Will Beckman

Our admissions office takes pride in saying every year, “There’s no typical Duke student.” In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find any two students that would fit a prescribed mold. For example, take senior Will Beckman. A senior from Arlington, VA, Will is involved in a variety of activities that keep him busy all week long. I’m sure that majoring in civil engineering doesn’t lessen his workload, so I was curious as to just how he manages his schoolwork, his activities, and how he still has time to enjoy movies and video games. President of the Sabrosura dance group, member of the Club Field Hockey, and PWaves Sail Leader… Will certainly has all his bases covered! But beneath all that, he’s a genuinely sweet and quirky guy with a deep love for turkey campers from Alpine Bagels. Read on to get to know the man behind the incredible student.
 
 
HC: Can you give us a short one-liner about yourself?
 
Will: I’m a senior from Arlington, Virginia majoring in Civil Engineering. I plan on becoming a Civil Engineering officer in the United States Air Force. I don’t know yet where I’ll be stationed, but hopefully I’ll find out soon!
 
 
HC: What compelled you to become involved in the Sabrosura dance group? What do you enjoy most about it?
 
Will: I was wandering by the Chapel one night with my roommate when we saw a Sabro event going on called Salsa on the Steps. We heard music and saw dancing, and we walked over. After that, on a whim, I decided to try out. When I got in, I told myself I’d give it a try. I quickly let it take over my life! The people are the best part about Sabro, of course! I basically love everyone in group…
 
 
HC: Are there any other activities you are involved in?
 
Will:  I used to be a member of the Duke Chapel Choir during the Fall of my Freshman year. A Chemistry lab conflicted in the Spring and I never picked it back up. But I did sing in the amazing Messiah concert and that’s something I’ll never forget! I was also on the Club Volleyball team for a bit, but those guys are pros and I couldn’t keep up. Since Freshman year, I’ve played Club Field Hockey. Random, I know. It’s like soccer in terms of game play and tactics, but after high school I was a little burned out. The team recently got 3rd place at nationals! I did P-Waves my freshman year (this was actually the reason I decided to come to Duke!) and loved it so much I had to come back for more. As for Senior year, I’ve been extremely involved with Sabrosura as co-director and also ROTC. I’ve really come to enjoy ROTC this year and I look forward to what life will be like after I graduate!
 
 
HC: What’s your involvement in PWaves like? Why did you decide to become a sail leader?
 
Will:  I decided to be a sail leader because sailing was my favorite part of P-Waves (besides the awesome people) and sailing is probably one of the most relaxing things that you can ever do! Unfortunately, P-Waves conflicted with my abroad semester in Sydney, Australia, so I couldn’t do it Junior year. As for Senior year, I missed the application deadline. But that’s not such a bad thing, because I ended up going to China with the Duke Dancers (a group of 12 dancers from different styles and backgrounds) for a month and, as you might guess, that was the experience of a lifetime!
 
 
HC: You’re involved in so many different activities! How do you manage them all? Any time management tips for fellow Dukies?
 
Will: I manage them all, I guess, with effective time management! Of course I still get overwhelmed sometimes and have to do things that aren’t fun, but one way that I stay positive most of the time is by doing things that are fun. I don’t take myself too seriously and try to look at the bigger picture, which helps me say, “it’s not that big of a deal, is it?,” while also being in the present moment. I also take time out of every day to be alone, which can help reset my system if anything has successfully stressed me out (this may or may not involve listening to Christmas music). If all that hasn’t worked, I know that either driving my car or playing a really violent shoot-em-up game will do the trick. For me, it’s all about finding things I enjoy that can pull me away mentally and maybe physically from whatever is stressing me out.
 
 
HC: What do you do to relieve stress? What are your hobbies?
 
Will:  To relieve stress, I’ve gotten in the habit this semester of going on runs since it’s been so warm and sunny. During my free time, I’m kind of a beginner techie. I like computer hardware and messing with technology. I watch a lot of movies and play video games. 
 
 
HC: What are your three most redeeming personality traits?
 
Will: Maybe…I like to help people, I try to fix my mistakes and learn from them, and I try to always do the right thing.
 
 
HC: What is your favorite eatery on campus? Off campus?
 
Will: On campus, Alpine Bagels!!!!! I’ve eaten the same sandwich from there every single day since the beginning of Sophomore year. I get a turkey camper on wheat toast with mayonnaise (if you like mayo, trust me and try it). I’d like to give a shout-out to the whole staff there-Mary, Shimmy, Britney, Tamara, Dee, Monty, to name a few of my friends-because they are some of the nicest bunch of people that you will ever meet! Being friendly with them goes a long way. And make sure you pay attention when you’re next in line! As for off campus, I love me my Chipotle. There’s also pizza from Enzo’s Pizza, the mac from Noodles, or the warm, delicious pita from Mediterra. Basically, that whole shopping area is delicious.
 
 
HC: Lastly, what would be the first thing you would do if today was your last day?
 
Will: I’d never really thought of this before and when I first read it, I thought about some of the most awesome things I’ve done–bungee jumping, skydiving, scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef–and none of those seemed up to the task of filling my last day alive. I would say goodbye to everyone. And then I’d go do something dangerous and stupidly awesome.