Class of 2025 senior winners of Most Likely to Brighten Someone's Day, Abigail Snider and Tyler Swanson, are recognized for their cheer that they’ve spread amongst the Trojan Nation.
Snider shares her thoughts on winning such an honorable superlative, “I heard one person saying that they’d vote for me, so I was very surprised. But if I have actually brightened someone’s day at some point, then that is really cool.” Snider shares how she brightens several days, “I try to be positive and in the moment, but I usually just radiate awkwardness for fun and to lighten the mood,” Snider explains, “Overall, I just try to be the kind of person that people don’t feel judged by or like they have to be a certain way with.” Snider declares that she gets her positive traits from her mom. “She never fails to be 1,000,000 rays of sunshine in every place she goes. I wouldn’t say I have the same effect as her, but she showed me the importance of being authentic and spreading the positive aspects of that to the environment around me,” said Snider.
Snider is excited to inform how her senior year experience has been. “My senior year has been a year of getting my priorities straight, and that has changed my day-to-day life for the better,” declares Snider, “It has been refreshing to have more control over my lifestyle with driving, hanging out with friends, and getting more work experience.” She has been trying to get more involved and seek new experiences. “I have been focusing more on my dance training in various ways to broaden my horizons, which has made this year feel more productive and right for me,” notes Snider, “I think knowing more about what my goals look like after high school has brought the brightness to this year, and I am excited for what the rest of this year will bring.”
It’s important for the day brighter’s day to be bright as well. Snider expresses what brightens her day, “After a hard day, it depends on what I need the most at that moment. I like to have time to process it alone and do the things I enjoy. I like to workout, try something new, or just decompress to not get into too much of a rut over the day. Other times, I try to spend time with my sister, my boyfriend, or my friends to help relieve some of the pressure from the day.” Snider also shares how she brightens others' day, “If one of my friends was down about something, it would be contingent on what they were down about. I would try to meet them where they were at and be someone they can open up to about whatever is bothering them.” Snider continues, “I would also try to show them a different way of looking at their situation that is easy to forget when things feel heavy. I usually offer to do something fun with them to get their mind off things.”
Snider shares her plans for her bright future. “I want my future to be full of new experiences and learning new things,” proclaims Snider. She wants to have a main career and focus, but she also plans to be a part of many different things. Snider plans on attending ETSU, “for the experience of gaining independence, exploring all of my options, understanding dance as an art form, and enduring all of what a university has to offer students,” comments Snider.
Tyler Swanson, shares some of his some of favorites! Sleeping and getting ice cream with his sister Sidney Swanson are some of his favorite things to do in his free time. Swanson's favorite food to eat is pasta, and his favorite kind of pasta is mac n cheese. Swanson loves dogs and claims them as his favorite animal. He also has a pet dog named Daisy. Not only does Swanson love dogs but sports as well with baseball, football, basketball, and soccer being his favorites.
