Name: Vinh Bui
Year of graduation: 2014. I hope.
Major/concentration: Economics/Asian Studies Concentration. The concentration was a natural choice seeing as I am Asian.
Relationship status: Taken
Favorite place to study: Trick question, I don’t study. I learn. Usually in the cage or library.Â
Favorite food: Grilled cheese and tomato soup, especially the caf tomato soup. That stuff is the nectar of the gods.Â
Favorite movie: Forgetting Sarah Marshall for now and forever.Â
Hobbies: I like reading, writing, goofing off, playing sports, and making food. Really anything that gives me an opportunity to mix up the daily routine. Oh, rhyming. Sometimes my friends and I will make goofy rhymes for an hour or so. It’s pretty dorky, but sometimes they get really silly. Like around Christmas one day we started rhyming lyrics in the song “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”. So we’d change it to something like, “it’s the most wonderful time to hunt deer” or “it’s the most wonderful time to see rear,” you know, like butts. Â
If you could pick a superhero to be, which would you pick and why?: I wouldn’t want to pick a superhero since they’ve all experienced pretty significant losses to become the heroes they are respectively. Batman lost his parents, Superman his entire race, Spiderman lost his Uncle, etc. But if I had to pick a superhero I’d probably pick Ironman because then at least I’d be a renegade about the whole reactor heart thing.Â
What is your favorite building on campus and why?: I really like Regents. There’s always really cool posters of studies to read in the hallways, fun silly science humor outside professor’s offices, and the big lecture halls with high ceilings really lets you breathe. Plus the underground connection with Tomson makes winter travel between buildings a nice little refuge. Â
What has been your favorite class you’ve taken at Olaf so far and why?: Favorite class is definitely Kierkegaard with Gordon Marino. That class really made me challenge some of my beliefs and perspectives. Really, it took the happy-go-lucky attitude out of things and made it all raw and real. It gives perspective in a way that’s a lot better than, “there’s someone who has it worse than you.” By not sugarcoating things it’s really made me feel to a greater extent more genuine and honest.
If you could rename yourself, what would you pick as your new first name and why?: I don’t think I’d rename myself honestly. I’ve gotten used to having a somewhat unique name, but I guess if I had to rename myself I’d pick Vin. Mostly to save people the trouble of trying to remember how to spell my name correctly.Â
Describe yourself in one word: Goofy
Call or text?: Like in what context? Telemarketer? I’d prefer text. It’s easier to ignore them that way. I’m also really bad at speaking on the phone for some reason so I think text is the way to go. How do I know when it’s my turn to talk?!?Â
What is your ideal date?: Well it definitely can’t be a first date because those are always filled with small talk and awkward conversation. Plus the whole do I kiss her at the door thing? What a nightmare! That being said, ideally it’d be like the fourth or fifth date. Maybe we’d meet for happy hour after work? Maybe from there we’d decide to have dinner someplace or make it together at one of our apartments? Then I’d walk her back and we’d grab dessert on the way if we made dinner or I’d go home after a nice evening if we started the night at her place. The point is, I’d like the date to develop on its own. Setting a concrete plan creates expectations and pressure which can make it hard to just be yourself or to focus on the other person.Â
Finish this sentence: A girl looks her best when… she’s comfortable being herself. I really adore girls that don’t feel the need to project a certain image or standard of themselves. There’s something straightforward about the idea of everything’s the way she wants it to be and if it’s not then it doesn’t bother her that I really like.
What do you want the ladies of St. Olaf to know?: I am pound for pound the best Ultimate player on campus. I can provide references if necessary.
Photo provided by Vinh Bui