By Alexis Dalton
At some point in our lives, whether it was two weeks ago or two years ago, we have all had a crush on someone (don’t lie, I know you have).
When the OnLion newspaper staff sent out the annual Valentine’s Day survey, one responder asked, “Who has senior crushes?” Well, clearly a lot of people, because we were not short on names of the high school’s senior crushes. Out of the 40+ names submitted, the most recurring names were Brennan Lummus, George Izard, and Margaret Hare.
Brennan Lummus
The first Senior Crush that I interviewed was Brennan Lummus. He was surprised that he was one of the three top-voted Senior Crushes. “I didn’t expect it because I’m kinda a nerd,” Brennan told me. “…but that’s ok.”
He remembers having senior crushes himself, but he mostly would just put his siblings’ names in the survey to get them to be chosen.
In his freetime, Brennan likes to play video games, and he’s in tech theater. When asked what his hobbies were he hesitated. “I’m trying to say something that’s not lame,” he said. He ended up circling back to theater.
He runs cross country and used to do track. He might do track again this year, but because he’s doing the musical, he would start the season late.
Brennan has two lap dogs, Buddy and Cooper, and one cat, Watson. “He’s such a little criminal,” he told me. “We moved down the street, but he still thinks that their (the new homeowner’s) house is our house, so he went into their house and bit their child.” Watson also has attacked the neighbor’s dog, so be sure to avoid Brennan’s neighborhood when walking your dog.
His favorite food is the Waffle House patty melt, but he doesn’t have it often.
1917 is his favorite movie. “It’s really good cinematography,” Brennan said. “From the perspective of someone who does theater, the shots are really beautiful.”
Right now he’s been listening to a lot of Green Day. His current favorite song is Too Much Too Soon from the American Idiot album.
I asked him to describe himself in three words, and he immediately said “dweeb.” I had only just met him, but I think the other two words he used, nice and smart, are more fitting.
He’s looking to go to an engineering school like Clemson, Georgia Tech, Auburn, and Huntsville, “where the rocket center is.”
To end the interview, I asked him which famous person he’d most like to go on a date with. Brennan thought for a second and then said Daisy Ridley (Rey in the Star Wars movies).
George Izard
When I asked George Izard, the top-voted Senior Crush of 2022, how it felt to be a senior crush, he laughed and said it was kinda weird. “I remember reading the OnLion as a freshman and some guys I knew were voted the senior crushes and it was so funny.”
In his free time, George, who describes himself as energetic, thoughtful, and optimistic, likes to learn music. He plays the drums in his rock band, plays the piano in the Jazz Band here at Lovett, and recently got an electric guitar for Christmas. However, he isn’t only a music man. He enjoys hunting and fishing with his friends, and in the warmer months with a little more daylight, he plays golf.
I asked George if he remembered the names of any of his past senior crushes. He was taken aback to say the least. “You want me to give you the name of Lovett graduates?!” he laughed. After that, I made sure to not ask the other Senior Crushes for names.
His favorite movie right now is Fight Club. “It’s always different cuz I’m not the kind of guy who likes to watch movies over and over again,” he told me. “So it’s always like whatever movie I’ve just recently watched.” He highly recommends Fight Club because it’s got a “crazy twist.”
As for his favorite song, like his favorite movie, it’s ever-changing. His most recent favorite song is Melissa by The Allman Brothers.
Of course, I had to ask the stereotypical senior question about college. George got in early decision to Virginia.
Lastly, if he could go on a date with one famous person, it would be Matthew McConaughey (you know, the extremely handsome guy who drives the car in the Lincoln Commercials).
“You never said it was a romantic date,” George added.
Margaret Hare
Unlike her fellow elected Senior Crushes, I did not have a face-to-face interview with Margaret. She had her wisdom teeth removed which caused her to be out of school for a week. Usually, I would set up a Zoom call, but I assumed that a video call would not be fun for someone who just had mouth surgery. Though we aren’t supposed to do this, I sent her the questions via email to save her from an unnecessarily painful interview (sorry Mr. Newman).
When Margaret, who describes herself as caring, outgoing, and cheerful, found out she had been voted one of the top Senior Crushes, she too was surprised. “When I received your email I laughed out loud because I just got my wisdom teeth removed,” she said. “My face was so swollen I did not feel like I could be a senior crush.”
When asked if she remembered any of her past senior crushes she said yes and, like many others, her senior crushes “were always football players.”
If she is not at cheer practice, she enjoys spending time with friends by going out to eat, going to workout classes, and going on walks around her neighborhood.
Margaret’s favorite food is nachos from Willy’s, but “they have to have the melted cheese not cheese dip.”
Her favorite movie was easily The Proposal (I don’t blame her… who doesn’t love Ryan Reynolds?), but she couldn’t pinpoint her favorite song. “I cannot listen to one song over and over again… [it] gets old.” But she did mention that she used to have an obsession with Shawn Mendes in middle school.
As for college, she is looking at University of Georgia, University of Alabama, and Texas Christian University.
Last, but not least, if she could go on a date with any celebrity, she would choose Chace Crawford (Nate in Gossip Girl). “I have wanted to meet him since I watched Gossip Girl in seventh grade,” she said.
Now that you’ve gotten to know your Senior Crushes of 2022, it’s up to you to decide whether these seniors are still your “senior crushes.” I mean, if you’re into guys with a criminal pet cat, I doubt your opinions have changed.
