“Loyal, compassionate, and adventurous.” Lior Agmoni says, describing herself in three words while leaning her head back against the hard beige walls of her dorm room at the Boston University Warren Towers. Her white-socked foot taps to the beat of the song “Breezeblocks” by her favorite artist Alt/J. The whir of a fan mixes with the music, creating white noise in the background of a muggy dorm room environment.
Lior Agmoni, born on November 2nd of the year 1999 and now 16 years old, lives in Singapore. Prior to her move four years ago, Lior lived in Tokyo, Japan, where she was born and raised for 12 years. Lior, who misses living in Japan, said “I miss winter. In Singapore, it’s hot all year. Also, I’m more drawn to the culture in Tokyo. I was born there, it’s my nationality and my home.” With a fan pointed straight at her face on this stifling summer night, it is not hard to see why Lior’s favorite season is winter. The humidity in the air makes one’s hair stick to their neck, beads of sweat forming on the faces of people sitting in the cement chamber of clamminess. “I only get to practice skiing in the winter. My family has a place in Niseko, so I do back country skiing their in the winter.” Agmoni says, a smile forming on her face as her mind takes her back to a location far away from the sweltering heat of Boston in July. Lior, whose hobbies include playing soccer year round, watching movies, and talking to friends in her down time, came to Boston University’s Summer Challenge program to meet new people and see if she liked the college. Since she is going into her junior year of high school, Agmoni has started to give college and jobs later in life some major thought. Although she doesn’t know exactly what she wants to have a career in yet, Lior said “I know I’m going to be connected to the finance and business industry somehow. On another note, I do like acting. But I don’t think I’m going to do that for a career, even though I would love to.”
As the night passes by, the moon shining bright and the stars twinkling against a black sheet, Lior Agmoni grows tired. The night is young, her Business and Journalism homework lying in wait of being done. Instead of getting cooler, the heat seems to cling to every molecule in the room, despite a third fan being plugged in and powered onto the highest setting. Agmoni, who is pressed for time, rattles off a list of her favorite things. Favorite food? “Hummus with anything.” Favorite color? “Purple.” Favorite movie? “The Harry Potter Series.” Favorite TV show? “The Vampire Diaries.” With a small smile, Lior tosses her hair into a messy bun and opens her laptop, ready to continue on her current chapter in life by working deep into the night, her white-socked foot tapping away.