Name: Zach Elstad
Hometown: Grayson, GA
Major, minor: HES, chemistry
Relationship status: In a relationship
Birthday: April 2, 1991
Nickname: Bear
HC (HerCampus): What do you want to do with your HES major?
ZE (Zach Elstad): I’m into Med School now; I’m in at the Medical College of Georgia, the Athens campus. I don’t necessarily know what I want to do, but I’ve shadowed orthopedic surgery which has a lot to do with sports injuries. It’s one of the harder fields to get into, but that is what I’m thinking. We will see…
HC: So, its senior year…what stands out as one of your favorite memories during your time at Wake?
ZE: I would probably have to say during pledging. Even though that sounds weird, I liked getting to know the guys in my class.
HC: What are you involved in on campus?
ZE: I’m in Sigma Pi. I’ve played club soccer since freshman year, but haven’t played as much this year. I’m involved in a lot of intramurals through the fraternity as well.
HC: So you’re a big sports guy. What’s your favorite sport to watch and who do you root for?
ZE: I like basketball and I root for the Hawks, from Atlanta. To be honest I don’t even watch that much TV in general so I wouldn’t consider myself a huge follower of sports. I never really had TV as a kid.
HC: Really?! That’s interesting, what was growing up like?
ZE: I had no TV really. People make fun of me. I built forts—I had huge forts and zip lines when I was younger. Our forts were really good, we had pitchbacks inside our forts and took mini trampolines and put them in the forts as well. That was when I was younger and spent a lot of time with neighborhood friends. Flashlight tag was huge in the neighborhood too!
HC: Where is your favorite place in the world?
ZE: I’ve traveled a lot because my dad works as a pilot for United and my mom is a flight attendant for Delta, so I’ve traveled my whole life. Costa Rica was one of my favorite places; we stayed for like a week or so. We did two separate vacations in one; we did canopy tours and then we went down to a more local beach and stayed in a bed and breakfast, which was really just someone’s house…pretty hilarious. It was cool to be outside and there were just like monkeys above us. There was also a local soccer game going on, which was really cool because they were phenomenal.
HC: What’s your favorite movie?
ZE: Probably Ace Ventura Pet Detective or When Nature Calls.
HC: Ah, I’ve seen that one! What is your favorite quote?
ZE: When he puts the asparagus in his teeth and says, “Is there something in my teeth?” His action when he’s coming out of the bat cave is pretty funny too.
HC: I wouldn’t have really guessed that movie, you seem pretty serious. If you had to describe yourself in two words what would they be?
ZE: “Observant” is probably a word to use. I will notice small things that probably really shouldn’t be noticed. I guess “athletic,” since I love sports so much.
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HC: If you could trade places with anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be?
ZE: Michael Jordan probably. [I would] be the best basketball player ever.
HC: I love MJ, I had a huge crush on him during Space Jam.
ZE: Best movie! I was the Monstars one year in high school for Halloween.
HC: (Laughs) Too funny. So, the tougher questions…Tell me about your ideal date, what would you do?
ZE: I’ve had some ideal dates… I’m trying to think of ones I’ve actually been on. My girlfriend [and I] were abroad last semester in Florence, and we bought a bottle of wine and went down to the river and sat for a really long time just talking. My friend had been there the last semester so he told me about a really great spot.
HC: What is the cheesiest pick up line you’ve ever used? Did it work?
ZE: I don’t really use pickup lines.
HC: Your game is too strong, you don’t need pick up lines?
ZE: (Laughs) Well I’ve heard this one…We were playing Jenga in the basement one time, and this girl said a funny one, “I’m a piece of trash, why don’t you take me out?”
HC: When you look at a girl, what is the first thing you notice about her?
ZE: Her smile
HC: What’s the least attractive thing a girl can do?
ZE: Probably be stuck up in general.
HC: Give me the first few songs on your favorite playlist
ZE: I’ll probably put J Cole in there, “Can’t Get Enough.” Some of Eminem’s mix tapes, “Despicable.”
HC: I love “Despicable”! I’ve been known to rap “The Real Slim Shady” too.
ZE: (Laughs) Nice. I always like Ludacris too, any of his songs really—the old ones are good like “Roll Out.” Mostly rap, that’s really all I listen to.
HC: Do you have any tattoos?
ZE: Nope
HC: If you got one, what would it be?
ZE: I really don’t want one, I just feel like it might be something you regret. And they morph when you’re old…I’d have to have something really meaningful happen before I got a tattoo. Even then I probably wouldn’t get a quote, it’d be a symbol.
HC: Ten years from now, where do you think you’ll be?
ZE: Hmm…four years of med school…I’ll probably just be getting done with whatever I’m studying. Hopefully I’ll be married, maybe thinking about kids…I don’t know! Being married for sure and maybe kids, but that’s really scary to think about.
*Photography by Karleigh Ash