Senior Alex Boeke is not your average Prom Court member. He is a self-described “cynical misanthrope with a romantic side.” (That refers to romanticism, “not necessarily girls.”) Boeke is not commonly described as a social butterfly, nor does he want to be labeled as one. He is not a sports star either, although he does enjoy playing Ultimate Frisbee. In fact, his activities lean towards the more nerdy side of the spectrum. For example, he participates in Science Olympiad, Debate Club, Philosophy Club, Art Club (back when it still existed), and “extensive StarCraft playing.” “I wouldn’t have even gone to prom if I wasn’t on prom court,” Boeke said. “I’d be at 24 hours of gaming.” No one was more surprised than Boeke himself when Prom Court was announced. “I didn’t terribly want to be on court, but I didn’t terribly mind it,” Boeke said. “It flattered my ego a lot, but I disliked jumping through all the hoops. It’s just that I don’t like taking pictures, going places, or being around people.” After being chosen for Prom Court, Boeke’s popularity shot up almost overnight. “Junior boys gathered around and giggled when I winked at them,” he said. Boeke also got quite a few requests for Steampunk fashion tips, which isn’t surprising because he showed up to Prom in a striking Steampunk outfit, consisting of a black tailcoat draped over a deep iridescent green vest with floral print and cast pewter buttons in the shape of gears. His outfit was completed by a white cravat, a four-foot piece of cloth wrapped three times around his neck. “I really do enjoy getting fancy,” Boeke explained. Prom itself was “pretty good,” in Boeke’s opinion. He “ate good food and hung out with good people.” “Prom ranks just below the best memories of high school,” Boeke said. “It ranks somewhere at the top of the mediocre stack.” However, Boeke does have a few criticisms about the experience. “The music was some of the worst I’ve ever heard,” Boeke said. “Also, I was disturbed by the behavior of some of our fellow students, especially the chin biting. It was like the beginning of a snake trying to swallow an egg. It was horrific.” When asked if he was bitter about not getting chosen for Prom King, Boeke replied, “Not at all.” “I would have been amused if I had gotten King,” he said. “I am very excited that Nathan was chosen.” Boeke’s life certainly does not revolve around popularity contests. He has more interesting things to do, such as “messing around with electronics.” Boeke has made strobe lights in the past and is considering making something into a laser light show rig, and he also builds various things for his Science Olympiad events. In his spare time, Boeke surfs the Internet, watches some TV and reads. He reads mostly science fiction and also some alternate history (stories set in a world where significant changes in history have led to a whole different future). Boeke also loves the outdoors and camps frequently. The years of high school have been a chaotic time for Boeke, though he has enjoyed them. “It’s just that my life has always been changing through high school, both regarding perspective and people,” Boeke said. “I don’t miss who I used to be, I miss how I used to live.” Boeke has big plans for the future. His life goal is to “develop super powers and rule the world.” “I’m pretty sure when the genetically-modified radioactive whatever bites me, it’ll work out,” he said. If that fails to happen, Boeke’s back-up plan is to major in Physics in college and possibly minor in Philosophy or German. He would like to get a job doing some sort of design work. Boeke wants to major in Physics, as opposed to engineering, because he can’t stand not knowing where formulas come from. “Quantum mechanics is my nemesis — I’ll understand it before I die,” he said. Although he’s excited about the future, Boeke will miss his days of high school. “I’ll miss the people most,” Boeke said. “Plus I’ve grown just a little attached to the monotonous sea of tan here.”