Meet this week’s Campus Cutie, one of our very own editors, Nikki Kong! She’s a John Krasinski-loving, butterfly fearing, French-speaking gal who seems to have this whole life thing down.
Name: Nikki Kong
Major: Business Administration with a Finance concentration and a French minor
Year: 3rd
Hometown: Davis, California
Job: English, Economics and Business Law tutor at the Cal Poly Athletics Department; Student Assistant at Cal Poly Biomedical Engineering Department
Dream job: My dream job would probably be an author, a first grade teacher, the editor-in-chief of a lifestyle magazine, an investment banker, or a stay-at-home mom. (Admittedly, this is essentially the same list of dream jobs I’ve had since I was five, but I feel like I should at least get points for excluding “princess” this time…)
Who would play you in a movie about your life?
Mindy Kaling, hands down.
Your personal anthem
I have different songs for different situations. When I’m really stoked for something I like to listen to “Do or Die” by Flux Pavillion and Childish Gambino; when I’m getting ready in the morning, it’s usually “Girls Chase Boys” by Ingrid Michaelson or anything by Jack Johnson. I’m a closet Kanye and Gambino fan, but I’ll pretty much listen to anything.
Favorite pastime
I really like writing, devising new juicing recipes, and perusing Pinterest in class.
What would you do with a million dollars?
That’s a hard one. As a finance major, I want to say that I’d set up a trust fund for my future kids, but as a twenty-year-old girl, I want to say I’d buy a lot of clothes and Girl Scout cookies. Realistically, I’d definitely put a lot of it away for my three younger siblings’ educations, since they’re the most important people in my life, and pay off my parents’ mortgage. I’d probably invest the rest of it, in hopes that my funds would grow over time and I could donate to organizations like AYSO’s VIP program, which is a soccer league for kids with special needs, for years and years to come, instead of just once.
You have a time travel machine for 48 hours, where are you going to go?
I’d probably go to 1992 and meet my grandpa while he was still alive. My mom would’ve been 19, and at that point she would have already left college in Stanislaus to live with my dad in San Luis Obispo, so it’d be pretty cool to see what she was like back then too.
Go-to meal
Right now, I’m really into quinoa with cucumbers, avocado, and a little salt and pepper. My comfort food is definitely Annie’s White Cheddar Mac ‘n Cheese with broccoli, though.
Favorite book and why
My favorite book is either “L’Étranger” (“The Stranger”) by Camus in its original French or “The Great Gatsby” by Fitzgerald. I love “L’Étranger” because it’s deceptively convoluted; Camus uses really simple language to pose really complex questions. I still don’t quite understand all the nuances of the book, which is frustrating, but it’s probably the biggest reason why I like it so much. I love “The Great Gatsby” because every time I read it, I’m blown away by how beautiful Fitzgerald’s diction is.
Most embarrassing moment
Probably every single time I attempt to dance…
If you could co-star with anyone in a movie, who would it be and what’s the genre?
I’d definitely want to co-star with John Krasinski in a romantic comedy, for reasons that should be pretty obvious.
Ideal adventure
I don’t think the adventure really matters as much as who you’re with. Once a guy took me to the beach on a Monday night so we could forget we had homework and make up our own constellations while we looked at the stars. It was a small gesture, but it turned out to be really great.
Favorite qualities in a guy
Is it vain to say nice abs? No? Okay: nice abs, a high tolerance for sass, and the ability to unabashedly dance in the car with me when a good song comes on the radio.
Advice for freshmen
Sleep more than you study, study more than you party, and party as much as you can.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
In ten years, I definitely see myself supporting a trophy husband and raising soccer-playing, Italian-speaking triplet boys. Just kidding – I do want to have three or four kids, and triplets would be insane in the best way possible, but the trophy husband part is still up for debate. Hopefully by then I will have completed some of my long-term goals: learning to speak Italian and Cantonese, owning a house without a mortgage, and being the first person in my family to earn something higher than a Bachelor’s.
Fun Facts!
I’m the finance deputy for Kappa Alpha Theta.
My designs were published in yearbook textbooks in high school.
I’m terrified of butterflies.
I have eight piercings – belly, nose, four lobes, one cartilage, one rook.