Name: Allyssa Jade Acevedo
Age: 22
Year: Junior
Major: English
Hometown: Dover, NJ
Spirit Animal: A brown pug
Favorite Candy: Almond Joy
Halloween Costume: Witch all the way!
Instagram: @asaunteringsoul
What’s been your journey at Montclair?
So my journey at MSU definitely hasn’t been the easiest, but I accept it as a learning experience and just part of this grand journey called life. I started off at MSU in Fall 2013 as an undeclared student hoping to get into the Musical Theatre program. After a year and a half of taking those classes, for whatever reason, my heart just wasn’t in it anymore. Around that same time I had started to get really interested in fashion and had started my own fashion blog, and decided that I could totally see myself doing something with fashion as a career. I have also loved to write for as long as I can remember, so I declared as a Fashion Studies Major with a minor in Journalism. I did that for another year and a half, and met some of the best friends I have ever had, but ultimately decided that it wasn’t for me, either. My heart just wasn’t in it anymore and I contemplated taking a break from school because I just could not seem to figure my life out or what I wanted. I still loved to write, but that was all I knew. After discussing with family and friends, I decided to stick it out, and I changed my major, FINALLY, to English. I love it so far and I finally feel like I found what I am supposed to be doing.
What’s your best Montclair memory?
My best Montclair memory would have to be having the opportunity to be Editor in Chief of 1908 Magazine, a Fashion Magazine we had on campus for about 3 semesters. Even though it fell through, I met some of the most amazing people through it and had the time of my life making it with them. Some of my best memories are the photo shoots for the magazine. It was such an amazing experience to have all of these creative minds from all different areas come together for one purpose. I will always cherish those days.
What’s your aesthetic?
One interesting thing about me is that I am constantly being inspired by people around me and different experiences, and I change as a result. I love to take what I see and make it my own, in a sense. That being said, my aesthetic right now would have to be a black cozy sweater, reading by a fireplace as my Bon Iver vinyl spins in the background, and evergreen candles burning.
What satisfies your soul?
Writing, 100%. Whenever I am upset or stressed or distraught or lost, I pick up my journal and I spit everything out. When I am happy or feeling inspired, I grab a second journal filled with poetry and I write poems. It doesn’t matter what I’m feeling, writing always makes my soul happy.
What’s something life has taught you and how has it contributed to who you are now?
If life has taught me anything, it would be kindness. If you are kind hearted and caring and genuinely care about others, great things will come to you. All throughout my life I’ve met people who are just miserable and love to insult people and make them feel bad about themselves to bring them down to the level that they’re at, so they aren’t alone in their misery. Those people always seem to be stuck in a rut and I truly believe that if they were to turn things around and just be kind to others, their lives wouldn’t be so tough. So I would say, no matter what, be kind. You never know what someone else is going through and how your kindness could help lift them up.
If you could do anything you wanted in one day with no limitations, what would it be?
I would get in my car, drive to somewhere in upstate NY and hike in the mountains. I love being outdoors so much and it’s always been something I’ve wanted to do, but never found the time or people to do it with.
What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
The most spontaneous thing I’ve ever done is head into the city at 2am with my best friend in February to camp out for The 1975’s pop-up shop. It was so crazy because we had no idea what it would be like or how many people would be waiting there, but we felt that we NEEDED to go. So we hopped on a train and slept on the freezing sidewalk for hours only to find out halfway through that The 1975 themselves were inside that building, waiting to meet us all and sign all of the merch we bought. It was UNREAL and the most exciting thing ever.
What’s your next adventure?
I would say that my next adventure will be a spiritual one. I want to find time to focus on myself and who I truly am inside. I want to find time to meditate and relax and just focus on all of the positive energy and people around me. I think that this will keep me grounded and attract even more positivity into my life.