Name: Matthew Banks
Hometown: Watertown, Mass.
Major: English and Secondary Education
Minors: Theatre
Year: 2018
Involvement:
President of the Kappa Delta Pi honors society, Treasurer of the Loudest Minds club, Treasurer of the Equestrian club, Member of the Hilltop Players, Member of the Wildlife club, Member of the Sigma Tau Delta honors society, Member of the Phi Kappa Phi honors society, and a Flight Director at the Christa Corrigan McAuliffe Center.
What are you most looking forward to this summer?
Binge watching Thirteen Reasons Why! And also reading for fun!
What was your favorite thing that happened this year?
This is so hard because so many amazing things have happened to me, and are going to be happening soon! I think, though, my favorite thing was taking a Theatre course last semester on stage combat and stage make-up, and then deciding I needed to take on the Theatre minor.
What was your favorite event on campus?
This is also a really difficult question! But, I think my favorite event was “All in the Timing,” which was the straight play that I was in last semester because it was so much fun to work on that show with my friends!
Who is your biggest role model on campus?
This is WAY too difficult to narrow down, so I have to give my top 3 who are all equally my biggest role models! First are my best friends Julia Barrone and Caroline DiGirolamo because they love me unconditionally and they are both so smart, kind, determined, and fashionable that I strive to be more like them! The third person is my friend Jackie Carlson, who is also an English and Secondary Education student, and I look up to Jackie because she’s such an amazing student, such a great leader, and a wonderful friend! Also, Jackie is working on her thesis this semster, and I think it’s a perfect topic for and I’m so amazed at the commitment she’s had on it. I try to be more like them every day because I admire them for all the hard work they do every day!
Coffee or tea?
COFFEEE!!!! But, when I’m not aggressively doing homework assignments, I also really enjoy fruit teas and green teas!
What show are you currently binge watching?
None right now because of the school year, but very soon I’ll be binging Thirteen Reasons and A Series of Unfortunate Events!
What advice would you give to students next year?
I would say they should always try their hardest and to love what they do so that they can put forth energy and joy into whatever they have to work on!
What is your current theme song?
Oooh! Um, I don’t think I have a specific one. Wait, actually, it would def be “Part of Your World” from the Little Mermaid because she’s one of my favorite Disney princesses and I LOVE learning new things, just like Ariel!
What is one thing you wish for people to know about you?
There are honestly so many good thinking questions here! To answer this one, I would have to say that I wish people knew that I’m actually a little shy, awkward, and not very self-confident. I know I’m super friendly and outgoing and no one would ever think of me as shy, awkward, or not self-confident in anyway, but I really have a tough time sometimes speaking when I’m meeting new people, or even talking to people I know well. I will occasionally get really nervous for no reason, or people won’t respond to me in a way I expect, and I just feel like a massive thumb on a small hand. And I get incredibly nervous before any kind of exam, speech, or presentation because I get so afraid of messing up. The same thing happens right before I go on stage in plays and musicals too! Of course, people really only see me as outgoing and chipper all the time, but I like it when people understand that I really do get nervous and awkward a lot.