Name: Alex Daddis
Age: 23
Major/Minor: English major
Year: Junior
Hometown: Bloomfield, NJ
HCM: Why did you decide to attend Montclair State?
AD: Montclair State is my third college, actually! I went to the beautiful Monmouth University for a year, took some time off, and then went to county college, which really wasn’t for me. Montclair was doing on-site admission at my county college and I got in after a five-minute interview! I initially applied to MSU when I was in high school because of the beautiful campus and the cost. This also explains how I’m a 23-year-old Junior!
HCM: What inspired you to become an English major?
AD: Honestly, it took me a long time to figure out what I want to do. I’m still figuring it out. English is a Liberal Arts study, so I can do virtually anything I want with it – that’s right, I don’t have to be a teacher! Going with that, I have always been told that I needed to go into writing (not that I should or could, but that I needed to!) by my English and Journalism teachers in high school.
HCM: What is your favorite thing about the major?
AD: I just declared myself as an English major last summer, so I’m still learning a lot about it. So far, I love each of the professors that I’ve had. I also love how each student in my classes is so into what we’re learning about. It shows that we all feel passionate about the same thing – literature and writing.
HCM: Being that you can go in so many directions with an English major, what would be the path you’d like to follow the most?
AD: Honestly, there are so many things that I want to try. Some examples are: Improv/Stand up comedy, event planning, writing for a magazine or newspaper, maybe some PR/Marketing. I have a huge interest in sports and I would love to work near the field or in the stadium somewhere. Having an androgynous name will definitely be an advantage when it comes to applying for sports writing. J I’m not sure which direction I want to go in, but there will have to be some kind of writing involved!
HCM: Do you have a favorite class that you’ve taken so far?
AD: I took Intro to Fiction Writing last semester and loved my professor so much. It was my first stab at fiction (I usually focus on Journalism, schoolwork or memoir-type writing) and I learned a lot about writing and about my skills as a writer. The class showed me that I have the ability to write creatively!
Currently, I’m taking Modern American Fiction with Dr. Nicosia and I’m obsessed. Dr. Nicosia is so sweet and such a genuine person. I’ll probably take every single class she offers from here on until I graduate! I love to read and this class is all about reading and analyzing. It makes me excited to wake up in the morning and finish our book of the week!
HCM: What has been your favorite part about college so far?
AD: Because I’m older than the average college student, I have a much different experience than most other people who are in my classes. I’m facing “adulthood” sooner than most of my classmates, which has taught me to really appreciate my classes. When I started at MSU, I was like most other 20 year olds – not paying attention in class, constantly on my phone, skipping when I felt like sleeping in, and I really wish that I hadn’t. I could have really learned so much in those classes that I skipped. Plus, I’m paying for it. The only person I was hurting was myself! Now, I’ve realized that I love to learn and I try not to miss any classes throughout the semester. I have a new appreciation for education, and that is definitely my favorite part of college!
HCM: Care for a little speed round?
AD: Yes!
Favorite song(s)?: Paradise by the Dashboard Light – Meatloaf and Baby Got Back – Sir-Mix-A lot
Words/Quote you live by? “The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before.” – Albert Einstein
Favorite movie(s)? Where do I start? Dirty Dancing, When Harry Met Sally, Grease 2 (yes, 2!!), Mean Girls, the list is honestly endless. I’m an 80s movie junkie for sure.
Favorite book(s)? The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (Holden Caulfield is my soul mate)
Favorite food(s)? Penne vodka or chicken cutlets
Top three countries you would visit? Greece, Ireland, Spain
Celebrity crush(es)? Eric Decker (I watched him get drafted in 2011 and fell in love! LOL)
Favorite season? Summer
Pet Peeve? A mess!
Fun Fact? I follow the NFL very closely and I’m a HUGE Jets fan
Hobby? I love anything 80s, so I’m often watching an 80s movie or jamming out to 80s on 8 in the car! I also love hanging with my family, friends and boyfriend.
HCM: What motivates you?
AD: Knowing that there is a version of me out there that can and will succeed largely in the future.
HCM: What/Who do you aspire to be like – personally and/or professionally?
AD: My mom is my personal inspiration. She’s getting her Masters here at MSU and somehow balances school, work and three kids on her own. She’s got a 4.0! She’s amazing.
Professionally, I aspire to be like Erin Andrews. She’s looks great even when it’s windy out or she’s interviewing in a puffy coat. She’s serious about her career and has assisted in paving the way for women in the sports world. Definitely admirable.
I also love Chelsea Handler. I started watching The Chelsea Handler Show when I was like 12 years old and have loved her ever since. I think a lot of my sarcastic hilarity comes from watching her.
HCM: Do you have any role models?
AD: Any successful, strong, independent woman. I have an appreciation for anyone who shows the world that they can do anything, regardless of what they’ve been told in the past.
HCM: What is one thing you wish people knew about you?
AD: I’m a very blunt person. It’s sometimes my downfall. I just need to put a tattoo on my forehead that says DO NOT TAKE THIS GIRL SERIOUSLY! There’s a word people use to describe girls like me, but I prefer to use headstrong.
HCM: You’re having a dinner party and can only have five people come: who do you want there and why?
AD: This one is definitely a hard one. I think it’d be a blast to have Chelsea Handler there, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Erin Andrews – the theme seems to be strong, successful career women. I would love to pick their brains! Oprah might be a good one to add to that table, too.
HCM: To wrap things up, what’s one piece of advice you have for our Montclair collegiette’s, especially our freshman starting college this year?
AD: Don’t use your phone in class! Put it on silent or in Airplane mode, and then put it at the bottom of your bag. Social media will still be there in an hour and a half.