“Humans are just little specks of an infinite universe. Our sole purpose is really just to… come together. That’s a great song,” sophomore Emily Roybal said.
Getting to know Emily Roybal would begin with understanding her eccentric, unique, and captivating personality. According to her sophomore classmate Evelyn Rigby, “She walks through the halls of the school in her own world, with beaming beauty and an intriguing aura about her.”

Immediately it became evident that she is a very uplifting and aberrant girl. She views school as an opportunity to be with all different kinds of people, and she takes pride in her eagerness toward learning something new in all of her classes–a rarity nowadays among many students. She had a unique t-shirt that she sported through Parkway South featuring 70’s artist Gary Numan, famous for his catchy song “Cars.” Despite him not being recognizable to her generation, Roybal was proud to wear her favorite musician.

“Gary Numan is wonderful. He has so many iconic songs that make you sit and think. He is the king of electronica,” she said, “and being that he was big in the 70’s, he set a standard for music. It wouldn’t be the same had he not existed…he is my one true love.”

She added that if his album “The Pleasure Principle” were the soundtrack of her life, she would live in a movie filled with mysterious government missions, topped off with captivatingly dark conspiracy theories. Some teens like to see themselves as the protagonist in a popular romantic comedy film, but Roybal would prefer to play an alien.

In addition to being a free spirit who lives in the moment, she also has a very detailed plan for the future. Although it scares her to think of the endless possibilities, she looks forward to taking care of animals as a veterinarian and studying at South Tech in preparation.

While some teens form obsessions around the existence of zombies, aliens, and vampires, one of Roybal’s quirks is that she has a passion for androids–robots that appear to be human. She loves to think about dystopian concepts, all things science fiction, and the limitless idea of having companions on this earth that are inhuman, yet have empathy within their programming.

“Thinking that humans are the only species capable of having intellectual life is just selfish. I could never believe, after looking up at the stars and pondering the endless purple void of the universe, that we are alone,” said Roybal.

Roybal exhibits her individuality in all aspects of her life. “I’m really interested in Wiccan Witch stuff… I’ve collected over 100 different crystals and acquainted myself with Tarot card readings,” said Roybal. According to her, the unexplained world of witchcraft is not to be omitted, but rather to be explored and admired.

One thing that Roybal made prominent in conversation is that she has a passion for all forms of art, such as music and writing specifically.

“Art keeps me going,” Roybal explained, “I love all kinds of poetry and good music like The Beatles and Pink Floyd, and… I write at least one Haiku a day.” She has a little green notebook–full of sketches, lyrics and poems–that acts as an important asset for her school day.

Her classmate, Rigby, included, “Her ability to stay positive throughout the day radiates through the halls of the school. Her energy is vibrant, and her smile is uplifting. She has incredible depth to her character and the way she incorporates love into all aspects of her life is inspiring.”

However, life is not always easy for anyone; Roybal has been battling depressive symptoms for several years. Although it can get to be a heavy burden, Roybal included that it isn’t something she lets dominate her day. While she’s not afraid to talk about it, she will never let it become a part of her identity or cast a shadow over the opportunity for an exultant life.

“It’s something I’ve learned from. The growth I’ve experienced from these challenges has only made me stronger,” she said.

Seeing her in the halls, the average passing student would have no idea the extent of her daily internal struggles or her resiliency. She believes that if you put a smile on your face, the happiness will follow naturally.

She ended the interview by stating, “If there’s one thing I would like everyone to take away from this, it would be to love more. Even though we are all individually different, embrace the fact that we are one. And love every bit of it.”