A few days late, I’m doing a Valentine’s Day inspired post. While at Purchase, two of the very best friends I made were Alyson Lopez and Ethan Whitehead (we are not related, I really really promise.)
Ethan Whitehead and Alyson Lopez
Photo Credit: Shirely Lo
They have been dating since 2010 when they met as sophomores, graduated last May, and are absolutely incredible people. Unrelated to the post really, they came to visit their alma mater (and me,) this past weekend. So I gave them both a questionnaire about Purchase that they answered separately, and the similarities, as well as the differences in their answers are interesting and extremely funny, just like them.
Where are you from originally?
Alyson: BROOKLYN BITCH.
Ethan: My mother’s womb.*
*Ethan is from Queens, just so you know.
What was your major?
A: Biology
E: Drama Studies
Why did you choose it?
A: I was bred to believe I wanted to be a doctor.
E: I was undeclared my freshmen year. While I always liked theatre I never really had an “in” to it. Then I was introduced to the class of 2011. They were all really cool and made me super comfortable and I decided to declare.
What was your favorite part about the major?
A: Labs, hands down. Science is the coolest subject when you get to work with your hands.
E: Being able to work with so many different people on so many different projects.
What was your least favorite part?
A: Power points and monotonous lectures.
E: Going to mandatory plays in the city.
What would you have added or subtracted from your experience at Purchase? What were your favorite and least favorite things about our school?
A: Added? More hammocks. They never should have taken out the original hammocks from my freshman year (08′-’09). Subtracted? Drama. Favorite: That I wore whatever I wanted and felt comfortable walking around campus; can’t do that in Brooklyn. Least favorite: at first it was the lack of sororities, but now I think it’s a lack of unity, and school spirit. Also that people spell the New as “The Neu,” which is inexhaustibly incorrect. The Commons was given the nickname The New because it was literally newer than The Olde. The Neu is a shortened version of The Neuberger Museum. Come on people. Get it together.
E: I would have added more diverse electives to my schedule. While taking all my theater requirements, I filled all my extras and electives with easy/ laid back classes. Looking back on it, I wish I would have added more business or other classes that had more overall usefulness. I think my favorite thing about our school was the number of things going on at any different time. There were always dances, art shows, performance pieces – so much culture going on in such a small campus.
My Life After Purchase 