EXPLO Pre-College + Career student Zoe discusses the weekend trips she's enjoying, how her and her friends relax in their free time, and the painting she took a short break from to speak for this interview.
So, Zoe, what living group are you in?
I mostly live with my Trial Law Concentration, but not completely. We have, like four people from Business. .
What drew you to the art class on this fine weekend afternoon?
Well, I think I wanted to have a really relaxing Saturday. And I figured the art workshop would be the most relaxing thing that I could do. I also really like art, so there's that.
Do you do any other kinds of art besides Shrek portraiture?
I like to sketch stuff. I don't do a lot of art in my free time. Not as much as I want to be doing, but I do a lot of painting. I like paint. Sometimes.
So, out of all the subject matter you could have chosen, why choose to paint Shrek?
That's a great question. We're watching Shrek tonight in my dorm group, and I really wanted something that I could bring to that — and hopefully leave with the dorm. All the rest of the people in my dorm are doing the art tour. I kind of told them while you're looking at art, I will be making art. So I think they are expecting me to bring something incredible back for them, and Shrek is what I chose.
Is Shrek something special for your living group?
I think we were just talking about what movies we wanted to watch and somebody recommended Shrek, and I like Shrek...it's like a comfort movie. Like Ice Age, The Lion King...like all of the kind of older Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks movies, I just love.
All of the newer ones are like probably going to be classics like for the younger kids right now. But all of those classic ones are my comfort movies. I just love them so much.
You’re painting today, but what trip are you taking tomorrow to close out your weekend?
Tomorrow we’re going to downtown Portland, which I'm very excited about.
Are you from Maine?
No, I'm from Washington. Other side of the country. We've got a Portland over there too.
Are you excited for anything in particular downtown?
I just want to go somewhere off campus. This is my first time over here, and I’ve never been to Portland. I just want see new things and have the opportunity to go into stores, and just hang out with some friends downtown.
Yeah, that sounds like a wonderful day. Have you checked out any of the restaurants or anything else yet?
I think we have friends who live in Portland, so my mom is gonna send me some recommendations, which should be fun.
What do you want to accomplish in your last week here?
I'm really excited for the mock trial that's happening this week, and I'm really excited to learn more about that and just immerse myself in the trial environment and experience. I’m very excited for that. So that's one thing, and then I think I just want to meet more people. I know my dorm group really well, but I would love to just do something like a pickup soccer game with some people. That's my goal — to get a pickup soccer game going at some point. I put that on my list of things that's gonna happen next week. Those were my main ones, I think.
I think those are some admirable goals. You seem close with your living group. Are you planning on doing anything else special with them?
I didn't even think until now about all Shrek stuff we’re doing. Which I'm fine with, but I think we're gonna make Shrek cupcakes as well. So that's fun. I'm excited for that.
You'll have experience crafting Shrek's face from your painting already.
I'm having a lot of facetime with Shrek today.
There are a lot of other things happening this coming week. There are final projects, dances, games, and the slideshow at the end so it’s all remembered. If there were any moment you’d want captured for that, what would it be?
I think what I would most would my ideal picture would be like my dorm friends walking on the sidewalk. It’s a good representation of my experience, like a laughing photo of us just totally having fun, candid in the moment, like don't even know we’re getting our photo taken of ourselves. Just walking from one place to another, just excited to get to the next thing.
So, looking back at the week passed, what have you enjoyed most in campus life? Do you want to change anything looking ahead?
I really enjoyed meals. That's the time when we all get to sit at a table and just talk and laugh and just have so much fun. We're not really worried about if we need to like be somewhere next. We're kind of sitting in the moment. So meals are super fun. I think I haven't taken advantage enough of the activities that are happening at night though. I think we've made my friends have spent a lot of time just kind of sitting around and talking. But I'm really excited to do stuff with them like some team activity or like team sport. I’m looking forward to taking advantage more of the nightly activities and and doing that with my friends and team bonding.
Yeah, I think I just haven't been as aware of what's been going on. I should be really checking the schedule. And I know where I need where to go and stuff Yeah, I wish I knew the schedule off top my head. But I will know by tomorrow.
Will Walawender