Meet geoscience loving, Sci-Fi/ Fantasy enthusiast (and all around awesome) sophomore Stacie Skwarkan!!
Name: Stacie Skwarcan
Year: Sophomore
Majors: Environmental Earth Sciences and Art Studio
Dorm: Pasquerilla East
Hometown: South Bend, IN
Extracurricular activities: volunteering at my grade school teaching science, working in the mass spectrometry lab
Hobbies: baking, photography, hiking, geology, and entomology
Describe yourself in three words: short, quirky, epicurean
Favorite Place on campus and why? Definitely the lakes because of the greater abundance of wildlife and relaxing effect they have.
North or South Dinning Hall? South is better but North is closer; it’s quite the conflict.
Top song on your playlist? “Goodbye Goodbye” by Tegan and Sara
Favorite TV Show and why? Only one? Ok. I think Sherlock takes the cake here. Even though we have to wait an eternity between seasons, the superb acting and character development and Benedict Cumberbatch are worth the wait.
Best thing/worst thing about ND and why? The best thing about Notre Dame would be the amazing lab facilities that the science and engineering departments have (I am such a science geek). The worst thing about Notre Dame so far has been the fact that it’s still located in South Bend. I may have lived here my entire life but that doesn’t mean I understand or appreciate the weather.
Why do you love your major?
You know the gravel they sometimes use as bases for playgrounds? Well, as a child I was more interested in finding cool-looking rocks in that gravel than actually playing on the playground. Basically earth science has been a passion since I was young and finally learning how everything works and fits together is just marvelous. And my other major, Art Studio, is also something I enjoy a lot, especially outdoor photography.How do you feel after surviving freshman year?
 I feel like the rest of college can’t be that bad, right?
The Doctor has just knocked on your door, grabbed you by the hand, and let you use the TARDIS ( without any danger of ruining the fabric of space and time) and you’re allowed to go back in time to freshman year. Would you do anything differently? Are you kidding? I wouldn’t be able to think about my freshman year because I’d be freaking out over using the TARDIS! And the doctor! But seriously, I’d have made an effort to meet more people because there are so many awesome people on campus that it would have been worth my while to spend a bit more time meeting and getting to know them.
You’ve just survived the chaotic whirlwind that is freshman year ( yay!) What do you have in mind for sophomore year?? I would like to survive the remainder of my engineering classes because I don’t know whose idea it was to put Earth Sciences in the engineering department but I am definitely not an engineer and these classes are merely reinforcing that fact.
Any advice you can give to the incoming freshman? As I mentioned earlier, meet all the people! And find a study place that works for you; the library is not for everyone.What’s the one quote/motto you live by? Stopping a piece of work just because it’s hard, either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea. Sometimes you have to go on when you don’t feel like it, and sometimes you’re doing good work when it feels like all you’re managing is to shovel shit from a sitting position. – Stephen King
Thanks Stacie!!
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Images courtesy of the interviewee