13 On 13

I was joined by Mia Cantiello via Zoom from her home in Florida to talk about the evolution of social media, standing desks, and not caring about what people think

Frankie Becerra: How are you?

Mia Cantiello: I’m ok. Hanging in there. How are you?

FB: I’m also hanging in there. It’s been a lot of hanging in there these last couple of years.

MC: Yeah, seriously.

FB: So are you ok with jumping right into this?

MC: Sure.

FB: What’s one way you think you’ve changed since high school?

MC: Umm… I think I care less what people think (laughs).

FB: That’s good, that’s awesome.

MC: Yeah I’d say that’s a big change I guess.

FB: I like to think I’ve gotten there as well.

MC: Yeah

FB: What’s something that you’ve accomplished in the last ten years that you’re proud of?

MC: Hmm, in the last ten years? I’d like to say that I’m proud that I went to college, graduated from college, being that nobody in my family has done that, and then being debt free from college (laughs).

FB: That’s very nice

MC: That was I think a big accomplishment of mine. And then getting a career from it.

FB: That’s awesome, definitely an accomplishment. Now what’s something you hope to accomplish in the next ten years?

MC: Next ten years… I’d like to buy a house or buy my mother a house. I think that would be a big accomplishment.

FB: Absolutely. So what, if anything, do you miss most about high school? And it’s ok if the answer is “nothing”.

MC: (Laughs) I’m gonna say nothing. I don’t think I miss anything about high school. Yeah, I don’t think I miss anything really.

FB: Good for you. Do you think you left high school prepared for the next phase of your life?

MC: Hm, good question.

FB: Thank you.

MC: I want to say yes I think. I mean, I don’t know. In the aspect of like financially like what they prepare you for like life maybe not. Like there’s bills, and this is how you pay them, and all that kind of stuff. But I mean I didn’t leave high school thinking “Oh my god what do I do now?” you know?

FB: Right, that’s good.

MC: Yeah

FB: If you could change one thing about your time in high school knowing what you know now, what would you change, if anything?

MC: Hmm, if I could change one thing… I don’t know… Maybe the people I hang out with (laughs)

FB: Yeah?

MC: No I would. I don’t know.

FB: That’s fair, I’m not gonna ask for names

MC: (laughs) I guess I would’ve saved a little time in my life.

FB: Yeah?

MC: I mean I don’t regret it, but I guess I would change it.

FB: That makes sense. As a member of the class of 2013, do you have any advice for the class of 2023, the current seniors, as they enter this next phase of their lives?

MC: Let’s see… I would say it may appear scary this next part of life, but it’s not scary, and to embrace it.

FB: Nice, I like that. Now speaking of the current seniors, do you think you would rather be a high schooler right now, or in the early 2010s when we were there?

MC: Sorry, give me one second

FB: That’s fine.

MC: (Off-camera) What? Wheels. (Back to Frankie) My boyfriend is building me a desk right now (laughs)

FB: That’s fun

MC: I just sold my desk so I could get one of those standing desks, so he’s trying to build it and wanted to know if I wanted wheels, anyway, sorry (laughs)

FB: No you’re good!

MC: What was the question?

FB: Would rather be a high schooler right now, or in the early 2010s when we were there?

MC: Oh, um I think I would prefer to be a high schooler when we were high schoolers. I think that there’s like too many differences now and a lot more access to like… Like did we have Snapchat? I think it just came out after we left.

FB: I feel like I remember it senior year just starting to pop off.

MC: Yeah so there’s like Snapchat, way more advanced than where we were then. It’s just a lot, you know?

FB: I completely agree. I think the way that social media is for these kids is wild for these kids. I can’t imagine how they deal with it

MC: We had a taste of it but we didn’t like… what there is now is just like oh my god. There are like 18 different platforms where people get like exposed and bullied and all of that.

FB: Right the worst thing we had to deal with was like a mean Facebook status or like a Formspring thing

MC: (Laughs) Right yeah Formspring where everything was anonymous like “Oh no!”

FB: Yeah it’s wild the difference in such a short time how far that kind of stuff has come.

MC: Oh yeah. I feel like it definitely affects the way people will grow up now.

FB: Absolutely. I’m not jealous that we didn’t have that kind of reach back then, you know?

MC: Right

FB: This is our last one. One thing our high school never did was senior quotes. Do you have a quote that you would have used if we ended up doing them?

MC: I don’t know, I don’t think I have a quote. I don’t know if I would have had a quote. I don’t think so honestly. I’m trying to think if there’s anything that sticks out to me right now. How about “It’s never that serious”.

FB: I love that.

MC: Thank you!

FB: Do you have any questions for me before we finish up?

MC: No I don’t think so. But do you miss high school? (laughs)

FB: I don’t think so either.

MC: I’m surprised nobody put a Facebook group to try to do a reunion, but I’m also not shocked.

FB: Yeah me neither, it doesn’t really seem like there’s much of a demand for one right now.

MC: Yeah (laughs) I mean, I don’t know if everyone would’ve wanted to do one. Maybe in like 30 years, there would be interest in it.

FB: Maybe we’ll find out after these interviews go up.

MC: Can I ask who else you’re doing this with?

FB: Yeah I have the list pulled up right here. This is actually only my second interview so far.

MC: Oh really?

FB: So I’m still trying to figure it out. The other people I have, and fingers crossed nobody cancels on me because once I finally got 13 people to agree to this I was like “oh thank god” because I got a lot of “no’s”

MC: Oh really?

FB: Yeah, more than I expected. Yesterday I talked to Alec Budd, and I’m also talking to Fernando Solis, Nadia Kirk, Kristen Ohberg, Robert Rodriguez, Monica Maxino, Diamonté Zarba, Matt Joyce, Victoria Olmo, Alexa Ruscitto, Jess Devaux, and Billy Kirschbaum.

MC: Oh that’s pretty cool. Good lineup.

FB: Thank you, I thought so too.

MC: That’ll be cool, I’m excited to look at it all.

FB: Well Mia thank you so much for your time I appreciate it.

MC: Yeah no problem. Thanks for picking me.

FB: I’ll let you get back to that new desk now.

(This interview has been edited for length and clarity)