If Crystal Masih’s life were a song title there is no doubt that it would be “emotional rollercoaster.” As for why this is the case, Crystal notes, “My life is constantly changing; not every single day is the same.”  She also mentions that her favorite solo artist is Lana Del Rey, someone she says she likes because “her voice is pretty enchanting – like, for example, her song ‘Young and Beautiful,’ I can really envision scenarios to that song.”

A sophomore at PB, Crystal says that the pandemic “was not a happy place to be in.” Because of being stuck inside all the time. But on the contrary the pandemic was a learning process for all of us, but for Crystal, something she learned was “with every relationship, I’ve learned distance is key.” She adds that “loving each other from a distance and unconditionally is definitely one thing” she came to understand. Another intriguing thought from Crystal on the pandemic is “I did learn a lot of things about myself like I wasn’t scared to be myself without other people’s judgment.”  

We all want to travel somewhere exotic someday, and Crystal is no exception. A vacation she wants to take someday is to the Maldives, which she says she wants to go to because “it looks so pretty and it is also close to other places I want to visit.”  With her favorite season being spring she might want to go to the Maldives during spring break someday.   

Most people feel like there is nothing to do in the DMV area but Crystal is satisfied with just walking and running. She mentions, “When I’m mad, I love to run.”  Despite this running she notes, sports isn’t something she participates in because she describes herself as a “musical and art kid.”  Crystal feels like she will be staying in this area long term and states “This is my home; this is where most of my family is.  Especially with my parents being first-generation immigrants, there is not a lot of family, so I don’t want to leave my parents.”

As Crystal finishes her sophomore year, it is a great time for her to start thinking about what she wants to do for the rest of high school and beyond. A couple of her main goals are being a pediatrician, helping people in countries in need of care, and making a difference in the community wherever she goes.

by: Deon Key