Conner Youngblood ’12

Major: American Studies

Class: 2012

Hometown: Dallas, Texas

A name can tell you a lot about a person.  It can aptly capture the essence of an individual’s character.  Conner Youngblood: his name rings as mysteriously as a dashing modern vampire-romance-fiction hero.  A person’s voice can also tell you a lot about them.  Check out his website and you will find that Conner’s silky-smooth voice melts hearts as capably as a teen pop sensation’s.

Say what you will, I think a person’s hair is one of their most revealing traits (and not just because its full of secrets).  And so, when Conner and his sensational dreads sauntered into Starbucks, I knew I was in for an adventure.  He graciously invited me to his swanky pad for breakfast and thoughtfully warmed up a plate of Jimmy D’s Pancake Griddle Sticks, pancake batter covering a turkey sausage link on a stick.  I’m sure it’s just an acquired taste thing.

Conner, a member of Yale’s chapter of Alpha Delta Phi, is happy with his college experience, which is always good to hear.  Although American Studies wasn’t his first choice of a major, I personally think it has afforded him more time to make the incredible music that he travels up and down the East Coast to perform in his free time.  

After he played one of his songs, Australia, for me (“It’s a bit like my own version of Bon Iver”), I could not believe that Conner wasn’t more famous on campus for his talent.  At Yale, acapella and music theatre reigns supreme.  “Yeah, there isn’t music of an outlet for me here for music.  But I can still do things like perform in festivals outside of New Haven on the weekend, or go back home and make more music.  I’m fine with that.” What a travesty.

In terms of the ladies, Conner has nothing but nice things to say about women at Yale.  He appreciates all kinds of girls, so long as they are “nice.”  That we can do.

As for his hidden talents, it sounds like Conner possesses two very helpful life skills.  For one, he knows how to communicate in sign language.  He had to apply at Yale to even take the class – and not even for credit!  Conner can also fairly easily sweet-talk his teachers.  I’m not surprised, this guy is a charmer.  That much I already knew from the plate of Jimmy D’s.

In the future, Conner sees himself making more music.  Once again, this isn’t much of a shocker.  What I want Conner to do is share the love at Yale and perform more on campus.  Hopefully HerCampus can help spread the awareness – this studmuffin has got what it takes to be bigger than Bieber, and you’d better believe it.

Finally, before signing off, there are three things you should know never to bring up in conversation with Conner:

1. Your love of Jason Segall or Russell Brand.  “I just don’t understand why people think they are funny.”
2. Your hatred of Edward Cullen and the Twilight movies.  “Yeah, I saw the midnight showing.”
3. Anything anti-Texas.  This boy was born and made in Dallas and proud of it.  As a senior sick and tired of dreary New Haven weather, he can’t wait to go back to the short shorts, the warm weather, and the relaxed atmosphere.

Once again, I cannot stress enough how much listening to Conner’s music will lessen the pain of your finals period.  So do it.