You may not know it, but you’ve definitely seen sophomore Mia Krawczel on campus. Whether she’s twirling with Pitt’s Golden Girls or dancing with Controlled Chaos, she’s always on the move! Read on to find out more about this ambitious underclassman!
Jess Hampton: Describe yourself in three words.
Mia Krawczel: Hardworking, busy, and optimistic
JH: What are you involved with here at Pitt?
MK: I’m in a dance group called Controlled Chaos, the University of Pittsburgh Marching Band (specifically as the feature twirler), Kappa Kappa Psi (a National Band Fraternity), the National Society of Leadership and Success, and Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society.
JH: What’s your favorite part of living in Pittsburgh?
MK: My favorite thing about Pittsburgh is all of the access to the museums, science centers, theaters and sports games. I love that everyone in Pittsburgh loves this city and the community. I’m from Maryland and Marylanders tend to show their state pride in LOTS of ways, but Pittsburgh truly bleeds black and yellow.
JH: Have you discovered something new about yourself since coming to Pittsburgh?
MK: I’ve learned that I really need to look both ways before I cross the street. The traffic is much busier here than it is back home. I’ve learned that walking around is the best form of transportation, no matter the weather. I’ve learned that naps are very important for my mental and physical health. I’ve learned to take every opportunity I can to explore downtown because the city is constantly moving and I always find a new restaurant, shop or festival. I’ve also learned to appreciate art. I was never a big fan of art growing up and thought of it as either “pretty or not pretty.” With all of the museums, and murals on walls of buildings, and art exhibits on the streets, I’ve come to appreciate art in a way I hadn’t before. I take notice and instantly want to see what the pieces are called and who made them and what the messages are. Especially with Pittsburgh being a progressive city, a lot of the messages in the art are very relevant to today’s problems.
JH: Do you have a favorite Pitt memory?
MK: My favorite Pitt memory is my first football game experience. My family had visited me for the first time, everyone was wearing school colors, there was a lot of free food, and I remember being so genuinely happy that whole day. Pitt football had won their first game of the season, the weather was beautiful, and I was surrounded by the new friends I had made at school and in the band.
JH: Do you have anything on your Pitt bucket list?
MK: My Pitt bucket list includes visiting the Carnegie Science Center and the Mattress Factory, participating in the Donut Dash 5K (mostly to get free donuts), seeing a musical downtown and graduating from school, of course.
JH: What’s a random fun fact about yourself?
MK: A fun fact about myself is that I’m the first feature twirler at the University of Pittsburgh, but it’s not too random… I am the oldest of four girls in my family. I have two dogs named Piper and Winston. I plan on becoming a Special Education teacher as well as teaching dance. OH! When I eat Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, I eat all of the stuff inside the ice cream, so for example, I’ll eat all of the brownie parts and cookie pieces and I throw the rest of the ice cream away!
Photo Credits: All photos provided by Mia