Matthew Couto ’14

Name : Matthew Couto

Program : Journalism and Political Science 2014

Hometown : Toronto

How would you prepare for a zombie apocalypse?

I wouldn’t. I don’t think a zombie apocalypse is really something you can prepare for. I definitely would be one of those people who would be totally unprepared.

If you could trade places with anyone for twenty-four hours, who would that person be?

I think it would be someone like Neil Young because I think it would be very interesting to just be in that life, where you’re really kind of an iconic image and you’re such an idol, being looked up to for a very genuine line of work, a very genuine art form. I think it’d be interesting to do a performance where everyone went out of their way to come see your show and really appreciate your music and be on the world stage – it would be really cool to experience that.

If you were on a desert island, and you could only have three items, what would they be and why?

A hatchet. A big block of flint. And a big bucket. That’s not interesting at all! But that is what I would bring. Very practical.

If you were a superhero, what would you want your power to be?

I would like the power to read minds. I think it would give you the utmost advantage – you’d be able to read every situation perfectly. In all seriousness I consider myself responsible, respectful, and a person with a lot of integrity. I think to have that power – there’s no boundary to what kind of contributions I could make to the world.

If you were to wake up in jail, who would you call first?

My mother. She’s so supportive and understanding and very compassionate, and she’s my best friend, my role model, and my mentor. She’s really everything to me and whenever there’s any struggle in my life she’s always the first person that I go to. I love her and she’d definitely be my first phone call!

What, in your opinion, would be the worst date ever?

The most cliché date is the dinner and movies. I think that is the absolute worst first date. When you don’t know somebody, and you’re going to that first date, and finding out who they are, having a one on one romantic scenario puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on both people. It just doesn’t make sense, and then going to the movies after is not a very social activity. It’s kind of an awkward situation. My ideal date is just inviting the person over into your group of friends and just doing something in a group setting. It’s just an easy way to transition into a personal relationship because there’s no pressure, and you get to see how people are in that setting. You don’t make it too serious all at once.

If you were a clock, would you be digital or analog?

I’d definitely be digital. I’m lazy, what can I say? (laughs)

Do you have a dream job?

All in all, I don’t really know what I want to do. But I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, and it’s so far-fetched, but I’d love to have a job like Jon Stewart. To host a show and do political satire, I think that would be the best job because I have that interest in politics, but at the same time a bit of cynicism about the whole culture, so I think to have the opportunity to do some serious political analysis and bring it into a humorous context – since I can be pretty goofy at times – I think that would just incorporate all different aspects of my personality and my interests, and it would be a lot of fun.

If you had the opportunity to time travel, what decade would you visit?

This is cheesy and nerdy, but I think it would be really interesting to go back to the 70’s, maybe the late 60’s for two reasons. One – to really get a glimpse of that whole rebellious culture. Also to kind of experience the political tension that went on in Quebec, kind of the aftermath of the quiet revolution. It was a very interesting time, a very politically charged period. I think that would be very cool to experience what that would be like.

What do you look for in a girl?

The most attractive attribute is real confidence in herself. Girls who aren’t obsessive about their looks, and who don’t have to be pretty all the time. Girls who have their own interests, they put their energy towards themselves instead of trying to please and impress other people. So they have their own sense of worth, I just admire that. Just a real sense of confidence, I think it compliments me well, especially if it’s someone who’s very upbeat and positive.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I do one of four things. I’m playing basketball, I’m drumming. I love basketball, it’s pure joy, drumming and playing music and writing songs, I love that. I also really like reading and hanging out with friends. I love keeping a wide social circle and meeting new people.