Meet Veronica Gould!

Meet Veronica Gould!  

Veronica Gould, class of 2016, is from Ewing, New Jersey. On campus, people know her mainly because of the amazing singing voice she has but also because of her big, giving heart. She loves people, which explains why she is majoring in anthropology. 

By now, everyone on campus knows you’re a JA (since you have been wearing your shirt for days on end). Knowing that the JA system is something unique to Williams, how would you explain the role of a JA to a non-Williams person?

All the freshmen live together in a dorm and there are two JAs (Junior Advisors) in each entry. The JAs are there to be the freshmen’s mentors and friends, and are the first friendly faces the freshmen meet at Williams. As a JA, I have played the roles of caretaker, support system, and friend. The role of a JA is often compared to being a mom or an older sister (or a dad and an older brother for the male JAs). And occasionally I have also read over papers, something I probably shouldn’t be doing, haha. 

What has been your favorite JA experience so far?

Oh gosh. It’s funny because this good experience came out of a bad experience. I was really sick so I finally decided to go to the Health Center. My frosh, I live with 19, realized how sick I was and they made me tea and they all signed a card which showed me their love for me. I love them. They really have a way of lifting up my spirits, even in the darkest hour.

Could you rank your frosh for us?

Haha no! I love all my frosh. They’re a really interesting bunch. They’re very comfortable with each other. Very comfortable, let me make that known. 

What do you mean by “very comfortable” with each other?

Even from First Days (the orientation week), they just were really open to having intimate conversations with each other. Sometimes these turn into heated debates but I think it’s very positive for them because it gives them an opportunity to learn a lot from each other. 

Although it’s still relatively early in the school year, do you feel as if though you have already learned from them?

Being a JA is in itself a learning experience. Not only what I learn from them, but what I’ve learned about myself. I’ve realized I have to set boundaries spending time with my frosh and doing work. It has also helped me grow and realize what I want my role in this community to be.  

What is your favorite thing about Williams?

The people. The community here, I feel, is very diverse and open to important conversations, ranging from campus events to social issues. I really feel that people try to be as open and honest as possible.   

What is something no one knows about you?

Actually, I’ve been thinking about this recently. My JA nickname is Veronica’s secret and it has made me wonder if there really is one thing that absolutely no one on campus knows about me. I try not to keep a ton of secrets. Let me think of something not many people know, as opposed to something that no one knows, because I doubt there’s something I’ve hid from everyone…

Haha ok, we’ll come back to that then. Your older sister is also a student here, something not everyone is aware of. It must be pretty cool going to the same school as Phoebe. Was it strange for you at first? 

It actually worked out great for us. The school is small but the campus is spread out enough that we don’t bump into each other every moment of every day. We also have different friend groups. We try to get a meal once a week to catch up and check in on each other.   

By now, it’s clear that you’re a Williams poster child, with being a JA and talking about community. However, singing is also an important part of your life. How old were you when you started singing?

My parents tell me that I sang before I spoke. Part of me believes them but the other part of me just believes it’s just an adorable story. As a kid, I loved being the center of attention. That hasn’t changed, haha. When I was around 7 years old, I would do talent shows for my grandma and find a stick to use as a microphone. I remember singing nonsense syllables; I think I was trying to scat. I also remember memorizing all the lyrics to Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love of All” when I was 8 years old and telling everyone at a family reunion that I had memorized it. I was such a weird child. 

Although you’ve had many years of experience, do you get nervous before performances? And if so how do you deal with your nerves?

Any nervous jitters I get I try to channel into positive energy. Back when I watched Glee, I used to channel Rachel Berry because she’s my performer inspiration. Oh! I guess that’s something no one knows about me.

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