Abby:“We’re basically a suburb of New York City, but we’re in new jersey”
Victoria:“So you’re not… from New York.”
A:“No, I’m from New Jersey, and I’m very proud to be from New Jersey even though it gets a bad rap nationally.”
V:“Sure. Let’s start the interview, then.”
I had the supreme pleasure interviewing Abby Baker, a sophomore at Mount Holyoke College. Abby Baker, a remarkably alive and organised person, shared with me the deepest parts of her being; expelling the most compelling parts of her life and experiences to share with the Mount Holyoke’s community. I had the immense honor in being the first person to ever interview Abby Baker, and learn all of her tics and about the incredibly interesting and fast paced life she leads, from eating sushi, to taking Five-College courses, to training for the Amherst 5k Fun Run. Having this insight into Abby Baker’s life style could change the way you view your life. Personally, this riveting interview about her inspiring life has me in a state of meta reflection and admiration.
What is it like to take a class at Smith?
Taking a class at a different college is interesting, because you don’t know anyone, which can be liberating. It’s also nice to be temporarily immersed in a different community.
How do you feel about spending money as a millennial?
What my mom always told me was that working for an hourly wage made her really think about what she was going to buy, because she saw what she was going to buy not in terms of money but in terms of hours of her life. I’ve, to some degree, inherited that mind set, so I’m not an impulsive spender. But there’s also something really empowering about spending money you made. I tend to find that millennials are cautious about spending money, but there are of course exceptions. I also am really lucky that I have financial assistance from my family.
What do you do outside of classes?
I read a lot, I like to practice Spanish and run. I started running recently in order to lead a healthier lifestyle, and I’m actually running a 5k this Sunday (add date). It’s in Amherst, and it is my second 5k. I’ve very excited. I want to run a marathon one day so I’m starting with 5ks and I’m hoping to get to half marathons by next year.
Why don’t you tell me a little bit about your family and what they’re like?
My dad is a professor at Rutgers, which is the state university of New Jersey, and he is a very intense runner. He’s also a writer. My mother passed away but was a teacher and also a Mount Holyoke alum, so it’s very cool to be going to her alma mater. It makes me feel like Harry Potter. She was also an English teacher and writer, so I grew up in a very literary family. I have two younger brothers, one is 17 and one is 13. They’re awesome, they’re great, I love them, and they’re very precocious in a very charming way. My 13 year old brother as a joke recently applied for a super PAC through the Federal Election Commission, and was in fact approved. So my 13 year old brother has a super PAC, and it’s called “Blaze it for Jill Stein”. Both of my brothers are very into economics, and they’re interested in a wide array of things, and they’re both really strong and smart and I’m very proud of them.
If you were to align yourself on the Alignment Chart with any Office character, who would you be and why?Well, looking at this chart right here, I relate most to Ryan, BJ Novak’s character, which I guess makes me a neutral evil. I can be a bit of a Ryan sometimes in that I can be a little bit dry. I have a dry sense of humour. In fact, on Pottermore, I was sorted into Slytherin. I think this demonstrates that there are darker elements of my personality than people realize from when they first meet me. When people meet me they think I’m a vegetarian. This is not the case. This article’s going to be whack.
If you were to give advice to a new student who has lost a parent recently, what would you tell them?
Read Harry Potter. I’m actually not kidding. It’s technically a children’s story, but it’s about dealing with grief and loss as an adolescent. Parts of Harry Potter are truly profound.
Who are you wearing today?
I’m wearing a sweater from H and M.
What is your favourite food?
My favourite food is sushi. My favourite color is blue. My roommate’s not the worst. I look forward to reading this article. I’m excited to see how you’re going to tie all of these things together. It’s just going to be all of this stuff that’s just there. I don’t know if I’m article-worthy, but I appreciate that you are pretending I am.
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