How have you been able to balance your academics and after school activities with Dr. Harriton?
Balancing Dr. Harriton with school and other activities has been a challenge, but honestly, it’s been worth it. I’ve had to get creative with my time—doing homework during free periods, squeezing in study sessions between rehearsals, and sometimes sacrificing sleep. But the thing is, Dr. Harriton isn’t just another after-school activity; it’s something I actually look forward to. It’s like playing in a championship game, except instead of scoring points, I’m trying to not trip over my own feet in a dance routine.
What have you been doing to prepare?
People don’t realize how much actually goes into it. I thought I’d just show up, crack a few jokes, and call it a day, but nope—there’s choreography, memorizing routines, perfecting my performance, and making sure my stage presence is solid. It’s a whole production. Outside of school, I’m constantly running through my routines, sometimes practicing in front of mirrors, and other times looking ridiculous trying to nail a move in random places like my kitchen. My screen time has definitely gone up from watching videos of myself dancing, trying to figure out where I messed up.
What has been your experience with Dr. Harriton so far, and what are some of your favorite memories?
It’s been insane in the best way possible. The rehearsals are chaotic but hilarious—there’s a lot of laughing, a lot of people messing up, and a lot of moments where you realize just how bad you are at dancing before you start getting better. One of my favorite parts has been seeing everyone’s personalities come out. You see everyone suddenly turn into full-on entertainers, and that’s what makes it so fun. Also, the feeling of finally nailing a routine after struggling with it for weeks—that’s an underrated high.
Why did you decide to participate in Dr. Harriton?
I played basketball all my life—even in high school, the sport was a huge part of who I was. But over time, I started to fall out of love with it. I was forcing myself to be a part of the sport all highschool, constantly going to every single open gym freshman and sophomore year. Junior year and senior year I was lost. After my sophomore year season I didn’t feel the same with the sport. I lost all my confidence and everything I had worked so hard for. I made multiple tries at coming back to basketball, but never had the same love I once had for the game. I was not as passionate about the game as I used to be, and I felt like I needed something new to put my energy into. Dr. Harriton gave me that. It gave me something to be excited about again—a new challenge, a way to push myself, and an opportunity to just have fun and enjoy my senior year in a completely different way. Plus, I’ve always loved the big lights, the spotlight, and putting on a show. There’s something about performing in front of a crowd that just feels right to me. When I walk on that stage, it’s game time—except instead of a basketball in my hands, I’ve got a microphone and (hopefully) some dance moves that won’t make people cringe.
What has participating in Dr. Harriton taught you about Harriton or highschool that would be important to share with younger students?
It’s taught me that high school is all about what you make of it. You can either just go through the motions or actually put yourself out there and experience things that’ll stick with you forever. I’ve learned that no matter what you do, whether it’s sports, theater, or something random like Dr. Harriton, you have to fully commit. When I first started, I didn’t take it that seriously—I thought I could just mess around, wing it, and still keep up. Then I started falling behind with the dances and realized that if I didn’t lock in, I was going to embarrass myself in front of the whole school.
Dr. Harriton takes the same amount of commitment as playing a sport—you have to practice, show up, and put in real effort. And honestly, it’s exhausting. There were times during long, tiring practices when I thought, “Man, I should’ve just tried out for the basketball team instead.” But that’s the thing—you can’t half-heartedly do something like this. You have to go all in. And if you do, it pays off in a way that’s hard to explain. It’s the feeling of stepping onto a stage, seeing the lights hit you, and realizing that, for one night, you get to put on a show that people will remember.
Dr Harriton takes place on February 21st at 6pm in the Harriton Highschool Auditorium, so make sure you buy your tickets now to help raise money for fantastic causes, and to see the show these students have worked so hard for. Go Ram
