| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | While it's not a specific instance/experience, my most memorable childhood experience is being at my grandparents' house eating chocolate pudding and drinking homemade sun tea. We were always very close with my grandparents and spent a lot of time at their house, especially in the summer as they had a pool. Something about being there was just magical. There was nothing there but love and happiness. It was a very homey place, and every detail I recollect brings a smile to my face. There are very few things I wish for more than to be back at their house as a child again. |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | The immediate family member that I identify closest with would be my mother. Throughout my life we have been very close and share a lot of characteristics. We are both very adventurous, creative and outgoing, but can also be serious and hard working when needed. Even as a child we never argued, and we have always been very understanding of each other. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | The trait that I admire most in someone is honesty; both to one's self and to others. I believe that happiness cannot be achieved unless one is willing and able to speak their mind and tell others truthfully how they feel. I believe that it is extremely important that people do what they feel is right, without fear of criticism from others. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | Sixty percent of my social interactions result in an intense awkward state. But of all of the awkward confrontations I have had, there is one that sticks out. For around nine months I worked at a library as a page. While this is going to sound like an exaggeration I can assure you that it is nothing but the truth. Every single time I saw the manager of the library, which happened about twice a week, we would say "how are you?" to each other at the exact same time. Now this may seem like a small or insignificant occurrence, but when this happens it immediately brings the conversation to a halt and results in an awkward pause where you don't really know whose turn it is to respond. And when something like this happens continually for nearly a year it becomes something much much more than a slightly awkward occurrence. At first I found it really annoying and embarrassing, but over time it just became humorous. I'm not sure whether she ever noticed this or gave it any thought, but for the time I was working there it was all I thought about. I would perform little experiments on her as well. Sometimes I would wait an extra second or two. But then she would do the same thing. Or if I ever decided to just not say it at all, she wouldn't say it either. Things such as that. It was my goal to say "how are you?" to this woman just once before I stopped working there and my hand to god, it never happened. Both the insanely slim odds of something like this happening and how much of an impact such a small thing had on my life leads this to be one of my funniest memories. |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | With a population half the size of New York City and with around 200x more space, New Zealand is my version of a "tropical paradise." This would be the perfect place for me to go to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It is a dream of mine to go here, hike the mountains, explore the vast forests, and walk the coastlines; just be one with nature. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | When/if I have children, I would like to pass on to them the knowledge of how important it is to do what makes you happy. And that if you really want something, you work towards it until you achieve it. Never settle and never let anyone tell you how to live your life. On top of instilling this mindset into my child/children, I would also like build a car with my child(ren) and be able to have that to pass on. Because if they turn out anything like myself, that is one of the most sentimental things I could give them. |
