Sophomore year people tend to start focusing more on their majors and social groups and routines solidify.
What's it like learning Japanese? Any advice for future Japanese beginners?
I started Japanese last semester and it is a very hard language to learn. If you stick with it, you'll eventually get it. At least I hope.
I hear you're very talented at Beirut. Care to share the secret to your success?
While I am no expert at Beirut, I suspect that the key to success, like in anything, is practice.
Did you stay at the College during Interterm or head back to Jersey?
I went back to New Jersey for a few weeks, where I worked, hung out with friends and frequented the diners and highways for which Jersey is so renowned. I spent the last two weeks of Interterm hanging out around Amherst.
I hear that one of your best friends from high school goes to school here. What is that like?
It's nice having someone around who knew you before Amherst. When I'm at Amherst, there's someone else who is in touch with what's happening at home. At home, it's easier to keep in touch with what's happening at Amherst, too.
Have you ever caused any of your siblings physical injury?
When I was in elementary school, I was wrestling my younger brother, and he broke his finger.
How long have you been on the Amherst debate team? Do you have any memorable stories from your debate trips?
I started debating at the end of my first semester here. One memorable story was from Johns Hopkins this year. We were housed in a freshman dorm with debaters from another school. A member of the other team ran away and was hiding in random doorways in the dorm, after a night of drinking and wandering through the streets of Baltimore. It was like a Scooby-Doo episode with a bunch of people running around searching and the drunken debater sneaking from doorway to doorway without our noticing.
What's it like living in the Asian Culture House? Do you recommend living in theme houses?
ACH is great. The house projects are interesting and the people are cool. I definitely recommend theme housing.
Do you have a favorite movie or TV show?
I'm a big fan of "The Godfather," "Ghostbusters" and "Wayne's World." My favorite TV show is still "Seinfeld," even though the last episode was eight years ago.
Who is your favorite professor at Amherst so far?
I have had some great professors and the Math and Economics departments. I really enjoyed my class with Professor Starr, who is helpful, clear, friendly and funny.
If you could have any magical or super power, what would it be?
Super strength would be really fun, especially for shock value. How would people react if they saw someone on the street casually lift a car up over their head?