Name: Ethan Saal
Year: 2018
Hometown: Scarsdale, NY
Majors/Minors: Psychology major, possible double major in Neuroscience and a possible minor in HSSP
Her Campus: What are you involved in on campus?
Ethan Saal: I am a member of the Brandeis Men’s tennis team, a writer for The Hoot, and starting in April a board member of the BOSS (Brandeis Organization of Sephardic Students).
HC: Single or taken?
ES: Taken by the girl of my dreams.
HC: What do you look for in a significant other?
ES: First, and most importantly, is how down to earth and genuine someone is. Personality always comes first, its what causes me to be extremely attracted to someone. Their work ethic is also a factor. I want someone who grinds harder than I do, whether it be schoolwork, athletics, or even extracurriculars. I want my significant other to push me to new heights, help me not only be a better person but also challenge me to do more. I also care about what their passions are and how much they care about what they do. It says a lot about a person when they are very driven to accomplish certain goals. Manners, politeness, their relationships to their family members, and general behavior when around people are also characteristics that stand out to me. Adventurousness is also huge. I want a girl that is willing to go on some grimy hikes and hit up the slopes in the Rockies. Must say, ski bums are pretty hot. Also, I look for someone that is just as independent as myself. Yeah, I would like to have some dependence on one another but not to the point where she changes her plans for me. She should always stay true to what she wants to do. Not tomboy level but pretty “bro-ish”. Would like her to be a companion that I can talk to about anything calmly, as if I were talking to my closest guy friend. Someone to go on a run with and be competitive with for sure! A good taste in music is also a clincher. I also look for girls that do not care excessively about makeup or clothing. It shows that they are not trying to put on a façade of sorts. Another huge factor that I notice is how open a girl is. You can tell she is truly not embarrassed by anything when she sings and dances in front of you like nobody is watching. That never fails to put a huge smile on my face.
HC: First thing you notice in someone else?
ES: Definitely would have to say their voice and the way they speak. I am able to get a pretty good impression of someone by how they speak: analyze their change in tones, pitch, and bodily gestures.
HC: What do you enjoy doing on the weekend?
ES: Well, when I am not in the middle of an intense tennis season where I am either traveling to a tournament or dumbing down on work all weekend I would have to say trying out well reviewed restaurants, going out to the movies or renting one to watch snuggled up in bed, playing some pickup soccer or basketball, or simply just catching up with some friends that I never get to see throughout the week! I am not a big party boy; I’d rather be in calm environments. And if I really have time I love to arrange adventurous trips with a couple of pals to go rock climbing, skiing, and maybe even skydiving now that I can sign my own waiver!
HC: Describe your ideal date.
ES: Well, I pretty much have already gone on my ideal date. It was a surprise. I asked my girlfriend to carve out four hours of her night to go on a mysterious date. I took her to a bowling alley, knowing that we were both, as extremely competitive people who try to win bragging rights. We played one game of billiards while we waited for our lane. She just barely beat me and I almost threw a tantrum because she continuously rubbed it in my face. Then I won the bowling battle, beating her two out of three. This left her super angry but her frustration slowly subsided as we drove to an incredible pizza place nearby that we looked up on Yelp. Yeah, I am a big foodie and love eating good meals and so does she! We ordered one salad, two different pizzas, and one dessert that we agreed on, which were all delicious. Sharing food with my girlfriend is one of my favorite parts of our relationship. Both of us eat a ton so we have to physically split the food before digging in or else she would finish most of the food because of how fast she eats. The restaurant was super tranquil so we had time to not think about schoolwork or any other issues and just talk about whatever we wanted. This is the perfect date because it involves physical activity, competitiveness, quality time, and a satiating meal.
HC: Describe yourself in three words.
ES: Sensitive, disciplined, driven.
HC: What is your dream job?
ES: To play on the ATP tour, which is professional tennis for those that do not know what the ATP is. If that does not work out than I would love to be a sports psychologist, help athletes beat those mental barriers that I have experienced so that they can reach their maximum potential.
HC: What are your biggest turnoffs?
ES: Girls that do not indulge in food as much as I do. How can you not love food!? As I mentioned before, too much makeup or flashy apparel. And lastly I would have to say girls that are not passionate about what they do or what they desire to do.
HC: Guilty pleasure?
ES: Dulce de Leche! And no, it is not caramel as many Americans think it tastes like! I am of Hispanic decent and I grew up eating pastries with this delicious spread!
Favorites:
Color: Used to be green but has slowly changed to orange.
Movie: Jeez! There are too many movies out there that I could name as my favorite! I hate naming a favorite. I could go with one of the best picture nominees such as Boyhood or last years nominee, 12 Years a Slave, but I’ll change it up by choosing The Way, Way Back. Watched it on the airplane and almost cried of happiness in my seat when it ended, too cute of a movie.
Song: Till I Get There by Lupe Fiasco because I always listen to it when times get rough to remind myself that I will overcome whatever challenges are presented to me. Life is about growing from tough moments and this song helps me do so.
Sport: I am a tennis player but I have to say fútbol, which is the real name, not soccer! It is because of my Latin bloodline and it is an incredible demonstration of team camaraderie. It is the sport I most enjoy to play, even more so than tennis. I used to juggle a ball in my back yard for multiple hours as a kid, I did not even need a full out game to appreciate the sport.
TV show: Was a huge fan of Lost, but I will have to go with Breaking Bad. Friday Night Lights is also up there
City: Barcelona, Spain