Nadia Hopkins
What is a favorite memory from your time at Meridian?
My favorite memory from Meridian was in Junior year when we were learning about the Vietnam War. We ended the trimester reading the book "Nothing Ever Dies," by Viet Thanh Nguyen, and created a collaborative, multi-medium artistic expression of the ideas in the book. We spent maybe 3 or 4 class periods cutting newspapers, painting, writing quotes, and the final result was a culmination of so many ideas on a huge piece of paper.
What will you miss the most after you leave Meridian?
I will miss all the ways I've felt really connected to students who I normally wouldn't meet, including all the great memories and all the things I've learned from PAA, and getting to be a part of MAPS and get to know younger students.
What is a parting thought you have for younger students? Words of wisdom?
Josh will give you chocolate if you ask (and if you like dark chocolate). Also, you are so lucky to have so many different people here who recognize the impact you have on the community.
Quotes from Nadia’s peers:
Every day, Nadia reminds me to be my best self, the stand up for what I believe in, and make sure to laugh. She is an amazing actor, director, and leader, and someone I'm proud to call my friend.
Whether a leader is needed for directing a play, working with younger kids, or brainstorming senior pranks, Nadia steps up to the challenge. She is a natural leader, able to take charge of a situation and adapt if necessary.
Nadia's intensely relatable humor and strong sense of student solidarity make her a source of relief whenever school is stressful. She takes acting very seriously and pursues it with a level of effort and discipline shocking for a high school student.
Nadia, oh boy. I have a lot of good memories of us getting into trouble or being mischievous. Nadia is my partner in crime. It still amazes me how much we have grown since the first day of school in 8th grade.
Nadia may be one of the funniest people I know, and I think it is because of her honesty. To act is to make a world outside oneself true; Nadia understands how to be perfectly honest about these worlds and thus make them true. She is witty, smart, self-aware, and wise, and a lot of fun to be around.
Nadia is a wonderful actor, director and student. She works hard in her classes and always produces thoughtful work. But I spent most of my time with her in PAA, where she really showed her passion. She was always motivated and cared for what she was doing. For the few months she directed Blood Relations I cannot express how impressed I was with her ability to lead and get in touch with her actors and the scene. It was an amazing experience to be a part of that play, even if we didn't get to perform.
Nadia, you are such an amazing actor. You're empathetic, charismatic, and confident, and you know how to carry a character. You are also a sweet and caring person, but aren't afraid to be honest. You're always up for an adventure, and I wish we had time for more. You're really fun to bake with, especially when I can dare you to eat a spoonful of cocoa powder or vanilla extract and you'll do it. You're going to find friends so quickly at college, and don't forget to mention us in your award speech!
Nadia inspires me all the time to advocate for myself and what I believe in, to persevere, pursue goals, and confront challenges, and to not take life too seriously. She is so kind, thoughtful, funny, and creative, and strong, and I’m literally overflowing with excitement to see what amazing things she does next!
