Name: Ben Simpson
Year: Freshman
Hometown: Durham, N.C.
Intended Major: Finance
Intended Minor: Chinese
Relationship Status: In a relationship
Favorite Food: Anything homemade
Favorite Sport: Basketball
Favorite Athletes: Jeremy Lin, Michael Phelps, and Shawn Johnson
HC (Her Campus): So you’re a freshman here at Wake. How have you gotten involved this year on campus?
BS (Ben Simpson): I took part in planning for homecoming this year, I advertise for College Republicans club, and I am pledge class president of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.
HC: Wow sounds like you have your hands full! What has been your favorite thing you’ve gotten involved in so far?
BS: I would definitely say my fraternity. I enjoy the atmosphere and the friendships I’ve made and maintained.
HC: How would you describe yourself in three words to a person who has never met you before?
BS: Confident, genuine, and humorous.
HC: And what about your style?
BS: I would just say swag honestly. No, I’m just kidding. A typical wardrobe outfit in the day of Ben Simpson would be a nice pair of slacks, a nice shirt that compliments the pants, and a tinge of uniqueness.
HC: Who is your celebrity crush?
BS: Taylor Swift.
HC: Why is that?
BS: I like how humble she is and that she dresses modestly.
HC: What do you look for in a girl?
BS: I really like blondes who have self-respect and care about staying fit. And I especially like girls who don’t settle. I don’t know if you have heard Tim McGraw’s song “Southern Girl” where he describes the perfect girl, but that’s exactly what I like.
HC: How do you get ready for a date?
BS: I really don’t get ready for dates in any certain way. I just sort of wing it. I feel like if I’m comfortable enough to ask someone on a date, I should feel comfortable being on the date.
HC: That’s a good rule to live by. What is your biggest turn off?
BS: I would say being clingy, bad breath, and sass.
HC: Do you have any guilty pleasures or weird habits?
BS: Taylor Swift is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine. I think her songs are catchy. Also, sometimes I like to go online shopping for shoes and preppy attire. I am also a big fan of Teen Wolf.
HC: If you could switch places with anyone for one week, who would it be?
BS: I would say Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street just because we are total opposites, so it would be interesting.
HC: So I hear you’re somewhat of a dancer. What is your favorite song to dance to?
BS: I love dancing to “Forever,” “Look at me Now,” or “Run It” by Chris Brown because they just get the blood flowing. Basically any song by Chris Brown, YG, or Sage the Gemini.
HC: And your go-to dance move?
BS: The Cat Daddy or the Two-Step.
HC: I bet those are real crowd-pleasers. Do you also sing?
BS: No, but I play piano.
HC: What kinds of music do you like to play on the piano?
BS: Classical and pop music. Sometimes I freestyle.
HC: A man of many talents! What other hobbies do you have?
BS: I like playing basketball, playing FIFA, skiing, water-skiing, hiking, and long showers.
HC: Who doesn’t like long showers? Is there anything that confuses you about women?
BS: Yea – how they talk. The message they are trying to convey is not what they say directly. For example, they will say one thing and mean another, and it’s your job to kind of figure it out.
HC: So would you say you are more of a tough guy, or are you also in touch with your sensitive side?
BS: I would say I am in touch with my sensitive side. I try not to make people feel uncomfortable around me, and I’m comfortable with myself so I don’t feel the need to put walls up when I meet other people.
HC: What are three things you can’t live without?
BS: Communication (social networking & texting), fitness, and socialization.
HC: Is there anything about you that might surprise us?
BS: I like koala bears, I want a Pomsky dog, and one year in middle school I died the tips of my hair blonde so I could look like that dude from the Hilary Duff movie Raise Your Voice. That was a total failure.
HC: (Laughs) That was a bold move. Is there one thing that defines you?
BS: My family definitely defines me. I didn’t grow up in the typical American household. My mom is a first generation immigrant from Vietnam and she literally had no money coming here, so I grew up being very thrifty and not getting everything I wanted. For example, I didn’t get a phone until junior year of high school.
HC: How has that affected how you live your life today?
BS: I don’t take what I have for granted, and I look to my mom as my role model in life. If she can be successful in life, then I know I can too.
*Photography by Morgan Farrell