Brandon Mysicka is majoring in engineering physics at Santa Clara University, in Santa Clara, Calif.
Q: How’s your dorm?
A: It’s the tallest at Santa Clara, first of all. It’s called Swig, and it has 10 floors. I’m in a double. My roommate and I aren’t best friends but we’re super chill, and he’s a great guy. The sink is prime. If you have to pee in the middle of the night, it helps so much.
Q: How’s the weather?
A: It’s constantly gorgeous. We’re getting a little bit of rain right now, which is good because we’re in a drought, but it’s usually just 70’s and sunny.
Q: Extracurricular activities?
A: Yes, I’m pledging a fraternity: Tau Kappa Epsilon. That’s my main extracurricular right now. I’m going to run for something in student government in the spring, but for now pledging is my main activity.
Q: How’s pledging going? Have you had to do anything crazy yet?
A: If I told you, I would have to kill you.
Q: How’s the town?
A: Santa Clara is one of the wealthiest areas in California. It’s pretty chill. Santana Row (a shopping area in San Jose) is really nice, and it’s a good place to go on dates. Santa Cruz is pretty close, and San Francisco is also relatively close, so Santa Clara has a pretty good location in terms of the surrounding area. In the town (Santa Clara) itself, there’s shopping and eating to be done.
Q: Has anything surprised you?
A: I’m surprised by the people. I didn’t think I would meet such great people. There’re just a lot of open people who are willing to help the community.
Q: Any advice for the class of ‘14?
A: Don’t settle for friends. Go beyond your residence hall. It’s really easy to just be friends with the people you live next door to, but also venture beyond that because lots of people just make friends in their hall. Then, come second quarter they think, “Wow! I don’t know anyone outside my hall.” And then they think “Wow, I feel pretty bad.”
Q: Last question: Is there anything you really enjoy doing?
A: I really love the basketball games. Our team sucks a little bit, but that’s okay. Our campus is really beautiful, and I really just love chilling outside in the grass. Last week I had to catch a squirrel for my fraternity, so I spent the whole day outside and I realized how beautiful the campus was.
Q: Did you ever catch the squirrel?
A: Yeah—I caught it, and then let it go. It took me five hours, but it was worth it.
