Many students find second semester of their senior year to be a time to slack off, party hard, and take it easy before entering ‘the real world,’ come graduation in May. Alex McLain, however, maintains a number of prominent roles on Bowdoin’s campus that would leave many wondering how she manages to have any free time. When not in the lab working on her honors project in Biology, she is often attending to ResLife duties as an RA for Brunswick Apartments or teaching pottery classes at the Craft Center, of which she is the head. However, the most unusual and certainly impressive feature on her resumé? Nationally recognized paddling champion. After winning a local race in high school, Alex got hooked on paddling and “couldn’t stop racing.” Having earned titles including New England Champion and East Coast Champion, she’s set her eyes on the title of Olympian next, hoping to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics. Today, taking a break from her intensive year-round training, Alex McLain is stranded at the North Pole with Her Campus.
How do you think your paddling skills would come in handy if stranded at the North Pole?
They would help with fishing; I could fish off my kayak and survive with food. And I could hang out with the seals. I’d also hang out with the whales.
With the imminence of Spring Break, what do you think you would do if forced to spend your senior Spring Break at the North Pole?
To start off, I would probably ride a bunch of polar bears, maybe travel and visit some Inuit people, make some friends. And I would totally make a city out of snow and invite my penguin friends there. Shoot, there aren’t any penguins on the North Pole…
What is your greatest fear, and what would you do if faced with it at the North Pole?
I guess I would be scared of freezing because it’s pretty cold there. I’d prefer warmer climates. But to keep from freezing I’d probably snuggle up with some polar bears.
If you could be stranded with one friend, one professor, and one celebrity on the North Pole, whom would you choose and why?
I’d probably make Coleen Sweeny come with me because she’d keep me laughing while I was freezing my butt off. The celebrity would be Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. This guy is the best ukulele player in the world, so if I brought him I could have some sweet jams. And he’ll remind me of tropical times because he’s from Hawaii. Then I’d bring Kate Myall, the ResLife secretary, because she’ll keep me organized and on task.
If you could bring one book, one film, and one random object with you to the North Pole, what would you choose and why?
Can it be a magazine instead of a book? I’d bring a surf/ski or kayaking magazine. The movie would be A Knight’s Tale, because it keeps me motivated and has Heath Ledger, so I can look at him. Then I’d bring an extremely warm blanket. Can I bring an entire closet? Actually, a wardrobe filled with warm clothing, that would be better.