“I’m not good at things like this,” Alissa Perske said. She munched on some M&Ms (peanut butter, her second favorite) during the interview. She wore a “DREAM OUT LOUD” t-shirt and an easy-going smile. She is soft-spoken, but laughs often.
She began by explaining that although is now a Frostburg local, she is not native to the area. She was born over 500 miles away in Michigan, in a city called Battle Creek. Her hometown is significantly larger than FSU’s small college area. “Battle Creek is 10 times bigger than here. I loved it. I still do. Small towns are okay, but it’s not the same.” Alissa explained. She added that she finds Frostburg to be beautiful, but she prefers the flatter landscape of Battlecreek.
Alissa is currently perusing an English degree. She has a concentration in Literature, but plans to branch out to other areas with her elective credits. After graduation, she hopes to attend graduate school at Oxford Brookes in England. When speaking of the British school, she got a far-away look in her eyes, as if she could already picture herself there. When asked why she chose the European country as her destination, she gave a small shrug and answered that she has always had an attraction to the English culture. Her dream is to become an editor for a publishing company.
While nurturing her career in publishing, Alissa hopes to also nurture something of a different nature. “I want five or six kids. That has always been my number, ever since I was young,” Alissa said. Her parents both had many siblings and she enjoys the companionship she has with her numerous cousins as a result. She wants that same environment for her children.
After talk of school and the future was over, Alissa got a bit more personal. She revealed her love of a certain tree-grazing mammal. She boasts a collection of over 300 giraffe-related items, including stuffed versions, photo frames and pillowcases. “My friend even bought me a toilet brush with a giraffe on it. I don’t use it though! But giraffes are everywhere – everywhere,” Alissa said with a chuckle.
Alissa also explained that some jokingly call her OCD. She tends to stress over the little things. When picking out her clothing for the day, all of it has to match, down the socks. No one ever said such attention to detail was a bad thing, however, especially for an aspiring editor.
When asked her favorite quote, she pulled out her phone so that she could find the exact wording. After about ten minutes of searching, she finally recited a quote from the Harry Potter series: “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.” Alissa takes such an ideology to heart. She has plenty of dreams, but her grounded personality keeps her in the here and now.
Battle Creek, Michigan’s official website: http://www.battlecreekmi.gov/site3.aspx
Oxford Brookes’ official website: http://www.brookes.ac.uk/
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