This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at La Verne chapter.

Hi! My name is John Ceja, and I am a third-year business student at the University of La Verne. I joined Her Campus this semester because I love to write, but most of my business classes don’t require much writing, so this is the perfect opportunity for me to share my life experiences with you all. My first year at the University I had an article written about me being the Campus Celebrity by a member of Her Campus La Verne, Flora Wong. I would not say that I like writing about myself because it is so weird, so for my article I decided to do a Q&A to be a little different and to help me get some ideas of what to write. I asked my friends to help me with my first article by asking me questions.

A little bit about myself before we get started, I was born and raised in California, but not the cool parts like Los Angeles or the beach. I come from a small town called Apple Valley. I am bilingual, so I speak Spanish and English and I am currently learning Korean (I only know how to say Hi right now though). I plan on studying abroad in South Korea next semester, and I am SO excited about the experience I will be getting mainly because I will be alone in a country where I don’t know anyone. I love reading, shopping, K-Pop (the songs and the dances), and love. All kinds of love, such as self-love, friendship love, family love, relationship love, and of course, for all you animal lovers, pet love. I also am an aspiring Lawyer and Wedding Planner; I know those two are on different sides of the spectrum, but somehow they both represent me, so it all works out in the long run. I am all about trying new ideas and seeing how they flourish, so let’s get this Q&A started and see where it goes.

What do you want to eat on the last day of your life? – Ayumi Morioka

Well, I am stuck here because I love Sliced Apples (fun fact: they have to be sliced, or I won’t eat it), but I also love cheesecake so, I would say both. Also, the brown bread at the Cheesecake Factory would be nice.

Do you have plans for your masters after graduation? – Flora Wong

I do have plans for my masters after graduation, maybe not right after because I plan on going to Law School. However, I hope somewhere down the road I end up finding myself back in school getting my MBA.

Why do you want to be a wedding planner? – Andrea Mujica

I chose to be a wedding planner because I can help people plan their happiest day. Weddings are so much more than just a party; it’s an experience of a lifetime. It is the big “I Do,” and although some people have multiple weddings each one brings a different feeling and memory to their life and it is so great knowing that you played a part in that. My focus for weddings as well would be Destination Weddings. If you don’t know what that is, it means I will be planning a wedding for a couple that will happen in another country. (e.g., USA couple wanting a wedding in Japan). I believe it would overall just be a more fun experience.

If you could travel anywhere in the world besides South Korea where would you go? – Mulan

For sure, Thailand. It is just such a beautiful country with AMAZING food, how could I pass up on that? They also have floating markets which are probably the greatest things ever. Also, since I am a shopaholic, their Central World Mall fascinates me. (IT IS 11 STORIES HIGH!)

What kind of Music would you listen to if K-pop wasn’t around? – Remy Hogan

You know this one is tricky, but I only got into K-pop about a year ago, so I guess I would go back to listening to alternative/Indie Pop music. Some of my favorite artists that I used to listen to, but still love of course, are Skott, LEON, Marina and The Diamonds, Lily Allen, Allie X, and Alex Winston.

Would you be a sea animal or a land animal? Also, what Kind? – Flora Wong

I would choose the sea animal only because I love Octopi and think they are the cutest thing ever. Plus, I would be able to get so much more done with eight hands.

What pins you to your own happiness? – Jackie Sanchez

I would say the support I receive from family and friends. I have some pretty whack ideas, but they are always 100% behind it, and it helps me flourish as a creative Individual. I don’t think I would be as happy as I am now if it wasn’t for the fact that I can be myself and not feel judged by the people who mean the most to me.

Why do you think people gravitate towards you? – Deborah Lee

Honestly, I ask myself this all the time. It is so weird to think of a reason why or to state it without feeling like you are conceited. However, I would say people gravitate towards me because I can make a joke out of almost any situation. I am not fond of seeing people sad. Therefore, I do whatever I can to make them laugh. I also think that I can give great advice which is why friends always turn to me when they have problems. I am the best of both worlds. I can be funny while helping you through the journey of life.

What do you do to stay positive during stressful or sad times in your life? – Rachel Stein

As a college student, I find myself to be stressed about 99% of the time. However, something that surprisingly helps me is KPOP. There is something about it that whenever I listen to it, I can’t help but want to dance. The sound is always so happy that you can’t help but be happy with it.

Who has been an influential person in your life, and why? – Gabi Palafox

This one is kind of funny, but I promise you the reasoning makes sense. It would honestly have to be Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl; and not just because she is a Queen. I think what got me to loving Blair was the fact that I related to her in the weirdest ways. No, I am not saying I sent girls home crying in high school because they wore leggings as pants, but the effort she put into everything she did (the good and the bad) helped me see her character as more real and human than the rest. In Season 4 Episode 13 when she’s working at the internship with Dan, Blair explains that her mom didn’t get her this internship. She stood outside a hotel waiting for the president to come down to the lobby and when she got kicked out for the third time she faxed her resume to every single room in that hotel. After that episode, I realized that I would do something crazy like that for an Internship or a job if I wanted it. Little funky behaviors like that connected her with me, and I look up to her a lot.

Do you believe everything happens for a reason or that you can create your own fate? – Remy Hogan

I would say that I believe you can create your own fate. Of course, nothing is ever entirely in my control, but I do think for a majority of my life I pick and choose what happens to me. At the end of the day, I know what I want, and I am going to get it. Nothing can stop me when I set my mind to something.

What kind of growth do you want to see from yourself in the next two years? – Victoria Deweese

I think I have a lot more to learn especially with being more independent. I rely too much on my family financially so for sure not depending on them as much as I do now. I would also like to see myself academically improve especially since after my undergrad I plan on going to Law School. The biggest one would be to become more emotionally stable. I go through these weird moods where I am not happy with where I am at in life, and I hope that I stop feeling that way because I worked so hard that I should be proud of how much I’ve accomplished and look forward to achieving so much more.

I think that is enough of me for now, I’m sure you will all get to know me a bit more throughout my future articles, and I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did.

Until next time fans,

xoxo,

John Ceja (Blair Waldorf)

Meet John!

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