One of her many nicknames is Petri dish, she likes earlobes and had about three different people interrupt our interview (Such a social butterfly!). I had so much fun with this interview. Thanks, Nue! Check out me and this girl’s interview below!
Name: Mai Nue Lor
Year in school: Junior
Major: Interpersonal Communication
Minor: Ethnic and Racial Studies
Hometown: Holmen, WI
PGPs: She/Her/Hers
J: Do you have any nicknames?
M: Some people like to call me Moe Nue, Nue Nue, and Nue. Vang (her boyfriend) likes to call me Petri Dish, but don’t put that in there …
J: Petri Dish?!
M: I told him to stop touching my face, because it’s going to get all acne’d up and he said, “Oh, I’m going to start calling you petri dish, because your face is like a petri dish!” GIRL! [We laugh]
J: Are you involved in anything on campus?
M: I am involved in Asian Latina African Native American Womyn (ALANA), Diversity Organization Coalition (DOC), Hmong Organization Promoting Education (HOPE), Student Support Services (SSS), the Office of Multicultural Student Services (OMSS) and Awareness Through Performance (ATP).
J: What are some of your favorite things to do?
M: I like to eat, um … I like to have conversations with people and just laugh and just have a good time. I’m not too serious, but I can be when I want to be, but most of the time I just like to laugh and have a good time and make sure people are having a good time. I said have a good time a lot.
J: Why did you come to UW-La Crosse?
M: I came to UWL because it was cheap and my parents really wanted me to stay close to home, and so I did ASI (Academic Success Institute)–that’s where I met you, girl, and the crew. I think it was a good experience, though, not saying that I’m like done, but I think it was a good choice to come here.
J: Why did you decide to study Interpersonal Communication?
M: Well, at first I was going to be a Bio major and I was going to go into nursing or become a doctor. Ya know–a typical Asian thing. But I didn’t do well in some of my classes in Bio, so I was like: this isn’t for me. Then I talked to some other people and they were like, “you should try communications because you’re very friendly and personable.” So I did Org Comm. for a little bit. Then I was like: nah, I don’t want to do Org Comm. because I want to work with students of color, so I switched to Interpersonal and started there.
J: If you could do anything in the world as a career, what would it be?
M: Um … [Kalon Bell yells, “stripper”] WHATTT!!! Um … I think I would like to have a job where I am happy, but at the same time I would earn a lot of money so I don’t have to worry about not being able to take care of things. I don’t know if there is a job out there that satisfies that need, but if anything I would like to travel, work with students of color, and something like that. I know I want to travel and work with students of color.
J: Who’s your best friend and how did you meet?
M: My best friend is Mai Mao Yang and honestly it’s a hard story to remember how we met. But we did MRA (Mississippi River Adventures) together, like the camp. At the time she was just a nasty girl that needed a shower [laughs] and at the end of the day I just found that we were very compatible. I could just be myself and not have to worry that she’s judging me. I lowkey can be very annoying and childish but somehow she tolerates me and I can tolerate her, and she’s always been there for me. We met my freshman year, so like three years ago.
Mai Nue With Bestfriend, Mai Mao
J: Do you have a favorite food?
M: I like custard donuts … [laughs] and I like sticky rice– oh, that’s so good–and papaya salad. I love eating spicy foods–like so good.
J: What does your ideal day off look like?
M: My ideal day off would consist of chillin’, watching YouTube and probably hangout with my boo. [Chai Yang interupts: “Watching porn … take a poo … drinking … doing drugs”] No! That’s a Chai thing!
J: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
M: Ooooo … I don’t know … I’d say: do what you want to do in your life, because it’s your life and not anyone else’s. I feel like I’ve always been told that throughout my life. Not those exact words, but yeah.
J: What social media do you use the most?
M: I use Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. Oh! And Snapchat! Ooooh girl! I be snappin’.
J: What’s the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?
M: Oooo a lot … Everyone is about to read this, too; I probably shouldn’t say the most embarrassing thing. I don’t know; I feel like a lot. I tend to be very awkward, so things I do I tend to laugh it off but I’m very embarrassed at the end of the day. I went on a Student Affairs Conference in Indiana and I was super excited to see Hmong people there, but there weren’t any Hmong people. But then there was this Asian girl–her last name was Yang or Lee and she looked Asian–and we were on a yellow school bus towards the back and I screamed, “Oh My Gosh! YOU’RE HMONG!!” and everyone was staring at me, and she was like “No ….. I’m not Hmong” and I was like “oh.” We were on a bus full of strangers and, lowkey bro, I think she was like Filipino or Korean. She was mixed, but I was pretty embarrassed.
J: Who’s your biggest role model?
M: Um … I don’t think I have a specific person that is like my role model that I look up to. But, there are many traits in different people that I want to be and not just one person. But I would say Mai Mou is probably one of my biggest role models because she is very strong-willed and very passionate in what she does, and I want to strive for my goals like that. And um … I want to say Lynette … Lynette Lo. She is probably one of my biggest role models, too.
Mai Nue With Boyfriend, Vang.
J: What are some of your biggest pet peeves?
M: Ooooo, I hate it when my sister puts on my makeup and uses my products and doesn’t ask me, or when she wears some of my clothes. Usually it’s just with my family. Other than that, [that’s] probably it.
J: What’s one of the coolest things you’ve ever done?
M: Um … I have such a boring life. What have I done? I went cliff diving and it was fun! I went with my MRA staff team of 2015. That day I broke my phone in the water and jumped off a cliff. And I was like, you know, “I don’t give a f*** anymore, I’m about to jump off this cliff cause my phone is broke.” That day we went to Devil’s Lake, and a canoe usually fits only three people, but we fit five people in a canoe. The water was literally up to here. So that was scary. And I jumped off the canoe and hit my shin on a rock in the shallow area and, lowkey, I probably needed stitches but I didn’t get any. It was exciting, but I kind of regret it.
J: What are you secretly obsessed with?
M: I secretly like earlobes … like chunky earlobes. [laughs] Like I do. My cousins, they got some thick a** earlobes. I be like d*** lemme flick that earlobe. Wooooooo! [laughs] It’s not a fetish though!
J: If you could have your own TV show, what would it be about?
M: It would be a cooking show because I love watching cooking shows and I’ve always wanted my own. When I was younger I would video tape myself cooking eggs. [Vang: “You don’t cook that much anymore, I’ll tell you that!”] Okay! [rolls eyes] But yeah, a cooking show or baking.
J: Describe yourself in three words …
M: Bubbly, Outgoing, and I don’t know, Vang what would you say I am?
V: You’re crazy!
M: I am not crazy
V: She likes to have a lot of fun. She’s very impulsive. She’s also moody on occasion.
M: Yeah, impulsive!
J: What’s your favorite catch phrase?
M: “Ya little nastyyyyyy”
Make sure ya’ll say wassup to Mai Nue when ya’ll see her! Thanks again, Nue! Love ya!