New to the U: Get to Know Humanities First-Year Students
Brynlee Hill | McGrath Wall | Gabriella Williams | Katherine Downs

What inspired you to choose your major or current area of interest?

I have been interested in politics for as long as I can remember. International Studies gives me the ability to combine my love for politics with my love for history and culture.

What is one thing you're most excited about when you start at the University of Utah?

I am most excited to meet new people at the U. I think people who chose the U tend to be super interesting and cool, so I am excited to connect with them.

What’s one thing on your University of Utah bucket list?

I would love to go skiing during my time at the U. I went once when I was really little, but it didn’t go well, so I am excited to try again.

What’s one goal you have for your first year at the U?

One goal I have for the U is to get involved on campus. I think there are so many exciting resources here that would be fun to explore.

How do you express yourself creatively (writing, languages, art, storytelling, etc.)?

I am a bit of a jack of all trades. I love being creative in everything, but my heart is always in writing.

What’s one way you hope to grow in the College of Humanities during your first year?

I hope the College of Humanities teaches me more about being a good human. I think that is what life is all about. 

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What inspired you to choose your major or current area of interest?

A well-known English professor teaches at the University of Utah and teaches an interesting class that I’m looking forward to.

Where is your hometown? What's one thing you wish people knew about where you're from?

I’m from Riverton, Utah, and I wish people knew it has a fantastic set of people.

What is one thing you're most excited about when you start at the University of Utah?

I am very excited to be able to live on campus. Being independent is important to me.

What’s one thing on your University of Utah bucket list?

I would love to travel abroad to the U-Asia campus. I am taking Korean in hopes to have a great experience abroad.

What’s one goal you have for your first year at the U?

I hope I make a lot of new friends. I also hope to participate in undergraduate research.

What book, film, podcast, or piece of media has influenced how you see the world?

Alice in Wonderland is an incredibly interesting piece of media that has changed how I see absurd things. Trying not to fully understand everything is really freeing.

How do you express yourself creatively (writing, languages, art, storytelling, etc.)?

I love to express myself through music. I also love to write as much as possible.

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What inspired you to choose your major or current area of interest?

I was inspired to choose my major because of my love of writing and history.

Where is your hometown? What's one thing you wish people knew about where you're from?

I’m from Salt Lake City, and I wish people knew how cool it was.

What is one thing you're most excited about when you start at the University of Utah?

Learning!

What’s one thing on your University of Utah bucket list?

Being in the MUSS.

What’s one goal you have for your first year at the U?

Maintain my GPA.

How do you hope to get involved on campus?

By participating in campus events.

What book, film, podcast, or piece of media has influenced how you see the world?

Catcher in the Rye.

How do you express yourself creatively (writing, languages, art, storytelling, etc.)?

I express myself through writing.

If you could collaborate with any professor, club, or group at the U, who would it be?

One of the literary magazines.

What’s one way you hope to grow in the College of Humanities during your first year?

Thinking rhetorically.

What’s something on campus you’re curious to try even if it’s outside your comfort zone?

Bowling.

What’s a talent or skill you have that people don’t usually expect?

A talent I have that people don’t usually expect from me is belly dancing.

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What inspired you to choose your major or current area of interest?

I’ve loved writing and stories since I was little, so English was an obvious fit. I want to go down the creative writing field, maybe with some exploration in psychology, because I love fictional worlds that reflect current society and its issues in an entertaining and relatable way.

Where is your hometown? What's one thing you wish people knew about where you're from?

I’m from Ogden, UT, and I wish people knew more about the amazing community there. Ogden has much more to offer than some of the outdated stereotypes associated with it.

What is one thing you're most excited for as you start at the University of Utah?

I’m most excited to make new friends! Especially ones that have similar interests and identities to me.

What’s one thing on your University of Utah bucket list?

Go on at least one learning abroad trip!

What’s one goal you have for your first year at the U?

Join at least one club or extracurricular to find a place for myself on campus.

How do you hope to get involved on campus?

I’d love to join publications groups like literary journals or other English activities, as well as LGBTQIA+ clubs and groups.

What book, film, podcast, or piece of media has influenced how you see the world?

The Hunger Games 100%. I’ve read it so many times since I first read it when I was ten, and I find new ways to connect it to modern society and politics each time.

How do you express yourself creatively (writing, languages, art, storytelling, etc.)?

Creative writing and graphic design mostly.

If you could collaborate with any professor, club, or group at the U, who would it be?

I’d love to collaborate with publication groups (I loved being on the yearbook team in high school) as well as diverse student groups, whether through service or otherwise, particularly LGBTQIA + groups. However, I’m also a part of the honors college and would love to make connections there.

What’s a talent or skill you have that people don’t usually expect?

I’m really good at rollerblading on rough terrain because I live on a mountain with lots of potholes that are never fixed.

Any views, experiences, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this student internship highlight do not necessarily represent those of the College of Humanities.