Student Spotlight: Adrianne Reig, Published Poet

“I wouldn't be me if I didn't have poetry.” This coming from Laurel Springs senior, Adrianne Reig. While she loves to paint and spoil her betta fish, “writing is really my one true love.” Learn how Adrianne turned this passion into a published book to share her words with the world in its time of need. 

From Passion to Published

“Poetry has almost always been how I see and understand the world…” A lovely sentiment for anyone to have, especially in a time of anxious chaos. Since she was nine years old, Adrianne has felt poetry “bubbling out of me…it simply won't leave me alone until I put it on paper.” Even her explanation of keeping aquariums is poetic: “...a rather unglamourous affair, as I spend a great deal of time sloshing around with big buckets of water, scraping slime off of driftwood, and almost certainly upsetting the mailman with the quantity of live worms I have to order…I find it keeps me grounded and provides a nice contrast to the amount of poetry I write under the full moon.”

All of this moonlit writing has led to the publication of her first book, Alterwood. “I've known for a long time that I wanted to publish a book, but I never felt ready. I eventually came to the conclusion that I might never feel ready, that there might never come a perfect time to set my poems free in the world, so I decided to do it now.” For eight weeks, Adrianne poured her heart out on paper and couldn’t be prouder of the final product. “There are...a lot of awful things happening in the world right now, and with this book I just wanted to put something beautiful and hopeful back into it.”

More Pivotal than Publication

Another decision Adrianne is proud of is when she transferred to Laurel Springs the second semester of 10th grade. “It's allowed me to take back control of my learning...and given me so much extra time to pursue the things that I'm interested in.” But she’s talking about more than just poetry and fish. “I've been able to quietly and peacefully figure out who I am and who I want to be.”

In addition to giving her time to find herself, her experiences at Laurel Springs has unexpectedly prepared Adrianne for the current state of schooling. “I was so grateful to be able to stay completely on track with schoolwork, and not have to stand by until traditional schools figure out how to effectively navigate and adapt to this new way of life.” Not only were her studies uninterrupted, but this “new normal” also comes with a satisfying validation. “It was very strange to go from getting all kinds of funny looks when I told people I went to online school to having everyone finally understand what that really means!”

Writing a New Chapter

Even with so much uncertainty in the world, Adrianne is hopeful for the future. “I am applying to college this fall, and I'm trying not to let it stress me out too much. I'm very curious to see how life is going to continue to change over the next year, and so I'm keeping my options open...Maybe I'll end up getting my degree online as well.” And as for a sequel to her story? “After a brief respite, my next bout of poetry is beginning to plague me, so I'd better get started on that soon.