I was born in Washington, D.C., in the Dupont Circle area and I moved to Maryland when I was pretty young, before I can remember.
Did you do anything interesting over Interterm?
I went to Hong Kong to spend two weeks with my girlfriend, who graduated last year and is working now (in Hong Kong). I visited Macau and had lots of great Japanese food, like sushi. I really like uni, which is sea urchin.
Speaking of fascinating activities, what did you do last summer?
I worked in the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice with people who approve phone wiretaps, the legal kind. As soon as I'd see something on CNN about a terrorist plot broken up, my colleagues would tell me that they'd been following the group of terrorists but couldn't tell me. I didn't have a security clearance so I was just around them, but they're really cool.
You're an economics major here at the College. If you had to choose another department for either a minor or a double-major, what would you choose?
I think I would choose music. I really love every single music class I've taken, especially music history classes. It's really cool to be musically literate, and I recognize famous pieces of music everywhere.
You are involved in Madrigals and Concert Choir. What upcoming performances can the Amherst community look forward to seeing?
I know that the Choral Society and Orchestra are performing Mozart's "Requiem" in the spring, and that's a huge piece of music, which will be great. Other than that, we have our regular spring concerts for both groups.
What types of music do you like to listen to?
It's really strange. The two types of music that I like to listen to are classical music and cheesy, play-at-an-eighth-grade-dance pop music, like the Vengaboys and Aqua.
What is your favorite TV show?
I like the show "The Soup" on E! Network, and I watch "The Daily Show" and every single Redskins football game that they show here. There's this really good new anime that I got into called "Death Note." It's about a college student who finds a notebook in which he can write anyone's name and how they'll die, and cause them to die immediately. It sounds really disturbing, but it's like "24," it's all plot twists and it's a great, well-written show.
What was the last book that you read for your own pleasure? Would you recommend it to others?
Well, one book that is called "The Prize" by Daniel Yergin is about the history of oil and the power struggles that surround oil. It was written in the 1990s, and it was really prescient, predicting all these situations we have right now. I'd recommend it to anyone who has some time on their hands.
What is your favorite food?
There's this dish at Osaka restaurant called Toro tartare, and that's one of my favorite dishes. It's chopped up raw tuna mixed with crunchy stuff and sauces.
What is the strangest food that you have ever tried?
I'd say it was pig's ear. It made me realize that I didn't like the taste of cartilage. I tried it over break for the first time.
If you had to live over one year of your life, which year would you choose?
I think I would live over my freshman year here, because I did so many crazy things that were really fun at the time, like going streaking with the swim team and not being able to find my clothes afterwards. It's just really exciting to do new things like that.
You are now a second-semester senior. What advice do you have for other students?
Try one thing at Amherst that totally freaks you out. I tried diving my freshman year on a whim, and it scared the hell out of me every day that I did it, but it was the most rewarding thing I've ever done.
You are in a committed relationship with a female Amherst graduate. What are the most important qualities to you in a relationship?
The person has to have similar interests. For example, my girlfriend and I were both econ majors and were in the choir together. I think that a good relationship is sort of like an extended friendship-that way there's a lot less drama.
If you were a superhero, what would your superhero name be?
The Hamster, since I used to write for The Hamster. Maybe because I'm small and furry.