Lillian ’28 looks before she leaps—but she does leap. Whether it’s enrolling in a new school or camping in the woods with her peers or muscling through one more hour of homework, she always pauses to consider her options before taking that next step. The result? New adventures from the classroom to the kitchen to the dance floor. “Just try,” she says. Keep reading for more wise words from this ninth grader from East Boston.

Getting to Know You

What is bringing you joy right now?

The coming of summer, the weather getting hotter, the days getting longer. I'm very much looking forward to that.

What are your favorite comfort foods? 

I like eating rice, beans, and chicken—wait, forget rice and beans! Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food.

What is your favorite book (or a book you’ve re-read)? 

I will admit I don't read that much, but one thing I did love reading was Winnie-the-Pooh [by A. A. Milne]. I love Winnie-the-Pooh. He’s so cute. 

What was/is your favorite class (at Commonwealth or elsewhere)? 

Okay, so I have a new outlook on school since coming [to Commonwealth]. I wasn't one who usually struggled with school; a teacher would explain something and I would pick it up right away. I've definitely had to try a lot harder and study more since coming here. Those are hard habits to build, and I feel a lot of kids had already learned those things coming into school, while I didn't really get that chance. But better to be building them now than in college, when I'm really, really gonna need them. 

But I like it. I really enjoyed going out and seeing different places with Ninth-Grade Seminar. I also like Spanish here. I quite enjoy English as well.

At my last school, I really loved my math and science class. My teacher was so much fun, so the classes were very exciting.

When do you feel the most enjoyably challenged?

Cooking, I think. I love cooking, and I especially like to make pasta and sauce that is just the right consistency. You have to get it right to get the sauce properly incorporated. I like trying to figure out recipes and what flavors work together. What I make usually changes depending on how I'm feeling, but I like making pasta with chicken and mushrooms and a nice cream sauce. My aunt and I made mushroom raviolis once—the weirder they looked, the more flavor they had!

What never fails to make you laugh?

My friends. No matter how sad I am, I can just look at them—and their faces are doing something weird, because they know I'm down. 

Pen or pencil? 

It depends: pen when I'm trying to make my handwriting look nice for things like English or history tests. But then pencil for biology and math and related things.

Fall, winter, spring, or summer?

Summer [see answer above!]. I spend a lot of my time with family, hanging out outside, taking nice walks, eating lemon popsicles. For the past two summers, I've done Dive In here. We built a community, so it was almost like hanging out with friends while doing homework. This year, I’m going to be a TA [for Dive In]. 

Life as a Commonwealth Student (and Beyond)

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

So my aunt transferred here back in the late ’80s, and she found out about Dive In a couple years ago [in an alumni/ae newsletter] and wanted me to try it. At first I heard “summer school,” I heard “rigorous program,” and I said, “I don't want to do it!” And my aunt said, “Oh, just apply. You don't have to accept it if you don't want to.” I didn't actually think I was going to get in, but I did, and I was shocked. So I tried it; there was a lot of homework and, early on, you know, you haven't made as many friends yet, so I wasn't really feeling it. But I tried it for that year, and it was very nice.

Then Mónica [Schilder, the director of Dive In at the time], my mom, and my aunt were like “Lilly’s so Commonwealth. We need to have her apply.” Again, I said, “I don't know if I want to!” And, again, I did not think I was gonna get in—but I did. And I thought, “Okay, I'm gonna try it out.” That's how I got here, and I'm so grateful for Dive In.

During my visit day [as a prospective student], I thought Commonwealth was very small, very close knit. I was surprised that everyone sat on the floor at recess and that everyone did the “ooh” thing when someone got “called out,” but never in a negative way. I was in shock—shock! I love my old school very much, but we weren't allowed to do things like that. Here, it’s actually a fun little quirk of the school. 

Using metrics besides grades, how do you define “success” in your classes?

One big thing—and this is something my old school taught me—is that being happy is very important. If you're happy and you're out of harm's way, I think that makes you very successful. Even when I blow on an eyelash and make a wish to be successful—and I always wish to be successful—I wish to be happy. If I'm happy with where I am, that's all that matters.

How do you spend your time outside of Commonwealth?

On Saturdays, I do the Du Bois Society program at Harvard, where we meet with college professors monthly. They assign readings, and we go over those readings, and we learn what they call “a hidden curriculum.” We learn tips and tricks about college, like how to write an email, what to do if you missed a few glasses, and other practical things, as well as literature skills, like how to form good questions.

It’s also quinceañera season; everybody's turning fifteen this year! I've had three quinceañeras this year so far. Every Sunday for a while, I used to practice the merengue for my best friend's quinceañera in March. That was really fun. The birthday girl wears a super-big dress, just like Tiana or Cinderella, and then we’re almost like bridesmaids. We spend the whole day with her, we take pictures, we help her with her dress, and we go out and have a six-minute dance with her. Now I have another quinceañera that I'm practicing on Mondays for…

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

Everyone said, “Oh, Hancock changes everything. You get so much closer to people.” And I was like, “Okay, I'm gonna be in the woods. I'm already gonna be a little on edge!” But, no, they were totally right! At fall Hancock, I lost one of my AirPods, and almost half my class came to look for it; I felt very connected in that moment. 

Out of all the other school events, I’d say the concerts and the plays. I'm like, “Wow. These kids are so impressive. These kids are so cool. They’re all prodigies!”

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

It's made me realize how many more possibilities there are, seeing all the different classes and all the different paths the assembly speakers have gone out on—especially [Jim O'Connell, President of Boston Health Care for the Homeless]. He was a doctor and went on to do so much more, taking care of sick homeless people and offering free health care to them. I think that’s broadened my view of what the future could be.

What’s your advice for prospective students considering Commonwealth? 

Try to be more open minded. At first I would look at a [Commonwealth] test and think, “I'm doomed. I'm doomed! I'm doomed!” But I realized ninth grade is pass-fail for a reason. Obviously, you can't totally rely on it being pass-fail, because you need to build up good habits for sophomore year. But I’m still realizing that this school is different from all the other schools I applied to, and I need to stop measuring myself and my work to other standards.

What is it like going to school in Boston?

Oh, cold. Very cold. Majority cold! 

But I've only just now started using Boston’s resources, like having the [Boston Public Library] right there. My aunt worked at the BPL. My mom works at Cambridge Public Library. I've always been surrounded by libraries, but I've never really used their resources. 

And I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn how to use public transportation now, rather than later.

What would you tell your past self?

Don't leave your homework for the last minute! Listen: they say homework takes forty minutes to an hour. It does take forty minutes to an hour! Leave time. 

But here’s the other thing: there are also times when you need to throw in the towel. Sometimes, you need to realize it's twelve o'clock, and you’re only halfway done on your notes, and you’re gonna need to go over them in class tomorrow. I’m one of my people who will be like, “I worked on this for an hour, and I just couldn't get it. I was really confused.” At the end of the day, your teachers will understand. 

If you try to force your way through [an assignment], you're not gonna actually get the help you need. So definitely ask questions—ask good questions. If your teacher can't answer, they'll tell you. Just try. 

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