Ever wonder what it’s like to always have creative energy and intellience flowing throughout your body? Or wanted to try modeling? What about lab research? Or just want to meet a wonderful human who will take the time to truly get to know you and lend a hand to anyone in need? Talk to Aoife as she is all of those and more!
Major: Psychology
Minor: Neuroscience
Year: Senior
Hometown: Galway, Ireland
Campus involvement: President of Psi Chi and Teaching Assistant for Research Methods I
You have been doing a lot of research work at Harvard recently, what is your favorite part of gaining that experience?
It’s just incredible and just being in that environment with all the brilliant people and they all have these creative, wonderful ideas and a plethora of different concentrations. It’s great to kind of feed off of each other with these academic and creative ideas and everyone comes from different backgrounds. There are people from all different schools and it just keeps things interesting.
Do you have any goals for after graduation?
Oh, god! Everything is up in the air. Either continue to work at Harvard for another year to gain more lab experience and then ultimately applying to grad school or move to California and do the same thing there. Move to Canada and work in a mental hospital or move to New York and model for another year (and make money for grad school there).
You have professional experience as a model. What is your favorite aspect of the career? Is there anything you wish was different?
I think it’s very creative, and it’s the creative energy that I look for. I only started doing it when I stopped doing competitive Irish dancing and I needed something to channel that creative part of me into. It came along spontaneously and I went with it and I’ve had really positive experiences with it so far. I’ve been really lucky. Would I change anything about it? If you get a job, you don’t get the check for at least 2 more months after that. I feel badly for those who are single moms and those who it is their only source of income, and it’s not just my agency it’s like that everywhere.
Who is your biggest role model?
My parents because I wouldn’t say one or the other. They both came from nothing; their second language is English and they moved from the farms of Ireland. They moved here for a better life and they worked for everything that they have and that’s just really inspiring to me.
If you could make 3 wishes right now, what would they be?
That my experience with Harvard will get me accepted into their PhD program. That Donald Trump would not be our president. And… hmm… that there was a piece of cake in front me right now.
What’s your favorite color?
Black, is that bad? Just black.
How did you spend your last spring break?
I visited my very best friend Leah in Florida. I met interesting guests on the plane rides there and back, I think you know her. Her name is Grace*, she’s the cute girl with sass. And then on the flight back Nick Lantych.
*Much sarcasm as Grace was sitting next to us
Do/Did you have any pets? What are their names, if so?
I had a black lab named Lady. A shih tzu named Scruffy. A miniature poodle named Cocoa. I’m on the market if any dogs are out there reading this, hit a girl up.
What is your favorite thing to binge watch on Netflix?
Skins and Lie to Me, which is based off a true person who is kind of like a human lie detector.
What is your favorite Irish slang term?
Craic! You knew I was going to say that. I just need to watch when I say it in public places.
What is your favorite part about Ireland?
It’s very stereotypical but the people are really as friendly over there as you would think. It’s weird if you don’t say hi to someone you see on the street. It’s very diverse and beautiful over there.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you want to be?
Spain, I studied art history there in high school and it is so beautiful and amazing there. I would move there in a heartbeat.