Take a look at Charlotte Blanc (12). What do you see? Most of her peers at Harker see a poised, collected young woman with a mess of freckles and a dancer’s body: someone they’re used to seeing standing at the front of a line of performers at a rally or sinking into her splits on the stage of the Patil Theater. Try looking beyond the surface. Ask her what would it be like to swim the mile and a half from Alcatraz Island to shore, or what inspired her to spontaneously go skiing and clubbing in Austria on New Year’s Eve.

“In theory, my big main ‘thing’ is dance, right? But I’m always trying to challenge myself,” Charlotte said. “This past year, I’ve become happier because I’ve let go [of the idea] that I have to dedicate all my time to one thing.”

Ever since she decided to push her boundaries and broaden her own horizons, Charlotte has dipped her toe in a variety of activities: rock-climbing, boxing, swimming and basketball, to name a few.

“I love trying new things. As cheesy as that sounds, if I’ve never heard about something, I want to try it,” Charlotte said. “I’m always bored with my life, so I try to challenge myself.”

Charlotte’s penchant for new experiences drives her approach to life. Driven, adventurous and brave, she’s not afraid to spontaneously involve herself in something she’s not used to.

“Charlotte’s always willing to try something out with me,” close friend Emily Cheng (12) said. “She has so many things she wants to try out, and she’s so passionate about every single one.”

Not many upperclassmen would jump at the chance to play basketball with the junior varsity team – especially not if their forté was supposed to be dance. Add in the fact that dancers aren’t allowed to participate in sports because of conflicts between rehearsals and practice, and there’s a whole list of reasons why dance and athletics don’t mix.

“I want to enjoy every part of high school. If I didn’t try to participate in a sport, I [knew] I’d leave with that regret,” Charlotte said. “I decided not to take no for an answer and managed to persuade the basketball coaches to allow me to participate. It ended up being such a blast, and I’m proud of myself for pushing for it to happen.”

Charlotte feels that one of the best parts of her “try-everything” mindset is that it enables her to form lots of different, unique relationships.

“What I most remember from my experiences are the relationships I form along the way,” Charlotte said. “I’ve been exposed to a broad array of personalities and backgrounds, [which allows] me to create lasting relationships in the process.”

Charlotte’s ability to cherish each and every one of her relationships and give her undivided attention and energy to every person in her life is something that Rani Sheth (12), who’s been close to Charlotte for over six years, has noticed.

“There are some people that you have an inexplicable connection with. Charlotte is one of those people for me,” Rani said. “Charlotte pours the same amount of energy that she puts into relationships into everything else that she does in life; she truly gives it her all.”

Part of Charlotte’s motivation to constantly push herself in the moment stems from her belief that she’ll wish for her high school years back when she’s older. As a result of growing up without siblings, Charlotte spent a significant portion of her childhood surrounded by adults, whose influence convinced her that her younger years are fleeting.

“[One thing I’ve noticed is] that time moves by without me noticing,” Charlotte said. “Things go by really quickly, and I really don’t want [high school] to be over.”

Though this mindset influences most of Charlotte’s decisions, it’s not something that’s always been with her.

“I used to be so fixated on my plans, [I’d] get really upset when unexpected events came up,” Charlotte said. “One of the biggest changes I’ve undergone as a person is learning to relax more and have fun instead of being so stringent on rules and my expectations.”

Charlotte’s newfound focus on making the most of her time is something that one of her closest friends, Mahika Halepete (12), has noted through her own memories with Charlotte over the years.

“Charlotte is the definition of a free thinker: she [doesn’t] care what other people think, straightforward, creative, bold and enthusiastic,” Mahika said. “She’s someone who lives life in the moment and to the fullest. She has a real zest for life.”