Meet Todd Schreiber, sophomore at University of Oregon and total Campus Cutie. Hailing from Los Angeles, California, Todd is hilarious, adorable, and the best kind of friend; plus, he loves The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. What’s more to love?
HCO: So, Todd, tell us about yourself. What’s your major? Why U of O?
A lot of different factors drew me to the U of O. Some of my friends from Los Angeles had come up here. I wanted something new, and I loved the campus when I visited it in the summer. But besides adjusting to the climate change, I also had to adjust my academic focuses. At the time, I had thought about pursuing sustainable architecture, but after a term I realized it required a dedication that far surpassed my eclectic tastes and interests. For the last year I’ve happily sat in the art major—it’s allowed me to take all kinds of diverse classes, from Drawing 2 to the Astronomy sequence to Norse Mythology. Most recently, I’ve also taken up the Spanish major alongside art and plan to study in Querétaro, Mexico, this summer.
HCO: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Golly, I haven’t a clue. I’ll most likely be incorporating art into my career somehow. I sometimes think about investigating literature and philosophy, but I have a full plate as it is now! If art or any of my other “Renaissance-y” passions don’t play out, I’m thinking I could become a Spanish teacher. I’d be the down-to-earth “güero” [Spanish slang for fair-skinned and/or light-haired] teacher who understands the struggle of learning a new language in adolescence, especially when you’re in high school. Past that I don’t know what I’d do.
HCO: Where’s your hometown? Do you miss it?
I’m originally from Los Angeles and this is the first time I’ve lived on my own in a different place. I miss certain things from LA, like the beach and some restaurants, but nothing can compare to how much I miss my family and friends back home. I don’t miss the traffic at all!
HCO: Describe yourself as an animal:
Hmm. I’d have to say I’m a raccoon, ’cause I’ve got a couple of dirty habits, but I look cute doing them so it’s cool.
HCO: What bands are you into right now? What kind of music do you like?
Well, for the last couple years I’ve really enjoyed electronic dance music, going to raves and that whole scene, but I’m starting to grow out of it. All the music in my iTunes library seems to have a story, like it came from a friend showing it to me or something. I’ll just name a few artists I like: Passion Pit, Matt & Kim, Amy Winehouse, The Killers, Kid Cudi, some punk bands like Sublime, Pepper, and Slightly Stoopid… Phoenix, Nujabes, RJD2, Sage Francis, and Two Door Cinema Club (even though their last album wasn’t that good). As for electronic, I like the popular guys like Daft Punk and Tiesto, but I also really love Kaskade, Dash Berlin, Crystal Castles, and Above & Beyond, to name a few. Since getting Spotify, I feel like an entirely new world has opened up to me so I have a lot of work to do.
HCO: What’s your average weekend like?
Unforgettably unmemorable.
HCO: When did you realize you were gay?
Well… sexual orientation was and still is a confusing subject for me. In high school, I identified as bisexual and even now I lean towards a form of bisexuality, but in the last couple of years I’ve begun to embrace my “gayness.” Sexuality can be a real cluster f***—I’m happy about who I am today, but that didn’t come about without a lot of doubt and self-exploration. I don’t think there was any exact point when I realized I was gay; the points of realization happened over a long period of time. But now that I think about it, I did always have a crush on Uncle Jesse from Full House.
HCO: Describe your perfect date:
I’d have to say April 25th, because it’s not too hot, not too cold…haha, I’m just playing. Well, to be honest, I was never the guy who went on a lot of dates—as long as I’m with the right person and we’re on the same page, that’s perfect enough for me.
HCO: What’s your perfect guy like?
I’d tell you if I knew! It’s kind of a cop-out, but I’d say I’m really attracted to duality: someone who is confident but humble, intelligent but super silly–someone who’s introspective but also has a wild side. They’d have to be really chill, but also meticulous and thoughtful. With these standards, no wonder I’m still single!
HCO: How do you feel at UO?
I feel very comfortable at the U of O. I’ve made a lot of great friends and I enjoy my classes. I was a bit apprehensive when I first got here; coming from a small private school, I was not used to such a large community, but now I really like it. Eugene offers such a verdant atmosphere and I can expect anyone I meet on campus to be friendly if I engage them with a smile.
HCO: What’s your favorite food?
That’s tough. I’d have to say it’s a three-way tie amongst a classic cheeseburger + fries + milkshake, a super tasty Asian stir-fry like Benihana, and really any type of Mexican food. The way to my heart right now is through pad Thai or an avocado. I seriously have an unhealthy obsession with avocados right now, I put them on everything.
HCO: What are your hobbies?
It’s typically hard to sustain hobbies in college, but I’m studying what I’m interested in, so I don’t mind too much. My hobbies always tended to be on the academic side: learning about mythology, or reading about past cultures and antiquity. One of my biggest hobbies in high school was searching one thing on Wikipedia and just spending hours hopping from one link to the next. I like to draw (which I do in class), and I’m able to fit in a painting project here and there. I wouldn’t consider hiking or going to concerts hobbies of mine, but I do really enjoy them.
HCO: Favorite Disney movie?
Reserving The Sword in the Stone and Hercules as undisputable personal favorites, but I’m going to have to say it’s a tie between The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. You can’t make me choose, so don’t even try.
HCO: What are your pet peeves?
People that only like to talk about themselves… Oh wait…
HCO: If you were trapped on a desert island, what are three things you would take?
The logistics of this question have never ceased to bother me, but if I must answer, I’d take SPF 70 sunscreen, a rechargeable flashlight, and a guide to astronomy.