Name: Susanna Reese
Grade: Sophomore
Major: Biology with secondary teaching emphasis
Minor: Psychology. Maybe Spanish! Who knows :)
Birthday: February 27th 1996
Hometown: Santa Rosa, CA
Career goal: High school biology teacher, after a few more degrees also the school counselor
Astrological Sign: Pisces
Favorite movie: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off or Pacific Rim
Favorite Class at Western: Any psychology or neuroscience class; I love the opportunity to have insight into human behavior.
Favorite thing about Western: I call Western the “Goldilocks” school; enough people for bustling campus life and plenty of activities, but not so many that you feel lost. People generally seem open to freely express themselves, and I think that’s an important aspect of Western.
Favorite Band/Artist: My favorite music depends on my mood, but my iTunes library says it’s a tie between Led Zeppelin and Kanye West
Favorite place to study: The tutoring center is a wonderful study place because it’s never too noisy and even if a tutor isn’t available to help, someone at another table may be willing to jump in and save you.
Favorite TV show: Hawaii Five-O
Favorite Restaurant: Casa Que Pasa because their jalapeno queso is pure cheesy heaven
What’s your motto? : One of the quote that I strive to live by is from Iain Thomas; “Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard…take pride that even though the rest of the world make disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.” It’s a reminder that it is important to open your eyes and observe the overwhelming beauty of life that may be easy to overlook when you feel downtrodden or angry.
Something you want to do before you die: I hope space travel gets to reasonable price one day so I can see the earth from 200,000 miles above its atmosphere.
Any role models?: My mother is my biggest role model. She is hard working, kind, logical, loving, and hilarious; everything I hope to be one day.
What do you do in your free time?: Free time? What free time? Lol. I love being involved with the arts. Painting, sculpting, and hanging around museums and galleries gives me such a sense of wonder and happiness. Being able to create something that I can’t express with words is always satisfying, as is seeing others’ expressions.
Dream vacation: Costa Rica sounds amazing! I guess it’s academic, but studying abroad there would be great. Sounds like a vacation to me!
Cats or dogs: Both. I can’t think of an animal that doesn’t make me smile. Except…moles? Even those are cute in their own weird eyeless way.
What couldn’t you go a day with?: I could be a smart aleck and say water, but I’d go with fun writing utensils. It’s a small way I can brighten my day, plus it results in the most phenomenal color coded notes. I signed my lease for next year with sparkly purple gel pen. True story.
If you could have a super power what would it be?: Teleportation
What advice would you give to freshman?: Understand that your life will change and take unexpected twists and turns. Having a plan can help, but be ready to alter it and do your best to be excited about the new doors that are opening as a result. Also, don’t worry about being uncomfortable in new situations; everyone else feels just as weird!
How did you become involved with residence life? I started out in hall council my freshman year as the RHA liaison and at the end of the year had the awesome opportunity to be on the executive board for RHA. Working with everyone in my hall and having the chance to interact regularly with the ResLife team kick-started my ambition to be an RA this year.
What preconceptions do you think people have about RA’s? : Whenever I hear people comparing the RAs to police, I chuckle a little. We aren’t “out to get you”, we just want to have fun events, shower you with candy and snacks, and hear genuine responses when we ask how you’re doing. Trust me—we don’t like you catching you doing stuff you shouldn’t be doing just as much as you don’t like being caught.
What has changed most about you in the last year or so? I have gotten a lot better at letting go of my stress. I used be frustrated when plans changed and I felt like I couldn’t keep up. Now I’m able to take most challenges and obstacles in stride.
When was a time you felt you were making a difference/ changing a life? I feel like I’m making a difference every time I help someone smile. Even a small thing like having a good laugh can be enough to turn a day around, and sometimes that’s all you need. I’ve had a couple deeply impactful moments, like when someone told me I inspired them to be a better person and change their outlook of others.