Personal Interview (In Progress)

Tell me about yourself.

My name is Wendy. I'm a sophomore at the University of Tennessee at Martin. I want to write. I come from a white, middle-class background. I was raised in the mountains.

How would you describe yourself?

I'm easy-going and irresponsible. I like to have a good time at the expense of a lot of other things.

How would a good friend describe you?

I like to have a good time. I'm funny. I'm irresponsible but good to talk to if you have a problem.

How would a supervisor/boss/professor describe you?

As a person who needs to accept the basic responsibilities of my role as a college student. Yep. That was said.

What are your three strongest qualities? Three worst?

Three strongest:
-Loyalty
-Patience
-Humor

Three worst:
-Tardiness
-Laziness
-Apathy

What mistakes have you made? What have you learned from them?

Oh god, there are way too many to count. I've blown off opportunities that quite a few people would give their eye-teeth for. I've squandered money and intelligence on easy-living. I've given up the chance to be a lady in order to have fun. I have fucked up school, my writing, my relationships, my bank account, my car, my life, and yet, I'm still going. I'm still surviving, and maybe that says something about me. That instead of giving up, I embrace my failure and move past it, and I've had one hell of a life in the process.

Outside of your career, what goals have you set for yourself?

A bunch! I want to learn to play bluegrass (guitar, banjo, dulcimer, sing, you name it.) I am soo not musically inclined though. I want to learn to read tarot cards. I want to become involved with the network of authors from the Appalachian region. I want to fight mountain-top removal. I want to live in Asheville. I want to see the world. I want to have a family. I want to go to the fucking Kentucky Derby!!! The list goes on and on.

What is one of the hardest decisions you have ever had to make?

To move 6 hours away from my family, my friends, the mountains, life as I know it. Hands down.

What do you really want to do in life?

Live in the mountains and write for a living. Be successful. Have a family. Be that person that everyone remembers for being kind and intelligent and generally kickass.

What is success to you?

Helping others achieve a state of happiness that they would not have been in without my existence.

What are your greatest accomplishments?

One time, I ate a bunch of wasabi. I've drunk people under the table/drunk myself under the table. Hell, I've had quite a few academic accomplishments, and I've had people tell me that I'm going far, but that isn't the stuff that matters. Talking people down off of ledges and putting smiles on children's faces and being the one that somebody calls when the shit is going to hit the fan and they need back-up, that's the stuff that matters. I could have buckled down and gone to the big fancy school and gotten the fan-flipping-tastic scholarship/job/grant, but hey, I'm not that person, am I?

Tell me about a bad decision you have made.

One time I and a friend of mine who shall remain unnamed decided to call and impersonate two high school students' mothers in order to sign them out of school. Not the best decision.

What are your hobbies? How do you fill free time?

Reading, because English majors have lots of free time for reading. *sigh* Writing, quilting, internet, television (God, how I love television.) Tarot reading, flying stunt kites when I can, traveling, drinking, and generally wasting time.

Why did you choose to study English ?

Because when you're given a gift, a natural talent for something, and you feel like it is your destiny, you generally don't piss that away. Even if you, as a loser, are prone to pissing away most of the other good things in your life. English is what I was BORN to do. The Fates decided to give me this, who am I to judge?

What is your resume not telling us about you?

Why is your GPA not higher?

Hahaha. I ask myself that every day, and the answer is always that I'm too trifling to go to class.

Tell me about a time in which you worked effectively under pressure.

Tell me about a project you initiated. Was it successful?

How do you collect information and analyze problems?

Give an example of a time you had to make a difficult decision.

Tell me about a breakthrough idea or ‘outside the box’ solution you came up with.

Describe an occasion when you were forced to function effectively under ambiguous circumstances.

Do you prefer to work by yourself or with others?

How well do you work in teams? Are you a good leader?

Have you ever had to be assertive? Resolve a conflict?

Tell me about a time when you had to work with a person you did not like.

Give me an example of a time you disagreed with someone in your team.

Can you give us an example you have witnessed of successful teamwork?

What are the qualities of a good leader?

How do you handle conflict?

Give a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree.

Every fucking time I go to class in a general studies course when we aren't having a test. If you KNOW that your class is bullshit, then don't make me sit through it. Let me just show up on test day and to turn shit in if I want to.

Can you tell us about a difficult situation you have recently been in? How did you handle it?