A very humble Homecoming King, Nick Leber talked about his very positive and fun experience of running for Homecoming King. The fourth year Psychology and Social Behavior major described how Homecoming was such a fun way to showcase his love for UCI.
Other that being a king, Nick worked at Pippin, joined a few clubs where he met a lot of people, joined a fraternity but was more dedicated to being an RA, and is a Campus Representative for two years now.
On talking about the whole campaigning season and his fellow Homecoming Court, Nick says it was all about doing his own thing and trying not to compare, remaining true to himself. All of Homecoming was weird and quirky, but fun. When talking about his fellow court members, he described that friendships were built from a bundle of involvements they all had. “It was more doing it together instead of competing. No negative vibes,” he says.
There was no denying that the campaigning part of running for King took a lot of work. According to Nick, the video was definitely the hardest, as it took the longest time to coordinate. Having a lot of people who supported him and helped with shirts and posters made everything manageable and fun though. Oh! And of course, lots of Facebook spamming.
“I didn’t expect to win, I was legitimately shocked – so when they announced, I was standing there like a silly goose,” the King describes. He was at a loss for words, but he was thankful and grateful, especially because the win was so unexpected. He would like everyone to know that he wasn’t blushing, but rather he was sunburned and his red shirt was reflecting.
He wants to give a huge shout-out to the following people:
Alyssa Orozco: for helping him with everything – especially with keeping him sane through all the love and support.
Quenya 2013-14 and Evenstar 2014-15 residents: for showing up to the different days and just being there to support.
Idda Colcol: for being really cool, boothing and doing the photoshoot with him. Also, for being one of the sweetest and solid human beings and he’s thankful he got close to you.
Anyone who wasn’t specifically mentioned, Nick wants you to know that you mean a lot to him. All the different people who showed him love by supporting him, he appreciates each and every one of you.
For those who wish to become a possible member of court in the upcoming years, Nick says the most important thing is to be yourself and have fun. It isn’t about winning or losing, it’s about doing it for the experience, meeting new people, and taking into account all those who love and support you. Form his perspective, it felt amazing knowing how much support and care people have for him. Nick says, “Focusing on winning loses the aspect. Everyone is different and it’s super cool to get to know people.”
The King is graduating not too long from now. He’s applying for jobs and plans on working for a while. He is possibly going to Grad School in the near future after he has saved up. However, he has considered the option of keeping his job once he finds one he really loves. All he knows is that he’s taking a year off.
Though he had difficulty choosing, his favorite memory – besides being crowned King – is from his Quenya Hall Banquet because of how his residents made him cry. It was as simple as meaningful, and a lot of fun.
Nick says his favorite spot at UCI is Aldrich Park. It reminds him of home in Santa Cruz, all the trees and green. It’s like having a little slice of home and he loves being in nature. Plus, having a park in the middle of campus is pretty cool.
Again, congratulations to the Homecoming King of 2015!