Claire Stenersen is a sophomore at the University of Washington. She is from River Falls, Wisconsin and is an intended Chemistry major. © 2016 Claire Stenersen
Coffee or tea?
Absolutely coffee! I actually really hate tea. It tastes like exactly what it is – dead leaves in water. Chai is okay but that’s because it’s spices and stuff. Never regular tea.
It’s a classically dreary Seattle day – where will I find you hanging out after class?
Honestly, this is not too exciting, but probably just home. Ideally we’d use our fireplace in our apartment just for added coziness.
What’s the best movie of all time?
My favorite movie is called The Fall. It’s a great movie, makes me cry every time I watch it – it’s amazing. It’s a story about a stunt double in the 1910s who is in the hospital and is possibly paralyzed. He meets young foreign girl in hospital and he tells her a story, which is actually the storyline of a movie he was in, and her imagination completely brings it to life. It’s funny, sad, and deep. Definitely worth a watch.
What do you daydream about?
That’s easy – winning the lottery and having so much money that I would never have to worry about it again.
Do you have any tattoos?
Yes, as of right now I have one on the left side of my ribcage. It’s a tattoo of the geographic coordinates of tiny island off the coast of Sweden that my grandparents lived on – my dad’s side of the family has been going there forever and I’ve spent most summers there. It’s an important place for my family and it felt like the right time to get it after my grandpa passed away.
Do you consider yourself a feminist? What does feminism mean to you?
I am totally a feminist. I know here in Seattle, we’re in a sort of bubble where it’s really progressive and there aren’t a lot of problems for women in general. In my hometown it’s really different. A lot of women there think that feminism goes too far which I don’t understand at all. Feminism means equality and I don’t know why anyone would be against that. I think that feminism will continue to play an even more important role as society progresses, especially through the new political circumstances.
Where’s your favorite place in Seattle and what do you like to do there?
I love hanging out in the U-district and coffee shop-hopping. Some of my favorite spots are Seven Coffee Roasters and the Post Alley Café. I just enjoy the U-district – I’m very comfortable here.
Favorite memory since coming to UW?
My favorite memory of UW since beginning here last year was meeting my roommate Kerry! It was my second day here and during Dawg Days – I was so desperate to make friends that I was complimenting everyone. At the time, Kerry and I had the same haircut so I complimented her on hers and the rest is history! Now we’re best friends and we live together.
What advice would you give your freshman self?
I would tell myself to prioritize friendships over some other things. Looking back now, I wish I had kept my big circle of friends instead of closing myself off with one person. I managed to salvage a lot of friendships but I regret missing out on those few months of friendship with those people because I thought someone else was more important.
What do you miss most from home?
I come from a pretty small town and everyone is kind and polite and it’s a very comfortable place to be. Now that I’m in Seattle, I just find myself missing the welcoming and caring place I come from. I miss walking down the street and having people greet me and ask me how I’m doing. The city definitely feels cold sometimes.
Who’s been your favorite professor at UW?
I have a tie for favorite professor. I took Physics 114 with Dr. Gordon Watts and he was very, very funny. One day, he came into class riding in a red wagon and his long hair was flowing behind him. It was hilarious. My second favorite professor has been Dr. Michael Gelb, who teaches my Organic Chemistry 238 class. He’s also hilarious and has more chemistry puns up his sleeve than I even realized existed. Half of my notes from his class are just hilarious quotes from him.
What’s been most challenging about college?
For me, something that’s been hard (classes, but that’s a given), was making friends. I already have a difficult time with that and moving out here I didn’t know anyone. It was pretty intimidating because UW is huge, about 3 times the size of my hometown in fact. I’m finally getting comfortable and I’ve built up some great friendships.
What’s your dream job?
Can I have two answers to that? Okay. My realistic dream job is to be a patent lawyer. My imagination runs wild dream job would be to work as a baker and spend all day making gorgeous pastries. If I won the Powerball I would definitely open a bakery.
What’s your favorite thing about UW?
I love how progressive UW is. The school is great about promoting mental health awareness, and has a lot of resources in place for students who need them. From talking with friends at other schools, I know that there are a lot of universities that definitely aren’t like this. I just really appreciate that about UW.
Purple or gold?
Gold. I would’ve said purple but UW’s purple is too dark for me. I’m more of a lavender person.