Do you feel like finals week in college is underrated or overrated?

I think it’s overrated. Maybe that’s because I’m taking 2 science classes this semester. Last semester I was taking a bunch of math and science classes and I was stressed, but I feel like people freak out because they haven’t prepared throughout the semester, so it’s kind of their fault. So I don’t feel bad for them.

What’s the most annoying thing that can happen during a test period for you?

Probably the person sitting next to me chewing gum with their mouth open or tapping their pencil. Ugh. Because then I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m not really bothered by professors, it’s just when I’m sitting next to someone and they do something.

What kind of music do you listen to when you study?
 
It depends on what I’m doing. The music has to be pretty chill for me to be able to concentrate. I love music, so I always want to sing along to whatever it is. I feel like it has to be something that I don’t know very well, or it has to be at a very low volume so it doesn’t distract me. If not, then I have to turn it off. If I’m reading, then I can’t listen to music, but if I’m just studying information, then I can.

What do you think is the best kind of music for studying?
 
Music without lyrics.

So you’re vegan, what are some of the top reasons to live that lifestyle?

For starters, it’s so good for you! A misconception is that you don’t get enough protein when you cut meat out of your diet, but there are a lot of vegan proteins as well as supplements like nuts and beans. The vegan meats that you’ll see people eating have a lot more protein than regular meat.

Initially, it was something I wanted to do in order to be healthier. It’s also really bad because as a marine biology major, I know how bad animal waste and the emissions from animal farms are bad for the environment. A lot of people like to argue with me about veganism, but I think it’s fun!

I even found a vegan community here that I didn’t know existed at first. Everyone’s super nice and supportive. We have vegan potlucks on the weekend. They also like to talk about issues with animals and create petitions which is cool because I love animals. If you look into the way a lot of animals are treated like cows, pigs, and fish, you’ll start to see the reasons why some people are vegan.

What does it mean to you to be a feminist in 2018?

For me, it just about equality. I think everyone reacts to that word and feminism differently just because everyone has such strong opinions. For me, being a feminist is just about wanting equal rights for myself, and I want people to treat me with respect. I want others to understand that I am a person of value just as much as they are.  It’s really about being respected.

Do you feel a responsibility to try to inform or convince people into feminism? Or is it more of a self-thing that you keep to yourself?
 
It is a self-thing, but I do think I should educate people when they ask about it, and I’m going to say what I think is right. If people disagree, that’s okay! I’m not looking for an argument, I just want to be heard. I think that what I think is valid. I’m not going to be in your face about anything. I’m not going to be in your face about my veganism, my feminist views, or whatever else. I just think that what I have to say is important and I think people should listen, but it’s up to them whether they choose to or not. I’m not gonna force you to listen to me.

Why do you think some people, especially men, are so turned off on the idea of being a feminist?

I think men are afraid of women sometimes. A lot of feminists are crazy. Some of them are feminists for the wrong reasons, or maybe they don’t understand the actual definition of the word and what it means. I think that some women take it too far, and I think that they resort to aggressiveness. I also think that happens to anybody when they have strong beliefs. If you generalize an entire group of people that call themselves feminists, then you’re more likely to be turned off by it. You have extremists in every group. Sometimes they ruin it for people. That’s just the kind of backlash that you have to deal with when labeling yourself as anything. But because our society loves labels, you’re kind of pushed into it I guess. I think people are turned off of feminists because of the extremists in the group, but that comes with everything.