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I was recently scrolling through Substack, a media platform that is a mixture of blogs and video content, looking for recipes as I usually do, and I came across a list of questions. The article headline was “Unboring Questions to Ask Someone”. I thought I would try answering some of them myself.
- What is something you changed your mind about this year? We aren’t very deep into the year yet, so this is kind of a hard question to answer. I would say I changed my mind about not really liking the cold. I’m sure you all became very tired of the snow and biting wind, but I can’t lie I kinda loved it. Sure I complained about it too, but that doesn’t really mean anything. I think the cold has a special quality that makes me feel alive. When I breathe it in I can feel it in my lungs and it reminds me that I am really there experiencing life. One morning this year, it was like 20 degrees out and I genuinely walked to class smiling so brightly because the weather was putting me in a good mood. So that is my confession, I really love the cold (if you heard me complain about the cold, no you didn’t)
- What’s your favorite “struggle meal”? I would not say I am a person that frequently eats “struggle meals,” but, if I had to pick one, it would be grilled cheese. It’s buttery, crunchy, and makes me think of being a little kid. I used to make them frequently when I was home alone in the summer and needed lunch. I like that grilled cheese can be something dressed up or plain (I highly recommend thinly slicing apples and putting them in, maybe with a slight layer of dijon mustard on the bread). Eating it makes me think of cozy nights at home where we would sit around the table with our grilled cheese and tomato soup. It's a nostalgic food; that’s why it's the perfect “struggle meal”.
- Describe your life philosophy in 10 words or less. Have fun. Think deeply. Be intentional. Be kind. Love fully.
- What’s the smallest hill you would die on? I think (or at least I hope) a lot of people would agree with me about this: not using an Oxford comma is criminal. I absolutely loathe when I am reading something and the author doesn’t use an Oxford comma. It just feels inherently wrong to me. This ties into my greater dislike of when people don’t use proper grammar, which really bothers me despite the fact that I also sometimes use improper grammar. I once tried to read a Sally Rooney book, and she famously doesn’t use quotation marks. It was grueling. I think I only finished about 100 pages of the book. Please do not try to change my mind about this; it will never work.
- What’s a decision that completely changed your life? Many of you reading this can probably guess this one, but it was moving to Germany in high school. This experience did more than just help me learn about myself and add a new language to my repertoire, it changed the path my life was on. Before this experience I was dead set on studying Classical Studies in university and becoming a professor. This is still a subject I have great interest in, but it is no longer a driving force in my life. During my time in Germany, I had the opportunity to visit the Bundestag in Berlin on two separate occasions. The first time, I was able to tour the Bundestag, observe the proceedings of the body, and meet with the Bundespraesidentin. The second time, I met in small groups with members of the Bundestag to discuss German politics, the political climate at the time, and legislation that was currently moving through the body. I loved it. When I came back to the US, my exchange program spent time in Washington D.C. meeting with State Department officials and with Congressional members. Again, I loved it. This experience is what made me realize I was interested in politics, and it is what brought me to the McConnell Center. It truly did completely change my life.
- What’s your comfort movie/TV series? I grew up watching crime dramas with my mom. I loved when she would turn on NCIS and Law and Order: SVU. I watched so much NCIS as a kid that one time, when my mom went to D.C. for work, she brought me home a t-shirt with the NCIS logo. Despite this, my favorite show we would watch is Criminal Minds (NCIS was #2). I have seen every episode multiple times, and can probably quote many of the early episodes. I’m not really sure what I specifically love about the show, but I am always happy to watch it over and over again, even if I know exactly what is going to happen in each episode. One channel used to show old episodes all day every few weeks and I would choose it every time as my show for the evening. Criminal Minds is my ultimate comfort show, even with the gore and horror of it, I always feel better after watching it.
- What is your weird family tradition? I can’t really think of a weird family tradition, maybe because I am so used to all of them, but I will tell you some of my favorites. Growing up, after Christmas Eve service and dinner at P.F. Changs, we would go to my grandparents’ condo and my Grandpa would read “The Night Before Christmas.” He was a wonderful reader and I remember those moments with such fondness and warmth. I hope to do this with my family one day. Another Christmas tradition I love is having sweet rolls for breakfast on Christmas morning. My Nanny (great-grandma) used to make every family in my extended family her sweet rolls, so that we could eat them for breakfast on Christmas. They are so good, with perfect almond glaze and the right amount of sweetness. It is now my job to make them for my family on Christmas.
- What are arbitrary rules you have for yourself?
- When I am in the backseat of the car, I sit on the right side.
- I write almost exclusively in blue ink because I once read an article that said it helps with memory.
- I used to eat donuts as my good luck food before a big test (I no longer do this as the donut shop I went to isn’t close, but I swear it worked).
- Never saying no to a little treat.
- What’s your favorite thing in the world? Chocolate. Specifically the Beyond Good 70% Dark Chocolate, but I will eat any chocolate. It’s the best thing ever.
- Do you think more about the past or the future? I am a dreamer. I constantly imagine what the future is gonna look like. Where I am going to live. What job I am going to have. Where I am going to travel. If I will have a family. I love the endless possibility of the future. Unfortunately, I want three billion things all at the same time, but that is kind of the fun of it. There are so many ways my life could work out, and I am excited to find out.