Using metrics besides grades, how would you define success in your classes?

If you can find something you enjoy in every class. Then, none of the classes become chores, and they're all a new thing to explore. I guess that also speaks to the teachers’ abilities here—that they're just so amazing to make everything interesting.

How do you spend your time outside of Commonwealth?

I play violin, so I spend a significant amount of time practicing. I like to play table tennis as well; I play that competitively as an independent sport. I’ve been doing it for a couple years now, and I’ve been getting more serious. On the other hand, I've also gotten more into Commonwealth sports, and it's kind of nice that you get this team sport as opposed to more of an individual thing.

When do you feel most connected to other students (or teachers and staff members) in our community?

Probably during orchestra on Friday mornings when everybody wakes up at the crack of dawn and we're all half asleep. But then we come together and work on this piece. It's definitely a nice bonding experience, and it also builds this really tight relationship between the musicians.

How has your Commonwealth experience colored the way you look at the world? How you plan for your future?

The assemblies are really a way for me to expand my horizons. I’ve found out about all these different things, and also just about the world in general, that I really had no idea about. That's also made me realize how much I still don't know about the world. And I guess, after Commonwealth, I'll just go out and explore.

What’s your advice for prospective students considering Commonwealth?

For me, a really big factor was definitely the people here. The most important thing is that you can find a group of people where you can really be yourself and be comfortable, and then that also can positively impact your academic success.

What would you tell your ninth-grade self?

Definitely cherish those everyday memories that don't really seem to stick out to you. In the future, those are the ones that really stay with you.

What is it like going to school in Boston?

There are all of these resources around us that we can take advantage of because we're such a small school and we don't have, like, a gym or everything like that here. You have the Y, and there's a church we go to for concerts. And these are all great things that we can just go out and take advantage of; they're all right there. I like how part of your daily routine is going out into the city and still being with your classmates, but in a completely different setting.

Meet More Commonwealth Students