Conni Hilston: cat-lover, bibliophile, Junior English teacher

Often called “Chillston” by her students, Teacher Conni Hilston graduated from Wintersville High School in Ohio and attended two Ohio colleges (The Ohio State University and Kent State University) to further her education.

“My advice for college: Don’t stress about knowing exactly what you want to do; stay true to yourself and your interests, and the rest will find you,” she said, hopefully alleviating the fears of some seniors as they prepare for their first foray into the ‘real world’.

One thing students might not know about her, she explained, is that she really enjoys solitude in her time away from school. “[I] prefer to be alone during much of my time outside of school,” she said. “I can often be found alone at home curled up with a good book or movie….blissfully happy.”

I bet lots of people at the moment could agree with that.

Hilston also shares sentiments about exercise that most students (at least those of my physical caliber) could agree with.

“I have a love/hate relationship with physical exercise,” she explained. “I absolutely love the feeling I have when I’ve put in an incredible work out, but I often lack the pre-workout motivation necessary to make it happen.”

When asked about her other hobbies, she responded, “I also love watching documentaries and devouring nonfiction texts. [Additionally,] I recently tried boxing and love it.”

This Junior English teacher is also undeniably a cat person. “I have two tuxedo cats: Finnegan Cornelius Jack Hilston and Fiona Abigail Jasmine Hilston,” she said.

When it comes to books, her favorites are varied (though she lists her absolute favorite genre as nonfiction).

“I have a million favorite books!” she said. “I must admit I have a particular fondness for Tuck Everlasting. No real reason for it; I just remember how sweet the story was and how it made me feel.”

Looking for an English teacher’s recommendations for other good books to read? Look no further.

“Currently,” said Hilston, “I would recommend The Stranger by Albert Camus and From Sleep Unbound by Andree Chedid. They provide vastly different perspectives and challenge the reader’s existing paradigm.”