Orchestra director Tom Chen shares

the differences in his experience at CHS as a student

Q: What were things you could do when you were in high school that students cannot do now?

A: There was a time when our campus was open and we could go outside to walk to classes or for lunch. They stopped allowing it sometime when I was in high school. I think it’s way safer as it is now. But the halls were less congested.

Q: What was your favorite part of Houndstock?

A: My favorite part was seeing the faculty band. But all the student bands were good too and there were a lot of different kinds of music played. Some were cover bands, some were punk, some were screamo. I was in a band that had a string quartet in it and we played songs like “Viva la Vida” and “Bittersweet Symphony.”

Q: Is there anything that was just better when you were in high school?

A: The spicy chicken sandwiches were way better. I remember the cafeteria having them like everyday because so many people liked them. They had so much more depth of flavor and they weren’t soggy like the ones they have now.

Q: Is there any inspiring person who was here when you were here that you especially enjoyed?

A: Yes, there was a really awesome, cool guy named Mr. Chen.