Friday, September 13, 2013

Getting to Know First-Year SLIS Student Emily Swenson

1) Where are you from? Any interesting facts about your hometown?I grew up in Stoughton, WI and am currently living there now (about 25 minutes outside of Madison) Stoughton, known for her Norwegian heritage, boasts the second largest Norwegian Independence Day celebration (Syttende Mai) outside of Oslo, Norway. Syttende Mai means "17th of May" and more importantly, the best fried cheese curds and cream puffs you have ever encountered. 
2) When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?When I was a kid, I really wanted to be a pioneer. I sewed my own calico bonnet and requested sans electricity vacations, it was weird. 

3) What did you study as an undergraduate? Why?The pioneer thing didn't pan out like I thought it would, so I "settled" for majoring in history. I minored in public history, got to help create a museum from the ground up (www.chudnowmuseum.org, shameless plug), and decided I wanted to work with history forever! 

4) If you were a cheese, what would you be? Why?At first I was 100% sure I would want to be fresh mozzarella, because I could reside in Italy and spend most of my time hanging out with fresh basil... but then I remembered that fried cheese curds exist. 
5) Michael Jackson or Prince? Why?Michael Jackson circa ABC because it reminds me of my Motown loving family and too much dancing at holiday functions. 

6) Do you have any pets? Show us a picture!When my parents became empty-nesters, they decided to get a puppy (demon?). He is a black standard poodle named Ziggy. In the past couple of weeks he has eaten: my boyfriend's wallet, my wallet, three hardcover books, and FOUR pairs of shoes. Just this morning he ate a loaf of bread and bag of tortilla chips off of the counter. He is cute 20% of the time (when he is sleeping).
7) What historical figure do you think you would be friends with? Why?Is Hermione Granger a historical figure? No? Well, this is purely from fashion envy, but I'm going to say Zelda Fitzgerald. She might not be a reliable friend but it would be like being invited to all of the best 20's themed parties. Except they are real and you're hanging out with F. Scott and wearing fabulous clothing. 

8) What are you most nervous about this semester? Why? 
Grading! I have convinced myself that I will do the assignment to the best of my ability but that there is some secret grad school grading scale that will shoot me down.

9) What are you most looking forward to this semester? Why? 
I can't wait to continue learning more about the various career paths archivists take. I have already come into (brief) contact with some pretty cool careers, and it makes me so excited for the next two years!
10) What do you love about archives?!The fact that my future career could be one in which I get to touch and read and smell historical documents/artifacts just blows my mind. I have always been one of those people who enters and old house and find myself thinking "I wonder who lived here? I wonder what this room was? Who was the first person to own this book that I am reading, did they like it?", and I love that archives can provide a direct window into the past.

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