Name: Emily McCarthy
Class Year: 2018
Major: Counseling and Health Psychology
Minor: Sociology
Favorite flavor of ice cream: Chocolate peanut butter
If you know Emily McCarthy, you’ve probably been blessed with her charming wit and addictive laugh. (Or her memes… lots of memes…) But sadly, it’s time for us to let this little social butterfly spread her wings and move on into the real world. *tears* But before we let her go, we have some final burning questions that we’ve just GOT to ask. So take a little time to read about one of this world’s most genuine humans!
MM: Hey Em! Thanks so much for taking the time to meet with me to discuss your LIFE!
EM: Thank you for taking the time out of your busy life to write this up, Kenz! I’ve never been interviewed in a non-professional setting so this is really exciting.
MM: You’re spectacular by the way, whether you’re on stage, out volunteering, or texting us at 2 in the morning sending memes or talking about our feelings. How do you find the time to be such an A+ pal?
EM: Thank you so much! Even though I’m an introvert (or an ambivert?) at heart, I’m at my happiest when I’m with the people I care about and can put a smile on their face. To me, things that you love to do and prioritize should never be something you really have to make time for. Stuff like that is what comes naturally to me!
MM: Well, everyone is dying to know, what exactly is your favorite meme?
EM: This is probably the hardest question I’ve been asked in four years of college, Kenzie…Well obviously I think there’s a lot to consider here. Lately I really like the “yee” videos with the dinosaur, Redbone memes, and anything where Kermit falls off the roof. Old videos without context are great too, like “you could stop at five or six stores, or just one” and the rainbow sponge lady both get high praise from me. I have to wonder what this says about me.
MM: Amazing, now onto the generic senior leaving college stuff. If you could sum up your experience at Emmanuel in just ONE sentence, what would it be?
EM: Is it generic if I say I literally never once went to Wahlburgers?
MM: Do you have any advice for incoming first years?
EM: Be uninhibited and unapologetic (unless an apology is genuinely warranted). Reach out to make new friends, join clubs, challenge yourself daily and make sure to self-advocate always, whether it makes people uncomfortable or not! On the other hand, remember that the best leaders are the ones that are okay being in the background sometimes. While it’s important to use your skills to help other people it’s just as important to remain humble, because not everyone has these opportunities.
MM: What about students majoring in Health Psych? That can’t be the easiest of majors…
EM: Academically, psychology is something that I’ve always loved and have always felt I had a better capacity for than other disciplines. That being said, in its application it can be really emotionally taxing sometimes. I think when it comes to using this major in interpersonal fields such as counseling or social work, you need to learn how to say no, and avoid taking on too much because you need to take care of yourself too. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that regardless of how much you think you know when working with people, a lot of those skills take time to develop. And with what you don’t know, being authentic and empathetic is usually more than enough.
MM: Alright, what has been your favorite experience here at Emmanuel?
EM: Oh GOODNESS, this might be harder than the meme question! I have had countless laughs and cries at Emmanuel, and made some of the best friends. My favorite experience that I can relate at the moment is getting to be a part of “Disaster! the Musical” this past semester. If I’m being honest, when I got here it didn’t feel like I’d be able to do theater anymore. A lot of the roles I liked or shows we put on didn’t suit me as a performer. But the people closest to me pushed because they knew I had the potential, and I’m proud and so ecstatic to say that I was given the opportunity to share those talents with people again! It felt like being right at home. Right up there with that experience was my time with Mission & Ministry, be it on an ASB trip or doing the summer fellowship last year. Mission & Ministry is an office that took me by surprise because I didn’t realize how much I needed and relied on the people I met there. I think it goes to show that sometimes in college and life you stumble upon opportunities and friends that make so much sense without even actively seeking them out.
MM: What do you think you’ll miss most about Emmanuel?
EM: I’m going to miss the closeness I’ve felt with everyone around me, and the convenience of being able to connect with new people. It’ll be hard not to have that same structure, and to not see the faces I’ve come to know by spending a lot of time in the library or dining hall for four years. So all in all I guess it’s the community aspect I’ll miss the most, but I do have hope that there are many other similarly amazing people out there! Also, hold on to Emma and late night Tasty Burger as long as you can.
MM: And finally, which was your favorite course here at Emmanuel, and why?
EM: You’re really nailing these hard questions! Every semester there’s at least one class I fall in love with, but I’d have to say Dr. Ivy Krull’s Intro to Social Work class is a must. Out of curiosity and before even declaring my major, I took her class Spring 2015 and it was really sobering to learn that individual lives can be impacted by institutions and interactions to such a great extent. Professor Krull’s teaching style, content, and overall compassion are the reason I’m hoping to pursue my MSW in the near future! As another piece of advice, definitely make connections and have these important conversations with your professors, they have a lot of wisdom outside the classroom.
MM: OKAY back to the fun stuff- do you have any secret spaces here at Emmanuel? Ya know, to study… or cry in…
EM: Well as I’m sure you and many others know, I’m a sometimes anxious person and an unashamedly public crier. If I need to be alone to decompress on campus, I try to use a less populated bathroom or the stairwell near the commuter lockers in Marian. Otherwise, living at Notre Dame is great because I have a single and there’s loads of probably haunted places to wail there.
MM: What about your favorite place to eat in the city?
EM: It really depends on my mood, cravings, and company; Yard House is a staple in my friend group for its sheer variety and quality. My family has been partial to Max Brenner recently. When I want wings, though, it’s Thornton’s all the way. Next I want to go somewhere fancy in the North End! Gordon Ramsay once revamped a restaurant there in an episode of Kitchen Nightmares. The reviews are still inconsistent, but I would go wherever Gordon has gone.
MM: And last but certainly not least, what do you want to do with your life?
EM: Oh wow, okay! As previously mentioned, I hope to be a social worker in profession. Other dreams include becoming a voice actor on cartoons, writing kids books, and fostering animals. Traveling is also a big goal of mine because I’ve never left the US, and maybe eventually I’ll fall in love and decide to do the kid thing, or just get a dog and some cats. It’s all up in the air, and I’m okay with it!
We’d like to thank Em for all of her hard work here with Her Campus at Emmanuel, we’re going to miss you more than you could ever know! Don’t be afraid to drop in and say hi every once in a while!