Name: Jake Chapman
Age: 22. But you’re only as young as the woman you feel! And she’s 24.
Course: 3rd year English with Creative Writing
Introducing Jake Chapman, man of comedy, eco and enviromental enthusiast, and now HerCampus ‘Campus Cutie’. Not only is Jake a cutie but he also regularly donates his time to worthy causes and campaigns such as Surfers Against Sewage, Wave Project and beach cleans. Whilst also finishing his degree and helping out with inspiring causes, Jake also skates and surfs any time he can! We managed to sit him down for ten minutes and find out more!
Relationship Status: I live with my girlfriend, Laura, and I’m currently being shouted at daily for leaving hair in the bath. So I could be single soon.
Favourite book: That’s a tough one. There’s Bridget Jones, and the Twilight Saga. Both of which got me through some tough times when I was younger. But I’d have to say the book that has inspired me the most, largely because of its beautiful message, is Fifty Shades of Grey. Seriously, my favourite book at the moment is The New Granta Book of Travel, which is a collection of travel stories from various writers across the globe. My favourite story within this incredibly diverse book is ‘Lovely Girls, Very Cheap’, by Decca Aitkenhead. It is an account of a trip to Thailand, but more prominently it is an experience of the effects of Western tourism, as well as the prostitution that appears to have become normal there.
My favourite quote is a comment on the ravers at the full-moon party, which is held on the beach at Ko Pha-Ngan every year.
‘I recognized the dance from raves a decade ago; it looked like a small child’s impersonation of a mentally handicapped person’.
Favourite thing to do in Falmouth: Anything to do with the sea. I’m originally from a town called Chesterfield (close to Sheffield, if you know it) and I’ve been coming to Cornwall with my family every year since I was six. To live right next to the sea is a dream come true. If there’s a swell hitting Falmouth then my favourite thing to do is surf. Unfortunately that’s not a regular occurrence, so I’d have to go with cliff-jumping.
Favourite place to eat or drink in Falmouth: Hands-down The Meat Counter. I would marry that burger and raise a family of little burgers and have no remorse in eating them all, it’s that good.
What do you like to do in your spare time? If I’m in then I’ll play my guitar and read. I’m a bit addicted to exercise, so I’ll usually go surfing and climbing once a week with my mates as well as some running and going to the gym. I try to get out on the bike as well, but haven’t done that for a few months! Top that off with having a chilly one and some beers at the weekend, maybe playing some pool or poker and going fishing, whatever’s happening, and I’m a happy chappy.
Favourite memory of University life so far: I’m not sure I have one particular favourite. It’s strange because I’m mega happy with life at the minute, the happiest I think I’ve ever been. But if I had to choose a set of memories in particular I would hands-down say the entirety of first year. There wasn’t much responsibility back then, so everyone focussed all of their efforts into having a laugh, day-in, day-out. We were big kids, and halls felt like one big playground to us, even complete with security guards instead of dinner ladies to tell us off. I think it’s because it’s the most unique time of my life, made special by the amazing people that I became friends in that year, that I’d do it all over again in an instant.
Thanks so much for your time Jake! Good Luck in 3rd year and with all your future endeavours!