Hey, Hills! Every Trailblazer issue, we will be featuring a different student. This month’s feature student? Tatiana Gallardo. A lot of us know her as the really tall & super smart Cowgirls volleyball middle blocker, but there’s a whole lot more to Tatiana than brains and beauty.

Full Name: Tatiana Odette Gallardo

Q: Who is your biggest inspiration?

A: My dad, undoubtedly. He makes me so proud. He lost his father as a baby, immigrated here from Ecuador, and grew up poor with a single mother. Yet he has succeeded in life and that gives me so much faith in the American dream. I feel like I’m one of the few people left who actually believes in that.

Q: What are your hobbies?

A: Reading, volleyball, watching Top Chef, photography, debating politics, playing Monopoly and poker, listening to music, and volunteering at my church. 

Q: How do you balance sports, academics, clubs, extracurricular activities, etc.?

A: I don’t drive myself crazy trying to be in every single club or extracurricular. I like to dedicate myself to certain activities and then really focus on them. This year, I’m president of the junior class and the art editor of the literary magazine. All of this combined with volleyball and outside of school activities makes my life pretty busy, so I try to get as much homework done in school. Any free moment I have, I try to do my work. I wish there was a Pascack Period everyday because I get so much done. This saves me so much stress, because I usually don’t get to start my work until 7 during the volleyball season.

Q: What is your favorite school subject? Why?

A: English, because I love to write, read and discuss books. Also, this subject allows for more than one set answer. Your interpretation can be completely different than your classmate’s, but it’s still right in an English classroom.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

A: I will have graduated from law school and will be working at a firm in Manhattan. I see myself as a divorce attorney, haha- I know that’s a bit out there. Hopefully, I’ll be writing my first book at the same time. Most importantly, I hope I’ll be happy and healthy, that’s really all I can ask for.

Q: What is something about yourself that most people wouldn’t know?

A: I’m a rookie poker player.

Q: What is your favorite song right now?

A: Alesso’s new song “Heroes.”

Q: If you were stranded on an island and you could only bring three things, what would those three things be?

A: A book, my music, and Bear Grylls.

This or That: Water or soda? Water Winter or summer? Winter. Cake or ice cream? How about ice cream cake? Snakes or spiders? Neither!!! Zac Efron or Channing Tatum? Zac Efron!! Singing or dancing? Dancing.