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Fall 2018 · Torch:U.S. · TORCH POLL: INTERVIEW
CATHY XIA'S
1ST CONVENTION
CATHY XIA
ARIZONA
Salvete omnes! My name is Catherine Xia and I was the 2017-2018 AZJCL's 1st Vice President, and currently my
school's Latin Club's President. I'm a current senior at Gilbert Classical Academy and although we don't offer any Latin classes for seniors, I've been taking Latin since 7th grade. Besides schoolwork and Latin Club, you can probably find me either napping or scrolling through my social media feeds (follow my instagram: @legitcathy). I also love playing the piano, bullet journaling, and (once again) sleeping.
unexpectedly, one of the funnest parts of convention for me. I wish I could've gone sooner!
Anika: If you could teleport back to one moment in convention, when would it be?
Cathy: Definitely "That's Entertainment!" I was under the impression that this was just some regular old talent show and I was initially confused why all of my friends wanted to get there earlier to get good seats. But no. This was not just a talent show. It had skits in between and really hilariously satirical videos in between (props to the SCLers!). It was such a great blend of comedy and satire while showcasing some amazing talents from our fellow JCLers.
Anika: How has your first national convention shaped your overall view of the JCL? Have your views changed from before?
Cathy: This has definitely made me more enthusiastic about JCL.
Anika: Was your first national convention what you expected? How was it similar or different from your expectations?
Cathy: To be completely honest, I had no idea what I was expecting for nationals. I've been told that it's a lot of fun and that I need to prepare myself for a lot of walking. Both came to be very true. Waking up so early for testing was probably the worst of it all, but getting to finally meet the people I've been talking to for the past year and just being surrounded by others who have such a love for the Classics was so amazing! Also, nobody could prepare me for what Spirit was all about. That was a whole new experience for me, and
I've gotten tons of inspirations and new ideas from other states and friends for the next term. And this made me want to push for more engagement and participation at our local chapter because I know a lot of the students view Latin as something they have to take (which, I mean, Latin is required in junior high). But there's so much life in the Classics community and especially at nationals, that I want the students to see that!