It's complicated. Two semesters at NEC (New England Conservatory) in Boston and one semester at the University of Texas in Arlington. I was living at home and going to school. It really sucked.
Do you have any regrets about coming to Amherst?
No, I definitely don't. I really think that this is the place for me. I'm very happy with the decision to come. I wish I could be here for more than two years, though.
When was the last time you got enough sleep?
It's really been a few weeks now.
What would you like to do at Amherst if you had all the time in the world?
I'd get into a sport and take film-related classes.
You went to music school and play the cello. Any plans to be a musician?
No, I think I'd like to do something in science. Something in medicine or psychology, the brain. I find that much more interesting. I get tired of the classical music world pretty easily. Classical musicians whine too much. They're too difficult.
What are your plans after graduation?
I'm trying not to think about that right now.
What was it like growing up in Texas?
My dad is Danish and he was afraid his children would become "hicks." So I got to do Texas things, like play baseball and go hunting-I got a shotgun when I was 10 years old-but I also had to ride horseback English style, do hunter/jumper lessons, play bridge, learn about fancy foods. And I guess cello was part of that.
You got a gun when you were 10 years old?
Yeah. And I shot my first quail at 40 yards. Dad was very proud.
You also lived in Denmark for a year?
Yeah, I left when I was 14. I went to school there, learned Danish and learned how to drink a lot.
At 14?
As a 14-year-old I would sometimes get drunk on Friday and not sober up until class on Monday morning. But it wasn't all drinking. Denmark was beautiful. Lots of bike-riding, soccer-playing, nice beaches.
What do you look forward to about going home?
I basically look forward to seeing my friends from high school, my family, my dogs. My parents have a cool house. I just like being there.
What's the best advice you've ever heard?
Laurence Lesser: "Quit thinking, just do." Weird coming from a brilliant man.