did i mention i was at their graduation last week? i may have forgotten to mention that.
both looking for jobs/internships: anna in museum education or historical archives (she did an internship designing historical tours in boston last summer) and eva in computer science/non-governmental organization in india (speaks hindustani).
you know, just in case you know of someone looking for a super smart super rad recent grad.
What do you want to get done this year?
A: This year I want to be first and foremost happy with my myself and my life. I have spent the past twenty-two years being overly self-critical. I think it’s time for me to be more zen about everything and more devoted to spontaneous fun in the form of road trips and horchatas. This year, I want to land a job (that doesn’t actively destroy the world and one that I could actually be content doing), practice my beautiful saxophone again, smile more often, restart shooting with my manual camera, as well as work on some mixed media projects.
E: At the beginning of last week I attended my own graduation—jam packed on the lawn of Columbia University campus—and at the end I attended the graduation of the kids who started at my high school the year I left—a tiny ceremony in a reception hall in the mountains. At my graduation I said goodbye to a lot of dear friends, and at Walden’s I said hello again. It was a jolting and inspiring reminder, settling into the back row with two people who were among my closest friends 4 years ago, that we had each managed to create full and independent lives apart without losing the ability to launch headlong into the heartfelt gossip and teasing that filled up our lunch and after school hours in high school. In the next year I want to complete the transformation from college me to whatever’s next without forgetting the best 90s and early 2000s music videos, outrageous stories and obnoxious inside jokes that kept us together on weekend nights for the last 4 years.
What inspires you?
A: Right now, I feel inspired by the beautiful weather outside my brother’s window in Brooklyn. I’m living amongst the trees. I also feel inspired by the love I felt from my friends and family over this past week. Personally, I struggle with times of immense change and find that the only redeeming quality of these overwhelming moments is hearing that other people have faith in me and my abilities. I am also inspired by less profound things including my fav wedges from Provo’s Target (I think I’ve finally mastered the art of walking gracefully in wedges), by knowing that everyone I love is just a phone call away, and by the new red lipstick I bought yesterday as a treat for completing my first official job interview (pray for me!). Above all, I’m inspired by the fact that I can move anywhere and do just about anything with my life this year.
E: Britney Spears, and her music. I’ve been a fan since I was seven and memorized every word to Dear Diary. That’s almost 15 years that I’ve been making my way through life inspired by her wisdom and shamelessness. I’ve always identified with her unabashed trashiness, the hint of narcissism in her lyrics, her weight fluctuations, and public meltdowns. Unlike her beautiful blond colleagues, Britney never seems to get noticed in gossip magazines for the elegant way in which she is sporting her “baby bump,” or up-do, or semi-famous boy toy. And yet, post-meltdown, her songs have progressed from regretful of her privileged but lonely place in the world (Lucky, Oops I Did It Again) to actively inviting and enjoying the voyeuristic gaze of the paparazzi, and of America.
A: I am pointedly anti-pants. I don’t like the way they look or feel, so I find myself wearing lots of tights. In these past few years, I believe I’ve become quite the connoisseur of this alt form of leg wear. I’m fearful of colorful tights or ones with wild prints, although I admire all who bravely sport them. Personally, I’m all about the black, lacey, flowery tight. It works for all occasions and just about all outfits. I will continue to wear them or long skirts until my legs get a solid base coat of bronze.
E: I like a good pair of tights as much as the next girl, and I’m definitely enjoying the fur coat I’ve been sporting since the inauguration of finals season, but my very favorite leg wear would have to be either my house pants--over-sized mom jeans with paint splattered all over the thighs--which, truth be told, I sometimes also wear out of the house, or borrowed sweat pants. Somehow the ones I buy never fit quite right, but my friends seem to have a knack for picking them out, and I have a knack for innocently borrowing them and forgetting to return them for a couple of weeks.
 |
| sophomore year |
Are you in a tight place? If so, what are you trying to do about it?
A: As a recent grad, I can say with certainty that I’m in a really tight place. The job market is tough, especially for a lady trying to break into the museum world. I am cursed with a passion for early American history! I also can’t decide whether to live Utah or DC, West Coast or East Coast. But don’t worry about me too much, I’m doing a lot about it these big decisions. I’ve been compulsively applying to jobs and getting in touch with all sorts of people. Sometimes the hunt is exhilarating, but at other times devastating. This summer, I’ve also promised myself to re-learn the art of relaxing. I plan on attempting to restore my soul through gardening, positive affirmations, and lots of napping in the sun.
E: Every congratulations, and every bit of advice I’ve received on graduating has been prefaced explicitly, or uttered with the subtext of, “In this economy…” A week before classes ended, myself and all of my classmates who were unlucky enough to have to take out loans for our college education filed down to the basement of the student center to sign the papers assuring our lenders that we would not change our names or identities, or flee the country, without first notifying them in writing. Where once there were the kindly advisers and administration sitting in the offices of ivy-covered Milbank Hall, now there is a faceless corporate body and things called “credit score” and “capitalized interest” directing my life. It’s difficult not to feel resentful. I’ve considered faking my own death and fleeing the country, but I think in the end what I’ll end up doing about it is approximately what I did to get here in the first place—complaining a lot, failing to process the meaning of numbers above 3 digits, and remembering occasionally to be grateful for the opportunities I continue to have, stress-inducing though they may be.
A: As a recent grad, I can say with certainty that I’m in a really tight place. The job market is tough, especially for a lady trying to break into the museum world. I am cursed with a passion for early American history! I also can’t decide whether to live Utah or DC, West Coast or East Coast. But don’t worry about me too much, I’m doing a lot about it these big decisions. I’ve been compulsively applying to jobs and getting in touch with all sorts of people. Sometimes the hunt is exhilarating, but at other times devastating. This summer, I’ve also promised myself to re-learn the art of relaxing. I plan on attempting to restore my soul through gardening, positive affirmations, and lots of napping in the sun.
E: Every congratulations, and every bit of advice I’ve received on graduating has been prefaced explicitly, or uttered with the subtext of, “In this economy…” A week before classes ended, myself and all of my classmates who were unlucky enough to have to take out loans for our college education filed down to the basement of the student center to sign the papers assuring our lenders that we would not change our names or identities, or flee the country, without first notifying them in writing. Where once there were the kindly advisers and administration sitting in the offices of ivy-covered Milbank Hall, now there is a faceless corporate body and things called “credit score” and “capitalized interest” directing my life. It’s difficult not to feel resentful. I’ve considered faking my own death and fleeing the country, but I think in the end what I’ll end up doing about it is approximately what I did to get here in the first place—complaining a lot, failing to process the meaning of numbers above 3 digits, and remembering occasionally to be grateful for the opportunities I continue to have, stress-inducing though they may be.
 |
| frosh |
What do you want to get done this year?
A: This year I want to be first and foremost happy with my myself and my life. I have spent the past twenty-two years being overly self-critical. I think it’s time for me to be more zen about everything and more devoted to spontaneous fun in the form of road trips and horchatas. This year, I want to land a job (that doesn’t actively destroy the world and one that I could actually be content doing), practice my beautiful saxophone again, smile more often, restart shooting with my manual camera, as well as work on some mixed media projects.
E: At the beginning of last week I attended my own graduation—jam packed on the lawn of Columbia University campus—and at the end I attended the graduation of the kids who started at my high school the year I left—a tiny ceremony in a reception hall in the mountains. At my graduation I said goodbye to a lot of dear friends, and at Walden’s I said hello again. It was a jolting and inspiring reminder, settling into the back row with two people who were among my closest friends 4 years ago, that we had each managed to create full and independent lives apart without losing the ability to launch headlong into the heartfelt gossip and teasing that filled up our lunch and after school hours in high school. In the next year I want to complete the transformation from college me to whatever’s next without forgetting the best 90s and early 2000s music videos, outrageous stories and obnoxious inside jokes that kept us together on weekend nights for the last 4 years.
 |
| senior year--spring break in utah |
A: Right now, I feel inspired by the beautiful weather outside my brother’s window in Brooklyn. I’m living amongst the trees. I also feel inspired by the love I felt from my friends and family over this past week. Personally, I struggle with times of immense change and find that the only redeeming quality of these overwhelming moments is hearing that other people have faith in me and my abilities. I am also inspired by less profound things including my fav wedges from Provo’s Target (I think I’ve finally mastered the art of walking gracefully in wedges), by knowing that everyone I love is just a phone call away, and by the new red lipstick I bought yesterday as a treat for completing my first official job interview (pray for me!). Above all, I’m inspired by the fact that I can move anywhere and do just about anything with my life this year.
E: Britney Spears, and her music. I’ve been a fan since I was seven and memorized every word to Dear Diary. That’s almost 15 years that I’ve been making my way through life inspired by her wisdom and shamelessness. I’ve always identified with her unabashed trashiness, the hint of narcissism in her lyrics, her weight fluctuations, and public meltdowns. Unlike her beautiful blond colleagues, Britney never seems to get noticed in gossip magazines for the elegant way in which she is sporting her “baby bump,” or up-do, or semi-famous boy toy. And yet, post-meltdown, her songs have progressed from regretful of her privileged but lonely place in the world (Lucky, Oops I Did It Again) to actively inviting and enjoying the voyeuristic gaze of the paparazzi, and of America.
 |
| junior year--halloween--dressed as salt n' pepa |
What is your favorite leg wear?
A: I am pointedly anti-pants. I don’t like the way they look or feel, so I find myself wearing lots of tights. In these past few years, I believe I’ve become quite the connoisseur of this alt form of leg wear. I’m fearful of colorful tights or ones with wild prints, although I admire all who bravely sport them. Personally, I’m all about the black, lacey, flowery tight. It works for all occasions and just about all outfits. I will continue to wear them or long skirts until my legs get a solid base coat of bronze.
E: I like a good pair of tights as much as the next girl, and I’m definitely enjoying the fur coat I’ve been sporting since the inauguration of finals season, but my very favorite leg wear would have to be either my house pants--over-sized mom jeans with paint splattered all over the thighs--which, truth be told, I sometimes also wear out of the house, or borrowed sweat pants. Somehow the ones I buy never fit quite right, but my friends seem to have a knack for picking them out, and I have a knack for innocently borrowing them and forgetting to return them for a couple of weeks.
Ooh, I love that Eva shares my love of Britney Spears. I was just dancing to "Hit Me Baby One More Time" this morning in my apt before leaving for work. Best of luck to you, Eva and Anna! I can't imagine the world won't soon discover you both in the "best of Britney Spears" sort of way.
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