Name: Drew Goins
Year: 2016
Hometown: Matthews, N.C.
Major: Journalism (reporting) and Hispanic Linguistics
Relationship Status: Single
Favorite Yopo flavor: Thin Mint with brownie bites
Favorite Study Spot: Graham Memorial in the winter, the Arboretum in the spring
Favorite Book: A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving
Biggest Fear: Disappointing a friend; close second – JOMC 340 exams
Fun Fact: When QuizUp was popular, I changed my home country, and I was the top contestant in all of Monaco in, like, nine categories.
Biggest Turn-Ons: A great sense of humor, someone who really likes to engage intellectually, adventurousness.
Biggest Turn-Offs: Being too uptight, using Comic Sans.
Perfect Date: Start with a cool, unorthodox activity – like going on a hot air balloon ride or scuba diving, for example – then go out to a fancy restaurant for dinner. Come home and make dessert together, then end low-key watching some quality Netflix on the couch.
Motto: This year, it’s been a lot of “Due tomorrow, do tomorrow.”
If you could find the time, it’s definitely worth your while to get to know Drew Goins. I stupidly waited until this, my very last, semester to do so and I regret it every day because Drew is one of the most energetic people I know, seeing him around campus never fails to put a smile on my face (it’s true, I don’t just love clichés or something). Drew is as hilarious as he is talented and is always down for an adventure.
Aside from his bright disposition, Drew is impressively involved on this campus. Drew is so creative, which is one of the best things about him. He is a staff writer for the DTH Diversions desk, a member of Chamber Singers, and is on the executive board of Pauper Players—he’s busy this semester executive producing the musical Avenue Q. In fact, you may have recently seen Drew starring as Hinton James and Peeta Mellark in Broadway Melodies. If you missed it, a) shame on you, and b) the videos can be found here and here. Fun fact: I’m the one playing Haymitch.
Drew is also an Admissions Ambassador and considers his job as a representative of Carolina an honor. Drew loves the Carolina community and maintains “The Carolina Way’s not just in the brochures.” I honestly can’t think of anyone more suited to the task of sharing the school we love with prospective Tar Heels. In the few spare moments Drew has left after all of his other responsibilities, he participates in RUF and volunteers with his church’s youth group as a middle school adviser. He also plays intramural wallyball (and apparently never sleeps).
Drew is also extremely passionate; you can see it in his performances and you can hear it in his voice when you speak to him. He is most passionate about music and kids and after school is looking to get involved doing service work abroad. The goal is to eventually find his way into a job either editing for a print publication or as a foreign service officer for the State Department—the jury’s still out.
I could talk for days about how grateful for having gotten to know Drew but I’m going to do you a favor and let you find out for yourself. I’ll leave you with this, at the end of the interview I asked Drew about anything else the readers should know. His response: “I make a mean chili, I crush mad hard on anything German, and I have never been able to whistle.” God I love this kid.
All photographs taken, with permission, from Drew’s Facebook.