Mia Alexander, Senior - Interview Conducted by Araddhya Tibrewall
Araddhya: If you suddenly became a master at woodworking, what would you make?
Mia: That’s a really good question. Since I’ve been little, I’ve always been obsessed with princess-style canopy beds with fabric all around them. I feel like I would make that, a really fancy bed. For myself, obviously.
Araddhya: If you were a dictator of a small island nation, what crazy dictator stuff would you do?
Mia: I’m more focused on the antecedent scenario that leads to becoming a dictator. Anyway, I think I would mandate people to learn TikTok dances because it would be funny to see people—regardless of skill level and interest in TikTok—doing the dances. I would enjoy that.
Araddhya: What’s the best and worst piece of advice you have ever received?
Mia: I think the best piece of advice is—it’s hard to put it in words—not trying to focus on taking care of everyone around you at the same time, but to really allow yourself to invest more in yourself and not feel selfish for doing so. The worst piece of advice is the mindset that endless studying is the solution to any academic problem: just work harder. Because a lot of times, that does not really apply at all, and it’s better to ask for help rather than try to wrap your head around something that doesn’t make sense to you.
Araddhya: Here’s a series of quick questions. You’ll be given two things. Indicate your preference.
Greeks or Romans? Greeks because….I mean, this is basic. I think everyone has the Greek mythology phase. I had that when I was a kid, so Greek mythology is nostalgic.
West Coast or East Coast? Easy, West Coast. Obviously we're biased since we’re Californians, but I’m going to college in California. You’re not sending me to New York.
Classical or Jazz? Classical. There’s this Youtube compilation of classical music, “POV: You’re running late to the ball,” and I feel like that’s what classical is. It has the ability to put you in a dramatic mindset, and that’s always fun to play with.
Docs or Word? I don’t know what I think about this. I use Google Docs for everything. I think Word is necessary when writing something professional, like a resume or something for a job. I use Google Slides—and I get made fun of for this—to make memes. I refuse to open Photoshop, so I guess Docs.
Araddhya: What stereotype do you think you completely live up to?
Mia: That’s a good one. It’s hard to say that about yourself; I could say it for any of my friends. I would say I fit into the stereotype of teenage older sisters—don’t want their siblings in their room, don’t want to play with them. My family seems to enjoy calling me an angsty teen, but I don’t think I’m like that the majority of the time. Although when my siblings are annoying me, I’m definitely not hesitant to tell them “Shut up.”