Remember Erin Friedlander from last week’s Campus Celebrities? Well, a couple of things have changed since then: 1. She exceeded her goal of $4000 and raised $4,536, putting her in second place for most funds raised, and 2. She’s bald!
Name: Erin Friedlander
Year: 2nd
Nickname: Friday. The rowing team gave me this nickname. I always sat next to another Erin on the team and so to distinguish between us the coaches started calling me “Frieday.” (a play on my last name, Friedlander).
Major: English and Biology
UVa Activities:Frisbee, Spread the Love, Relay for Life, VASST (Virginia Alpine Ski and Snowboarding Team)
Favorite Cville Spot: Bodos
Current ipod repeat song: Erase Me by Kid Cudi
Favorite Movie: Pride and Prejudice (A&E version)
Favorite Place: Tuscany, Italy
Favorite Quote: “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”–Dr. Seuss
Fun Fact:I hate American cheese, and I don’t match my socks.
Favorite Celebrity Hairstyle: Currently I am a big fan of Natalie Portman’s V for Vendetta look.
How were you feeling when you were getting your hair cut off?
I was actually really happy during the shaving process. I had seen a couple of donors cry earlier in the night and completely understood their whirlwind of emotions. I just made the decision that I didn’t want to cry and so I only let myself think, “Having a buzz cut is going to be freakin’ sweet.” So many people showed up to support me and with all the love in the room, it definitely wasn’t hard to think happy thoughts. It’s really a great and supportive event and everyone looks fantastic. It’s not just a haircut. It’s so much more.
What are people’s reactions to your new look?
It’s really an interesting mix of reactions. Whenever I make eye contact with people walking past me, I get two polar opposite reactions. The first is utter shock and an unwavering stare as people contemplate the source of my baldness. On the other hand, I also get a lot of unexpected smiles from strangers, most likely because they know about the philanthropy and what I’ve done.
Any benefits to being a baldy?
It takes no time at all to shower, no bed head; it’s great! The wind also feels awesome on my head and you can completely feel the difference between the sun and the shade.