Meet this week’s freshmen football star, Marcus Vaivao. He’s from Gilbert, Arizona and is majoring in Mechanical Engineering.
HC: What are you involved in on campus?
MV: I am a linebacker on the football team. I’m also involved in NSBE, the National Society of Black Engineers.
HC: Do you like being on the football team?
MV: I love it. It’s provided me with so many opportunites, like NSBE. It also provided me with so many connections and bonds. I’ve met some of my best friends from football, and it definitely helped me adjust to USD.
HC: Is it hard to balance football, school, and your social life?
MV: Yes, it’s very hard. I’m constantly doing homework or at practice. To be honest, I don’t sleep much, mayber 4 or 5 hours a night. But I do think it’s important to still have some what of a social life to stay sane, so I always make sure I have time to hangout with my friends.
HC: What’s your favorite thing about USD?
MV: I really like the small class sizes. It allows me to engage more in class and better understand the material because it creates a more friendly environment open to questions and discussion. I also love San Diego in general. You can’t beat the weather or the beaches.
HC: What legacy do you want to leave behind once you leave USD?
MV: I want people to rememeber me as being a good person. I always try to put my best foot forward, so I hope that pays off in the long run.
HC: What are your future plans?
MV: I want to stay in San Diego after graduation and pursue a career in mechanical engineering. I’m not exactly sure what specific job I want yet, though.
HC: What are 3 adjectives your friends use to describe you?
MV: Happy, smiley, and energetic.
HC: What do you get complimented most on?
MV: It used to be my long hair before I cut it, but now probably my smile.
HC: What’s yout most embarrassing moment?
MV: When I was 15, my brother pantsed me in the check out line at Walmart. Half of my butt was out, and so many people saw. It was a little emotionally scarring.
HC: What’s the worst date you’ve ever been on?
MV: In high school, I took this one girl out. I thought she was super cool and I was so excited to take her out. I was also very nervous. When we sat down for lunch, we stared at each other the whole time. She was so hard to talk to. I was already so nervous, and this made it ten times worse. I had no idea what to say and she wasn’t helping much either. I never went out with her again after that.
HC: What’s your idea of a perfect date?
MV: I would pick her up and give her flowers. We would be all dressed up and go to a really nice restaurant on the beach. After that, we would go for a stroll down the beach.
Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, Marcus!