Throughout his four years, Nick Blose has been involved in many school activities. He has had an active role in Activism Club and was the Social Media Advisor for the Young Republicans Club. Blose has also been a player on the varsity volleyball team for all four years. 

Blose plans on continuing his academic and athletic career at Marymount University to study criminal justice. After graduating college, he is going to enlist as an officer in the Army through the ROTC program.

Stinger: Why did you pick criminal justice?

Blose: My dad is a police officer in Emmaus, so that’s been a really big part of it.  Everyone always asked me if I wanted to be a police officer like my dad, and I was always on the fence about it. As I became more educated about it, I realized there are different levels like local, federal and all that. Also through shows, such as Criminal Minds, that’s basically what I want to do.

Stinger: Do you have any advice for incoming freshmen?

Blose: One thing I did my freshman year was I cut people off and changed my friend group, and to this day I regret it. Even if your friends are making bad decisions or things you’re not a big fan of, stick with them because they need that positive influence in their life and try not to hold it against them.  Be the friend you wish you had.

Stinger: What was your favorite class?

Blose: I would say public speaking with Mr. Spiecher. It was super laid back, but it was also one of the most useful classes for me. It taught me a lot of public speaking skills.  Both fun and beneficial. 

Stinger: COVID-19 has led to a very different school year than years passed. How do you feel about how it turned out?

Blose: Honestly I feel like I just got robbed. It’s as simple as that.  I definitely know that the staff and administration tried to make it as special as possible. I’ve been hybrid this whole semester, and there’s little things, like talking to my teachers, that have gotten me through it with a positive attitude.  I definitely have a better connection with my teachers this year due to smaller class sizes in person.  It really is the little things, like the one lunch aid would play bingo with us during lunch. It made what seemed like prison a little less like prison.

Stinger: If you could describe your high school experience in one word, what would it be?

Blose: Adversity, it was a lot of adversity.

Stinger: How do you think you’ve changed since freshman year?

Blose: I’ve definitely become a lot more independent, in school and out of school.  It has matured me.  Freshman year I came in as a little annoying freshman, you know like the rest of them.  It definitely gave me a better outlook on life.  Just things that I had to deal with on my own throughout high school, the teachers aren’t there to hold your hand and your parents aren’t nearly as involved anymore.  You’re basically forced to become independent, which I honestly take as a good thing. 

Stinger: What has been your proudest accomplishment?

Blose: So last summer, before junior year, I started my own business for auto detailing.  I worked at a Mercedes dealership on Lehigh Street, and I did detailing there. I realized I really enjoyed it and decided to try it myself. It actually pays really well, and it’s taught me the whole independence and responsibility thing.  In the past year, it has really blown up. This summer is going to be a crazy summer.

Stinger: What was your favorite part of the Activism Club?

Blose: When we brought in the mock poll booths and that gave seniors the chance to learn how stuff like that worked.  I know a lot of seniors don’t know how to do that stuff, and that was the make or break between getting out and voting.  It was great to see young adults learning stuff that seems easy, but no one really taught it to him.

Stinger: How was your experience with the Young Republicans Club?

Blose: It’s been a really fun year. I was the social media advisor so I’ve been more involved than I was in the past.  To say the least, it definitely was the year to be involved in the club. We never had a day where we didn’t have anything to talk about.  It’s nice, we’ve done some things where we’ve partnered up with the Young Democrats Club for more of a politics educate yourself night.  We’ve done a really good job with reaching out to the community especially during these times. Every couple weeks, we would have a support local business night, and we would go out and eat at a small business or something like that.  We decorated the Emmaus Police Department sidewalk.  Just the little things like that. This whole COVID thing has come down to the little things like that, so whatever we could do we pretty much did to keep that sense of normalcy.