15 Minutes with Karl Karcher, 2013 AHS Graduate
By Bailey Bowers
What have you been up to since your graduation from Ada High School?
Well, I finished up my first year at Bluffton University and I’m getting ready to start my second year there. I had a job as a student assistant in the University Tech Center all year and I am currently employed there full-time for the summer. I will be working there again this school year.
Tell us about your field of study. What got you interested in it, and what direction do you see yourself going with it? Do you have an idea of your dream job?
I am currently working towards my degree in Information Technology. My dad was the one that got me interested in working with computers and I’ve been interested in them for my entire life. As of right now, I do not really know where I’m going to go with it after college. There are a lot of possibilities.
What was your favorite class this past year? What made it so great?
Hmmm… I would have to say Object-Oriented Programming. Some of the people who read this are probably pretty surprised. It was the hardest class I took this year, but I learned a lot because of it. So in the end, the difficulty was worth it.
What is your favorite thing about Bluffton? What influenced your decision to go there?
My favorite thing is probably how laid back everything is. All of the professors here (at least the ones that I have had so far) are very understanding and are pretty relaxed. I chose to go to Bluffton because the Information Technology program was good and it was the easiest option for me, in terms of money that is.
Are you in any other organizations or clubs at Bluffton? Are you considering study or travel abroad?
Right now, I’m not involved in any clubs or organizations on campus. I would really like to study abroad for a semester next year. I really don’t know where I want to go yet though. I am currently looking at what my options are. I still have time to decide.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I really don’t have a specific place in mind. I just want to live where the weather stays pretty warm all year round. Especially after how cold this past winter was!
You’re also pretty musically inclined, since you were a four-year member of the Ada High School band and combo band for Varsity Singers. What instruments do you play? Do you have a favorite? Do you still play music now that you’re in college, or has that interest subsided?
I play piano, guitar and drums with drums probably being my favorite. I am not involved in any music related activities on campus, but I still like to play on my own time. My interest in music is never going to go away because music will always be part of my life.
What kinds of music do you like listening to?
For the most part, I listen to a wide range of rock and alternative. I listen to anything from The Beatles to Nirvana to American Authors. Of all of the bands I listen to, Blink-182 is probably my favorite; they always seem to put a smile on my face.
What do you miss the most about high school? Do you have a fondest memory you’d like to share?
That’s a hard question to answer because I have a ton of great memories from high school. There are two that come to mind right now. The first one is when we were decorating for prom our junior year and we set off the fire alarm (laughs). That was an interesting day to say the least. The other memory is when we had our physics day at Cedar Point. I remember riding/playing the Dodge ‘Ems with Mr. Lusk. (laughs even harder) I remember getting into a head-on collision with Mr. Lusk… I had a headache after that. I may have gotten a little competitive…
If you had to give advice to graduating high school seniors who are preparing for college, what would it be?
Learn to love naps, even if they are only for half an hour. They will really help you get through your day if you’re doing nothing but running on fumes. This is especially true for finals week. If you are exhausted, take a short nap.
Do you have a nickname you’d like to share? How did you get it?
I actually don’t have any nicknames… unless you want to count Carl (as in Carl from the viral YouTube video “Llamas with Hats”) as a nickname. Everywhere I go somebody always says, “Cccaaaaarrrrrrlllllll!” I’ve just learned to embrace it.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with the world?
For all students starting their first year of college this year, have fun! You will learn a ton and you will make some of the best friends you will ever have. Good luck!
Great advice! Thanks for talking with us, Karl.
Thanks for the interview, Bailey!
