Name: Jackie Cervasio
Major: Business & Hospitality
Minor: English
Relationship Status: Single
Year: Junior
Hometown: Dr. Phillips, Orlando
Her Campus (HC): So let’s start with the basic question Jackie, what made you want to attend FSU?
Jackie Cervasio (JC): Well, I really don’t like the cold weather so I knew I had to stay in Florida. I applied to multiple colleges in Florida, but my middle brother, who’s two years older than I am, went to FSU. So I had visited him a few times and liked the campus a lot. I thought it was a beautiful school. After a while I just knew I could see myself here, so I decided to attend.
HC: What outside activities or activities involved with FSU do you do?
JC: I am on the FSU Women’s Club Lacrosse team.
HC: I heard you own a little cupcake business, tell us about it! What made you want to start a cupcake business?
JC: Well, I have been baking cupcakes since I was in high school and they are my favorite baked good to create. I really enjoy baking, decorating, and designing them. After a while I got pretty good at it and my friends and family began taking notice and that’s when they encouraged me to put myself out there. I decided to post on social media to see if people would be interested in buying my cupcakes. I made an Instagram at first, then a Twitter, and after those started to take off I made an official website. I’ve always been a creative person and baking cupcakes has always been an outlet for me. So I turned a passion and hobby into a successful business.
HC: What is the Instagram, Twitter, and website name that we can gain more information?
JC: The business is called Cerv It Up Cupcakes. One of my good friends came up with that name and it stuck, we thought it was very clever to have part of my last name in place of the word “serve.” Check us out at: www.cervitupcupcakes.com, CervItUpCupcakes on Instagram, CervItUpCupcakes on Twitter.
HC: Since Valentine’s Day is coming up, is there anything special that you are doing for your customers?
JC: Actually, yes there is! I do a lot of custom cupcakes with personal messages that the customer specifically asks for upon order, so the ones for Valentine’s Day are pretty much going to incorporate any personalized love notes for their significant other.
HC: How did you learn how to cook or bake for that matter?
JC: I taught myself how to bake (sorry mom) so at first I would just follow the box recipes and then after a while I started to alter them and see what I thought tasted good and what went well together. It’s honestly really easy once you get the hang of it.
HC: Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York City or Melissa’s Cupcakes in New York City?
JC: Melissa’s Cupcakes in New York City.
HC: I heard you play lacrosse for FSU, what made you join or how did you get involved?
JC: I have played Lacrosse since third grade, so for the past twelve years it’s pretty much been my life. I had visited some Division II schools, however after a while I realized that I did not want to go to school just to play lacrosse, I wanted to do other things in college as well. So, the FSU club team turned out to be the perfect fit for me and I could not ask for better teammates.
HC: What is your favorite thing about playing on the FSU Lacrosse team?
JC: I mean the sport has always been important to me, but honestly the best thing about playing on this team is the people that I play with. I’ve met some of my absolute best friends playing lacrosse at FSU. The fact that we all get to practice, travel, and play games together almost every day of the week is just an awesome experience in itself.
HC: Where do you guys practice? And how can girls that are interested in joining join?
JC: We practice out at the Rec Sportsplex, which is known as the new IM fields. Before every Fall and Spring season we have informational meetings that girls can attend that are interested in joining. Check out our website on the FSU sports club page.
HC: What has been your favorite experience so far playing Lacrosse?
JC: That’s a hard question. It’s been a huge part of my life for so long that picking one experience is almost impossible. When I was younger, playing in the youth leagues, my dad used to be my coach for many years; he has always been my number one fan and biggest motivator (not just in lacrosse). So I guess always having him there to always support and coach me is my favorite thing to remember.
HC: How lucky are you and why?
JC: Oh my gosh, so lucky. And not like in the way that I would win money from scratch offs or free cruises or anything like that. No, I’m so lucky in the hand that God dealt me. I have the most supportive and amazing parents and brothers, I have the best friends that I could ever ask for, I am healthy, I attend a beautiful university, and so much more. You know, I think some people, including myself, get so caught up in the little and petty things sometimes that we forget just how important it is to slow down to realize how much we have and be extremely thankful for it.
HC: If you could sing one song on The Voice, what would it be?
JC: “Partition” by Beyoncé. Hands down.
HC: If you were on an island and could only bring 3 things, what would you bring?
JC: A yacht, my friends, and Chipotle guacamole (and yeah, I know it costs extra).
HC: If you were a cupcake flavor what would you be?
JC: Red Velvet because that’s just my favorite.
HC: I heard that you like to travel to places, what was the last place you’ve traveled to?
JC: The last place I traveled to was Newport, Rhode Island, during the summer, but before that I study abroad for a while. It was amazing.
HC: I bet! Tell us about some of your experiences.
JC: I can honestly say that some of the best and happiest times of my whole entire life were when I studied abroad. I recommend it to everyone. I studied in the London Program located at 99 Great Russell Street (I miss it so much) in the heart of London. Every day was new adventure and every weekend we would travel and fall in love with a different city. We went to Dublin, Wales, Liverpool, Oxford, and Amsterdam. And as amazing as those places were, I was fortunate enough to meet a group of people who made sharing those experiences even more amazing; it’s hard to even describe. I couldn’t imagine riding bikes through the streets and over the canals of Amsterdam or frolicking through the high grass hills of Wales with any other group of friends. I could honestly talk for hours about study abroad so I’ll just stop myself now.
HC: Where would you go in a time machine?
JC: The 1920s. I’ve always thought it was the most interesting era, we had just won the war, people were celebrating, cities were expanding, women were becoming more bold and extremely sparkly. Yeah alcohol was illegal, but I think it would be awesome to see what a speakeasy was like. It just seemed to be like a great time to be alive, and who wouldn’t want to party like Gatsby?
HC: What would you do if you won the lottery?
JC: First, I’d make sure my parents were taken care of for the rest of their lives, just like the way they took care of me. Then I don’t think I’d buy a huge mansion or anything like that. I think instead I’d buy little apartments in different cities that I love all around the world. I would also buy that yacht that I talked about in the island question above.
HC: Celebrity Crush?
JC: Dave Franco and Dylan O’ Brien are really pretty.
HC: Favorite lacrosse player?
JC: I would say my older brothers, Zak and Alex. We have always been a lacrosse family and they were the whole reason I started playing. I always used to love watching their games, I rarely missed one in the 20 years I’ve been alive. Also, they always had hot lacrosse player friends so that was a plus.
HC: And finally, last question: how would your best friend describe you?
JC: Oh god, if you asked my friends this question I doubt you’d get a serious answer for at least ten minutes. But, I think after they stopped joking around they would probably describe me as a thoughtful and loyal friend. I would do anything for the people that I love, whether it’s sleeping in a hospital waiting room all night or throwing really great 21st birthday parties (I’ve done both), you wouldn’t have to ask me twice to do it. I believe life is too d*mn short to not show people that you care about them.