This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Amherst chapter.
Masten is smart (she does homework for fun!), kind and, will be competiting in the NCAA Division 3 with the Amherst soccer team! We decided to interview Masten for her dedication to Amherst on the field and off the field as a Computer Science TA and tutor.
Tell me about where you are from:
I’m from Nashville. During high school, I lived about 30 minutes south of the city in Franklin, and I went to a all-girls high school in one of the suburbs. Now, my mom still lives in Franklin, but my dad now lives in the city a few blocks from the Honky Tonks. Downtown Nashville is a ton of fun because on any given day, there will be live music playing.
How does the weather at Amherst compare to the weather back home?:
The weather in Nashville is hot and humid. Amherst doesn’t even come close to getting as humid as Nashville does. During the summer, if you walk outside, it feels as if you walked into a wall of moisture. Very gross. Nashville also doesn’t get nearly as cold. It may snow, and if there’s a threat of snow, the entire city shuts down. It’s pretty funny.
Why did you choose to attend Amherst?:
I wanted a small liberal arts school with a competitive D3 soccer program. When I visited Amherst, I fell in love with the campus and types of people here. The culture seemed like a very good fit for me.
What are you interested in both academically and leisurely?:
Academically, I love math and computer science. I actually really enjoy going to class and don’t really see my homework as “work.” Leisurely, I could watch tv all day, especially Bob’s Burgers or Gladiator. I also do a bunch of crossword puzzles and logic problems when I’m bored.
Congrats to you and your team for making it into NCAA! Do you want to talk about that experience?:
I’m pumped that we made the NCAAs and especially since we are hosting this weekend! That was definitely not expected. So far, this week of practice has been a lot of fun, so I’m ready to kick some ass this weekend. This season has been so incredible. The team has never been this close, and because of this, I think we can go far.
The young woman in the photo with Masten is Noel Grisanti, the two were roomates for the past two years and only separated this year because she is currently abroad. Aw!
What are you most passionate about?:
My friends. My friends mean the most to me, and life wouldn’t be the same without them. Especially with most of my friends being abroad, I have realized how much they mean to me and I am very grateful to have them in my life.
What are your plans for the rest of your time at Amherst and beyond:
Absolutely no idea. I did research this past summer, and while the experience was incredible I did not like the doing of the research… So I don’t want to do that. This summer I’m hoping to get an internship in some tech industry so we’ll see what happens!
If you could make one change to the world, playful or serious, what would it be?:
Everyone should be required to read Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. I think the world would be a happier place.
What’s something you’ve always wanted to say but never got the chance to say it?:
Nothing. I’m someone who speaks her mind, so there’s very little that I want to say but don’t.