When one of my first Davidson friends, Lauren Lu (or Lalu for short), was voted HerCampus Campus Celebrity, I jumped at the opportunity to interview her and introduce her to those of you who may not know her.
Does she even need a caption?
Lauren is a lively, senior biology major from Brentwood, Tennessee. In case you were wondering, that’s just a little south of Nashville. Her main interest in biology is in micro, especially since Lauren wants to go to pharmacy school so that she can help people better understand drug benefits. But that’s not her only life goal. Lauren also has had the dream of opening up her own night club – she has no idea where – that could be an open space for all types of people. I wanted to know what kind of club she was imagining, so I asked her, “Would there be naked go-go dancers on the counters?” Her simple reply was, “Yes.” Does your local pharmacist own a local night-club? I think not.
One thing you must know about Lauren is how much she loves dancing. I asked her why she loves dancing, she answered, “Dancing helps me feel powerful; it relieves stress, and it takes me out of the real world for a second. It’s my passion. I like it.”
Lalu being the star of the show, as per usual.
Unsurprisingly, Lauren’s favorite past time involves dancing. Oh, but it’s not something simple, like *just dancing.* You can often find her procrastinating watching YouTube videos of people dancing. She likes to watch these dancers, then try to replicate, then people will think she’s good at it. It’s a very important three-step process.
As you can see, this usually works out
As a dancer, Lauren has a particular style, so I asked her what her favorite thing to wear is. She looked down at what she was wearing and said, “this?” “This” is cool joggers, Timberlands or hightops – she’s a sneakerhead – and a tank top. She said this can also be known as “hip-hop style.” Then in typical, adorable Lauren Lu fashion, she asks herself, “Or is that cultural appropriation? Meh” She then proceeded to respond to herself, “I don’t really know where I fit in.”
If you can’t find Lauren in the Union or in a biology lab, then you’ll probably find her at a Q&A (Queers and Allies) event – she’s a co-president – at practice for Dance Ensemble, or an ACAA (Asian Cultural Awareness Association). These three clubs, she said, embody all her main identities: a queer, dancing, Asian American.
Lauren, letting her queer flag fly freely
At the end of the interview, Lauren and I spent some time being sappy and nostalgic now that we are both seniors. Oh, and don’t forget being terrified about the future. Even though she plans to take some time off before pharmacy school, Lauren is pretty scared about post-grad life. However, she said that it’s really nice knowing what to do in regards to navigating Davidson. One of her senior goals is reaching out to a lot of underclassmen (underclasspeople?) to fill the gaps that she felt her first year in order to create safe spaces. Feel free to ask her about sex, sexuality, race, or ethnicity. Anything your heart desires. You all really need to take her up on that offer, and get to know Lauren Lu before she graduates!
Lauren wants YOU!