Coming to Amherst was a little bit discombobulating at first. I went to a small, all-girls school with my twin sister for middle school and high school and basically, the people at that school were my whole world (sad I know!) and to them my sister and I were "the Shea twins," "Shea girls," "Sheas," or "the bopsies" (the last one's a long story). So, not being one of a pair for the first time in my life caused a little bit of an identity crisis at first. I had to learn some new things: to talk about myself in the singular instead of the plural, to know I was making a fool of myself in front of people without my sister telling me and to get myself to do work without her ordering me to do it. ... She was always a little bit more studious. But I think I've learned to bumble my way around and I love it here.
I heard your sister plays field hockey for Williams and scored the winning goal against us. Does that affect your relationship with her?
All connections between us were severed after the Williams game. I have not talked to her in weeks. No, nothing has changed between us. However, I was so upset after the game that she apologized to me for scoring-well, sort of. She was always "the sweeter one." I did get some satisfaction from the game because my parents were definitely cheering harder for Amherst. They say they weren't, but I know they were and they admit that my team played better. Also, Susan told me I had her coach fuming on the sidelines whenever I beat one of their players during the game. Apparently her team calls me the "psycho twin" now. Hmm …
How did you stop believing in Santa Claus?
Sadly, I don't remember ever really believing in Santa Claus. I tried to but my mother was always adamant that he did not exist. It makes sense-we are Jewish. The tooth fairy was the equivalent of Santa Claus in our house, and to even suggest that there is no tooth fairy is blasphemy in my house.
Do you have a favorite animal? What is it and why?
No, not really. I can tell you my least favorite though-squirrels, especially the mutated breed of them that lives on a small island in a lake in upstate New York where I went to summer camp. They used to eat through our tins and steal all our food, our flashlights, our walkmen and our makeup (well, not my makeup, I didn't bring makeup to summer camp but for those who did).
What are your favorite movies?
My favorite movie is "You've Got Mail," but, honestly it has been for years and it might be time to change. Still in my opinion, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks make that movie transcend the romantic comedy genre. They are magical. Watch the scene where Tom Hanks is telling Meg to "Go to the mattresses" and you'll see what I mean. Or maybe you won't, I really am no film buff and don't know what I am talking about.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what would be three things you couldn't live without?
Peanut butter, peanut butter and peanut butter! OK, this is a little bit of an exaggeration-maybe I would subtract one of those peanut butters and bring my iPod instead. Well, probably not. Ask anyone on the field hockey team or [anyone] who has ever eaten with me at Val and they will confirm that since coming to college I cannot go more than one meal without eating some form of peanut butter.
What do you enjoy most about being home (as in not at college)?
I enjoy making fun of my little brother, but he's kind of hard for me to make fun of now that he is eight or nine inches taller than me. Probably time to stop calling him my "little brother."
If you could have dinner with any celebrity, living or dead, who would it be and why?
I think, Julius Caesar even though we wouldn't understand each other. Six years of Latin did not exactly make me proficient. But, I would like to see if he looked the part of a legend or if he just looked normal like the rest of us.
What do you think of the Amherst party scene, if anything?
It's better than the one at Williams.