Name: Thomas Norton
Major: Chemistry
Organizations Involved: I’m a member of Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, Honor Council Justice, the American Chemical Society, and, most importantly, a part of the Mercer Maniacs! Go Bears!
Hobbies: I really enjoy playing basketball. It’s kind of been an escape for me for a long time and the courts just feel like home. Reading is another big thing in my life. I’ve always loved getting into a good book and just immersing myself in it. Once I get going, I can read for hours on end. I also actively attend almost any Mercer sporting event I can (hence my involvement with the Maniacs). The atmosphere is great here and I’ve always loved sports. I play tennis when I get the chance, but that doesn’t happen as often as I’d like. Oh yeah, and I occasionally hit half court shots at Mercer basketball games.
So, we all know what’s coming up…Valentine’s Day! What are you doing for it?
Haha, is that coming up? I’ll probably stick to my yearly routine of getting a bucket of ice cream and sitting in bed, watching sappy romantic movies all day in my boxers. But seriously, I don’t have any big plans, unfortunately. Sorry I can’t be more interesting, but Valentine’s Day has always been kind of a low-key holiday for me. I may send myself a box of chocolates or something, though. Haven’t decided yet.
Why did you choose to come to Mercer?
Ahhh, my favorite question to ask freshmen. Well, it’s a real sentimental story so you may want to prepare yourself. So, my whole life I always planned on going to UGA. My dad was a die-hard dawg, my half-sister went to school there for a little while, and so it was implemented into my head early on that I was going there. I applied to Mercer just because I had been on campus a few times for debate in high school and it seemed like a nice campus. Well, as the deadline to choose a school drew near, I decided to visit Mercer just to see what it was all about. I still haven’t figured out what it is, but something just really felt right about it. I just felt at home on campus and I felt like I just belonged here. A year later and I absolutely love it and wouldn’t change my decision if I could. The people that I’ve met are just amazing. Now, I still think UGA is a good school and have a bunch of close friends who go there, but I just believe that I belong here at Mercer. And, yes, it’s okay if you cried a little after reading that.
Who is your favorite professor and why?
Whoa, I don’t know if I should answer this question…I don’t know which professors may read this. I’ll start by saying I don’t think I’ve had a professor that I dislike yet. They’ve all been wonderful, and even if I didn’t particularly enjoy their class, I genuinely liked them as people. But if I had to say which professor I have the best out-of-class relationship with, I would say Dr. Andy Digh. He was my advisor last year and has helped me tremendously. He’s seriously just a wonderful, genuinely great guy who takes a real interest in students, even if they aren’t his own. I was extremely fortunate to get him as an advisor. You’re awesome, Dr. Digh!
What is one thing that you can’t live without?
Man, that’s a good question. I’ve really had to think about this one. I guess I would have to say that human contact is something I can’t live without. I do enjoy having time to myself, but I feel like not being able to communicate and interact with other people would be terrible. Interacting with other people just really makes life easier. Even this past week, I’ve been really stressed out and just having friends to talk to and try and cheer me up made it bearable. So, yeah, being able to interact with other people just makes life so much easier and I don’t know if how long I would be able to last without it.
Future Plans:
Well, first off, I hope to graduate with honors. After graduation, I intend on attending some kind of postgrad school. I haven’t fully decided if I want to go for a PhD or go into law school, but I think I am leaning more towards law school. I know a bunch of you are going “Law school? So why are you majoring in Chemistry??” Well, I’ll tell you. In my mind, the though process of a chemist and lawyer aren’t all that different. It’s about analyzing, breaking down, and solving a problem. Also, having a chemistry background opens up the opportunity for patent law. I haven’t decided what kind of law I would want to practice, but it’s always good to have options! After getting all my school situated, I may go abroad for a little while to see what life is like outside of what I’m used to. And eventually I’ll have a family and hopefully be successful in whatever field I choose.