Name:John Hasley ‘12
Year:2012
Major:B.A. in History, Philosophy, Marketing; B.Phil in History (specializing in the Vietnam War)
Hometown:Pittsburgh, PA
Current Relationship Status:Single
What do you like best about Pitt?
The student organizations. They are filled with students who want to give back to the community. I love to help them as much as I can from the Student Government Board (SGB) standpoint, which includes spreading their causes and educating others about Pitt students and what we care about. There are more than 300 student organizations on campus and it’s really amazing not only how many Pitt students are involved in student organizations, but also the diversity of interests and causes represented here at the University.
What do you hope to do when you graduate?
Go to law school. My target school is NYU. My sister went to Columbia, and I love the atmosphere of New York City. I think I’ll eventually come back to Pittsburgh, but New York would be a great place to learn law. Plus, Matt Damon lives in the city, so it would be cool to run into him.
What’s your favorite movie and book?
Oh man, I’m a big movie person. I have a lot of favorite movies. Most recently it’s The Third Manby Orson Welles. I love Orson Welles as a director and when this movie came out, Hollywood blacklisted Welles, so you can see how influential the movie was. It’s really great; I definitely recommend anyone to watch it when they have the time. As far as books, I really like A Farewell to Armsby Hemingway. The density of language in that book constitutes really good writing.
What would be your perfect day?
I would wake up at 5:30 and row for an hour. I think the best way to start any day is by rowing, it releases endorphins and makes you feel great. I would eat a good well-balanced breakfast because I rarely do that. Then, I would shoot the breeze with my roommates. We would probably play Mario Kart and we definitely play on Nintendo and not Wii; we don’t mess around with that newfangled technology. I think I am close to the undisputed champ of Mario Kart so that’s usually a good time. Then I would go to Five Guys for lunch, because it’s my favorite place to eat in Oakland and has been since high school. After lunch, I would probably watch a movie and take a nap. Then, I would go to the Campus Deli with my roommate Nate for dinner. Finally, I’ve always heard good things about Redeye Theatre though I’ve never been. And I know a lot of people that participate in that, so I would probably like to finish off my day with seeing a production.
What do you look for in a girl?
Someone you can just talk to, easy-going, intelligent. I would go for the nerdy history girl, someone I could talk to all night about the Vietnam War. And of course, a good personality.
Why the Vietnam War?
Well, it’s unfortunate, but I think that nobody can really study all of American history. There is just too much. The Vietnam War is, in my opinion, a good example of what defines America. It’s a manifestation of a lot of themes and trends present in American history as a whole.
What is your favorite thing to do on a date?
I went on a date in high school and I remember it being really fun. We saw a glass exhibit at Phipps Conservatory and afterwards, we watched Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. I really appreciated having both the cultural and then the goofy part of the date. I mean Walk Hardisn’t a movie that I would recommend anyone see, but it’s really hilarious, and if you see it in passing, it’s a great movie.
What are five words you would use to describe yourself?
Tall, patient, relaxed, and proactive listener.
What’s your favorite memory at Pitt?
There are so many. Winning a position on SGB as a board member – that was a crazy night. All of us who were campaigning, we were really exhausted by the end, and campaigning was a marathon. And then we found out the results – we were all together, and that moment was exhilarating.
Another really awesome memory was fall semester freshman year when I got my bid from Delta Chi. It was just so out of the blue. I wasn’t really sure whether I had wanted to go Greek, you know, and I was hanging out with these group of guys, and they just asked me whether I would like to join. I was really excited.
What advice would you offer the ladies?
Girls should always remember that guys are pretty stupid about dating and should take everything we say and do with a grain of salt. It might take a while, but I think we’ll definitely come around as a gender. And then just to be yourself. If you’re not, then you’re already setting yourself up for failure.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
So I’m 22 now, which means I’ll be 32 in 10 years. I’ll be married and have one or two kids, at least one kid, though I eventually want two kids. I’ll be a good parent, and teaching my kids how to grow up right. I’ll be working hard at the job I have and being satisfied that way. Hopefully, I’ll still be in touch with a lot of the people I’m in touch with now. I’ve made a lot of good friends these past few years and I hope that we’ll still be just as good friends in the future.