Senior Profile: Emmett O’Malley
In this series of interviews, The Willistonian will be profiling seniors who have contributed significantly to the Williston community. By virtue of their leadership in sports, the arts, and student life, they will undoubtedly leave their mark when they graduate in May 2015.
Emmett O’Malley is the president of the Senior Class, a proctor in Ford Hall, a captain of Boys Cross Country, and President of Williston’s Political Awareness Club. Here he speaks to Cameron Hill ’15 about his time at Williston and his thoughts on the future.
Q: What is your best memory from your time at Williston?
A: Prom last year was fun… The end of the year is always more fun, because you appreciate the people more. Especially last year, some of my better friends were seniors who were graduating so it kind of felt like I was at the end, too, oddly, and so I think I appreciated it more.
Q: What accomplishment are you most proud of?
A: I’m glad I stayed freshman year. I wasn’t going to. I really didn’t do much of it individually at all, but I think overcoming the angst and the homesickness and the newness, I’m proud of that. And again, it wasn’t at all my accomplishment, but I think it was, in hindsight, what I’m most proud of.
Q: How would you advise younger students to make the most out of their time here?
A: Some people are going to hate this, but live day to day. Do everything you can possibly do for the next day. A lot of people would disagree with that, but I think when you’re as busy as you’re going to be if you’re a committed person here, it’s easy to gloss over things, to say: “I’ll do this, and I’ll do it fine, but there are other things I need to be stressed about in the near future.” I think focusing on that night of work, and making sure you treat every bit of it like it matters [is the most important thing]. I also think it’s really easy to get overwhelmed if you don’t do that, if you don’t home-in on the day, then I think it’s tough. Focus on what you have for that particular night. Also, just be nice. Because it’s a small school.
Q: Any other advice?
A: Keep your priorities straight.
Q: What will you miss most about Williston?
A: The support. I don’t think [that] ever again in my life will I have such awesome relationships with faculty members and adults, people I look up to. And also, just friends. Which is a tough answer, because I’m sure I’ll make new ones and everything later on, but I watched this movie Stand By Me over [Thanksgiving] Break, and it’s a good movie, and the last thought of the movie is that the friends you make when you’re twelve are the best friends you’ll ever have, and I think I’m about twelve. So, the friends I made here are really awesome. I’m really close to some people. I think the environment here really nurtures intimacy.
Q: What are you most looking forward to after you graduate?
A: Freedom to become who I am as opposed to being what other people expect me to be.
Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?
A: I don’t know, nor do I want to. I try to live one day at a time.
