Year: Sophomore
Major: Neuroscience and French with a Minor in English Literature
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
This week’s Campus Celebrity is a close friend of mine. I met Mehrgol Tiv early on in high school, and we have been friends ever since. Attracted by her effortless glow and radiant personality, I was hooked on her. This year, ironically enough, I was placed on the same floor that she was assigned as a resident assistant. After much excitement and much assured fan-girling, we arrived at the university and found to my expectation that she was everyone’s favorite. Truly, I watched as she was able to comfort, assure, and be a best friend to all those who needed it on the floor—what more could a celebrity be?
HC: So, I have to ask- were you always this adorable?
Mehrgol: Yes. I’ll send you the baby pictures.
HC: Oh please do! I’m sure they’re kept in an ornate antique picture frame with hand drawn flowers too. So if you like being adorable so much, can I ask why you chose the odd combination of Neuroscience and French?
Mehrgol: I just can’t make decisions, basically. I want to pursue everything that potentially excites me. I can’t imagine doing anything that doesn’t interest me…at all. If I was stuck in a lab all day, I wouldn’t be too happy. But, if I was in a hospital I know I’d be unhappy as well. So I am thinking of pursuing an MD/PhD program to study cognitive neuroscience, but to be honest I don’t know where that will take me.
HC: Would that be the best of both worlds then? Discussing brains with cute French boys?
Mehrgol: Well, duh. But also to just gain a better understanding of the world. Mainly, understanding where I stand in relation with the rest of the world. I absolutely love the French culture and find the history beyond interesting. I know I just can’t be all about science, science, science. This is why I want to minor in English Literature, too.
HC: So now you want to talk to both English and French boys?
Mehrgol: (Laughs and smiles) I just love getting lost in other worlds, and that’s exactly why I love the humanities. I am not very realistic.
HC: Realism is boring, sweetie. So then you have to study abroad, right?
Mehrgol: I am actually going to Nantes this summer!
HC: I am so jealous, what are you taking there?
Mehrgol: I am taking a course in Art History and advanced grammar and stylistics. Both are high level courses though so I am rather nervous. I really can’t wait for the Parisian clothes.
HC: The clothes are the best part. Speaking of, let’s talk about your fashion. How would you describe yourself?
Mehrgol: I am just so freaking excited to sit in a café with my beret, eat bread, and be French. My clothes? Oh, that’s hard. I don’t really know how to classify myself. I think it’s because I haven’t figured out who I want to be yet. I basically try to dress to make myself happy and feel like I could rule the world. I feel like once you give up on your appearance, you might as well give up on yourself. Even if I’m in the worst mood, I try to look put together to remind myself that I still have my life together. I try to be different, because I hate being like the rest of them.
HC: I love that. Totally agree. I have to ask, who is your favorite woman from history?
Mehrgol: Oh that’s hard. Well, Audrey Hepburn, but not to be cliché.
HC: I TOTALLY saw that coming. Okay, but you have to explain or it doesn’t count.
Mehrgol: Okay, well, not just because of her absolute beauty, but because she was the most kind-hearted person I have ever read about. She was so philanthropic and really did care about people. I hope that at some point in my life I can do those things strictly to make the world a better place. She had so much life in her, and so much to give.
HC: I think you have so much to give too, never lose that. Back to reality, what made you want to become a RA? Did you ever expect to have this much of an impact on your residents?
Mehrgol: That’s exactly why I wanted to become an RA. I like the idea of connecting with people- it’s the little things that make me really happy. I love when people tell me they love the environment on my floor, and that people feel comfortable and at home there. At first, I did it for the challenge. Now, however, I don’t think I could imagine college without it. It’s such a good feeling.
All pictures are from Mehrgol’s Facebook.