Howdy, readers! Earlier this week, HerCampus UCSB was lucky enough to snag a few minutes of Mr. Matt Friske’s time. He arrived at our DP location in a stylish all black ensemble, smelling of an enrapturing mixture of lavendar and musk: a paradox of masculine scent that will tingle your senses should you meet him in person. His stylist and personal assistant in tow (both recently hired out of Italy), we shot 3 outfits for his upcoming European Abercrombie and Fitch campaign, and got a sneak peek into his personal life. Sipping a classic macchiato made by his assistant Niccolo, we sit together overlooking the sunset, and Matt philosophically quotes Henry David Thoreau, setting the precedent for the interview: “the bluebird carries the sky on its back,”, he says. And so it does.
Name: Matt Friske
Year: Senior
Major: Communication/Film and Media Studies
Hometown: Sebastopol, CA
Favorite type of accent: Northern European
MF in the Netherlands
If you were forced to participate in an experimental body transplant surgery, which member of a boy band would you switch with, and why? I would gladly volunteer to switch with any member of One Direction. My first instinct was to switch with Zayn (he has great hair), but I would probably switch with Harry because I’ve always wanted Taylor Swift to write a song about me. Gelato, Ice Cream, or Fro-yo? I would go with ice cream. Pint night with Ben & Jerry never lets me down.
What on-campus organizations are you involved in? I intern for the Education Abroad Office on campus, and serve as a mentor for a group of international students on exchange at UCSB. I also am a contributing writer for SexInfo Online, a comprehensive sex education website run through the sociology department. I specialize in research related to body image, LGBTQ sexuality, and sexuality and the media. SexInfo has an anonymous question section, where people from around the world write to our website, and we answer their questions directly.
Favorite study abroad memory: Kayaking through the Dutch forest on the canals on one of the first sunny days of the Spring. I have never seen so many flowers blooming, or landscapes so green. The best part was ending up at a pancake house in the middle of the forest, with seating on the banks of the canal.
Utrecht in Spring
Ideal first date: First dates are usually awkward, so I prefer to do something more casual, and not be restrained to a table at a restaurant, regardless of how nice it is. I usually opt for a bottle of white wine and a picnic on the beach. There are not many places in the world you can do that year-round, so we might as well take advantage of it!
Do you have any strong political obligation to Cheez Whiz, and if so, how would you solve the issue of CW? Honestly, I would never put any sort of canned cheese into my body. So I guess I would be in favor of legislature and efforts against said CW.
What should our readers binge watch during midterms? Bates Motel or American Horror Story.
XOXO, HC + MF