I had the pleasure of interviewing Danielle Nickerson, a freshman here at Agua Fria, but the real joy was seeing bits of her true personality shine through in between the giggle breaks.

Even before the interview started it was clear Danielle has an undeniably unique energy and a lot of it! I got the impression she had so much to say that it all got jumbled in her throat and came out as a laugh instead. We started the interview with a light question to clear the air of any nerves and hopefully put her at ease.

Danielle chose Journalism over any other class because writing had always come easy to her. After prodding for some details Danielle’s demeanor transforms completely. With a glimmer in her eyes, she expressed a love for communication and explained it was easier to organize her thoughts through writing. Art that “comes from the heart” suits Danielle best, and she values a sense of honesty and vulnerability in her work.

As one of our newest lifestyle reporters, Danielle said she has “creative ideas that she’s looking to share” with the communication skills to match. She’s confident that her writing can “make a big impact” as she puts it. I can’t help but agree.

Danielle explains that writing is her creative outlet. She says negative feelings and anxiety inspire most of her work. She articulates her feelings perfectly, taking on a more sober tone, as she goes into detail about what frustrates her specifically.  

Sharing vulnerable details on working through anger and sadness seemed easy for Danielle to discuss: however, she seemed much more passionate about bad parking, wet socks, and being cold. I don’t blame her. “If you love cold…you’re a criminal,” she told me with a laugh.

In regards to her future, Danielle explained she “had a lot of things to figure out” before trying to set any plans in stone. There was a certain frustration in her voice as she said, “Finding yourself isn’t easy.”

She breathes easier once she talks about her love for baking. Danielle paints a beautiful picture of a life in a bakery all her own, where it always smells good, and she’s able to make cute little pastries to her heart’s content. One day she’d like to move north to be with her relatives, but the real appeal seems to be in having a proper winter, not like the ones down here in the Valley.

As she sat across from me, cross-legged on the carpet, I began to piece together that Danielle has a beautiful heart that needs to be shared with the world. She doesn’t give herself nearly enough credit by only saying she’s proud of “being able to make people laugh.” 

The first thing I noticed about Danielle was her adorable smile but even more present is the light she brings into a room. Danielle is a true artist, eccentric, and looking to change the world with her voice. I’m honored to be present here as she becomes more confident in herself and her writing.