Haley Hooper, a Northwestern junior majoring in learning and organizational change, makes her presence known with her loud music and louder clothes. The 21-year-old Atlanta native recently began her DJ career with the help of 1st Gen, a student-run record label located in 10 cities across the country.
I recently spoke with Hooper about her ventures beyond the classroom: her passion for music, recruitment to Northwestern for cross-country running and entrepreneurship endeavors. The highlights from the conversation, below:
You’re a student, DJ, entrepreneur and podcast host. How would you describe yourself?
I like to say I’m a jack of all trades. I joke with people that I’m mediocre at everything. So I can do a lot of stuff. But I don’t excel in one specific field, and that’s OK.
How do you juggle all of it?
In high school and middle school, I learned how to time manage myself by committing four to five hours a day to cross country practice. So the transition to school in terms of time management was pretty seamless.
How did you learn how to DJ?
I bought a mixing board with my high school graduation money, but I didn’t use it freshman year because I was overwhelmed and scared I was going to be horrible. When COVID started, I took the board home and started messing around. I started teaching myself off of YouTube, and I fell in love with it, even though I was terrible. And I’ve gotten better over time.
How do you feel before a performance?
Before my last performance [at Electric Hotel on Jan. 20], I was really nervous, but it was that nervousness excitedness because I had so much adrenaline. When I played my first song, it’s almost like the world shut out. Before I knew it, the set was over.
What inspired you to start your project at The Garage?
I’ve always had a passion for entrepreneurship. I made my own bakery business selling macaroons in my middle school. In high school, I started selling jewelry [that she made herself] on Etsy. When I came to school and got involved in The Garage, my interests expanded to technology [including her founding of Clubspot, an online platform that connects and informs students about Northwestern-related events, clubs and organizations].
How has your family impacted you and your endeavors?
Both of my parents worked in finance. They inspired me with their hard work, effort and drive. I love my family so much. They were always there for me. I had a lot of injuries in high school, so I’m thankful for all of their support and care because if I didn’t get the right help, I might have not run here at school. I might not have gone to Northwestern.
What do you consider to be your biggest accomplishment?
Winning the Georgia state mile in my senior year of high school. I got second place my whole life, so finally I won my last race before graduating. I’d been through surgeries [for appendicitis and a torn labrum], through sickness [including mononucleosis, shin splints and poor iron levels], through so much in my running career. To win something healthily was the greatest day of my life.
What’s been your biggest challenge?
It’s so heartbreaking when something aches in your body. So my biggest challenge was to keep going because there are so many opportunities to quit in sports. But I don’t run anymore [since September of 2020], which was honestly the most healthy decision I could have made.
What influences your personal style?
I love fashion from the ‘70s and blending those with styles of today. Also, I just love vibrant colors. I’m slowly learning through my design certificate how to use colors to contrast and complement each other. It’s funny that some of the skills I’m learning in my academic curriculum tie into the outfits I wear.
Have you received criticism for putting yourself out there? If so, how do you deal with it?
I definitely have some haters at this school, but, unfortunately, I don’t actually know who they are. I rely on my close friends for support, and I also try to stay off social media as much as I can. I’m learning to be myself, and if that fits into the Northwestern community great, and if it doesn’t, then great. The world’s really big, so I’m just trying to accept that.
What’s next for Haley Hooper?
I really hope to keep doing some more DJ shows and get more involved with the music scene in downtown Chicago because house music is my No. 1 love, and it started in Chicago. It would be really cool if I could expand my DJ career, and life, outside of Northwestern and Evanston, and perform at TomorrowWorld in Burning Man.