Basics
Age: 20
School Year: 3rd Year
Hometown: Hemet, CA
Major: Philosophy/Pre-Med
Getting to Know Akshay
How did you come up with the idea of “Spoiled Minds”? And what made you want to start it on campus?
I was in my dorm room one night, procrastinating as usual, and decided to make a website for myself out of complete boredom. I started to write articles on a variety of issues and then published them on the site I constantly bugged my hall mates to look over the content as well as the aesthetics of the website. One of my roommates at the time was a Creative Writing major and I asked him if he wanted to put some of his work on the website and he did. Then I approached another hall mate and asked her the same thing. By the end of the year we had a small group of people inputing ideas and content into the website. At that point I decided to make it a club and here we are. Without my extremely patient hall mates that put up with me, this experiment would not be possible.
How can people get involved in your organization?
They can Contact us directly at contacus@spoiledminds.com or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/spoiledminds to see upcoming meeting times and other information.
How do you manage running “Spoiled Minds” on top of school work and life?
One day at a time. Obviously you keep track of future appointments, events, etc. But for the sake of my own health (mental and physical), I try to do as much as I can in one day without jeopardizing my ability to function the next.
What advice would you give to people out there who want to start an organization on campus but don’t have the courage to do so?
Don’t do it unless you absolutely love it.
Are you involved in any other organizations, any internships, jobs?
Not at the moment. I usually save the summer for such opportunities.
What made you want to pursue your major?
I wanted to learn how to muster up enough courage to examine my own mind in order to one day have the ability to think for myself and to know myself. One does not have to attend university to philosophize, but I thought it would be a good place to start for me. The pre-med minor is to help me pursue my ultimate profession as a medical surgeon.
What would you say you are most passionate about?
Living.
What is your favorite thing about UCR?
The people. I can walk up to just about anybody on this campus and have a conversation with them on a variety of topics without having my own opinions marginalized.
Most memorable moment at UCR?
There’s been so many, I can’t say.
What are you most looking forward to this quarter?
Learning something I didn’t know before it started.
Who would you like to see perform at Heat this school year?
The Arctic Monkeys
What was the most interesting thing about your summer?
The response my mother gave to me over lunch one day when I asked her how one should live their life.
If your life was a movie, what would the title be and who would you pick to star in the role of yourself?
Akshay’s Life starring Akshay Manhas.
What do you want the world to look like in 10 years?
Different from what it looks like now. In what ways? I don’t know.
What words of wisdom do you try to live by?
“The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being.” Line 38a of Plato’s Apology