Real Girl: Rebecca

Age: 13 Grade: 8 Sign: Taurus

Faves: I love drama, the colour purple, pizza, hanging out with my friends, reading and the seasons of spring and summer. I also love manga, folktales, writing music and listening to it. My fave bands are Rise Against, Alice in Chains, Fresh Karma, Blue Oyster Cult, Nickelback, Jet, Nirvana, the Beatles, 3 Days Grace and Black Sabbath. I also love listening to music with the old-style 'diskmans' and the chunky headphones!

Hobbies: My hobbieas are reading, acting, talking to my buds and music! I play guitar, sax, recorder and I sing.

School and Stuff: I'm in all the bands at school, I'm the lead in the school musical, and I'm in SMS (Students Mentoring Students). In the future I will be in the International Bacheloriate program. For me, school is a place where I can go to socialize and learn more about the way life works. My fave subjects are Art, Drama, and Music.

Personality: My family would say I’m responsible. I think I'm spunky and upbeat, I'm a shoulder to cry on and the person you go to when you need cheering up or advice. And, according to my friends, really enthusiastic!

Life Challenge: A few years ago when I was about 10, my mom was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a disease that affects the nervous system. It was a difficult thing to go through and I was really, really scared. I had done MS read-a-thons and saw movies of people who had MS and it was scary to see them and think that's what would happen to my mom. I was mad that she got this disease because that stuff happens to other people and you just don’t expect it to happen you. I got over being mad pretty quick and started to deal with it. It's been pretty much the same since back then, except that I make meals more often and babysit my little brother and sister after school every day for 3 hours to help out. My dad is more busy becasue he takes my mom to doctor appointments. My little sister and brother didn't really get it back then but now they understand. My relationship with my mom is pretty close but I don’t get to see her too much because of how busy I am with theatre and my brother and sister have hockey. When we do spend time together we maker the most of it. We've always been a strong family and this is keeping us stronger. My message to other girls who ahve to deal with something like this is, when a loved one (like a family member or a friend) get really sick it's really important to give them lots of love and support. Even though it makes you hurt inside, they probably are just as scared as you are or more. Be real, be yourself and don’t lose sight of the big picture.

Proud of: I'm proud of my little sister playing on a rep. hockey team which is a level above her age group, and of my brother for making the playoffs. I’m also proud of myself for scheduling the intramurals and assemblies at my school!

So Rebecca: ALWAYS having gum and a book, never wearing makeup, having the coolest and most original earrings ('cause I make 'em myself!), always staying up late, pretty much never wearing anything other than jeans, saying “that’s so strange” a lot and wearing black nail polish are sooooo me!

Cool fact about Rebecca: I kayak and race competitively in regattas and the like. I haven't traveled much but would like to go to Europe and Asia sometime.

Future: I want to try and go into a profession that deals with children, music or theatre... or all three!

Pet Peeves: I hate when people step on the backs of your shoes, eat noisily, bully or whine. *grawr!*

Photography by Gillian Gillespe
Rebecca’s cover photography by Gillian Gillespe
Hair and Makeup by Angela Gina Pirrera, Melissa Villa, Stephanie Senater, Julia Hofer, Daniella Villa

Comment

Myra

Hey Rebecca!! I had no idea that you did this but now I shall have to go out and buy like 17 copies so I can look at your face on a magazine (!!!) all day :D you look absolutely beautiful! Love you buddy - see you at theatre!

Rebecca

aw, love you guys!

the short one

LOL!!! you seem like a very awesome person i would like to meet you..ur soo cool but a little strange...in a good way :) wow you play the guitar, sax and RECORDER you are the coolest person in the world!!!!!! :D

Deena, 15 California

u sound like someone i would hang out with. i lov the same bands too! sorry to hear about ur mom ur kid brother and sister r so lucky to have u. stay strong, Dee <3

Alto

Nice one :P

Anonymous

Great article!