1. When did you graduate?
May 2013
2. What do you do now?
I’m an Experimental Psychology PhD student at the University of New Brunswick. I primarily study sex and relationships in the digital age. However, I also dabble in some cross-cultural research, educational practices research, and parenting research. On a day to day basis, I work on research, mostly writing and trying to publish my manuscripts. I had 3 accepted this summer.
3. Why did you major in psychology?
My path to a psychology major was not one of early passion or decisiveness. When I first entered college, I liked too many subjects to have a clear path so I started taking GenEd courses that sounded interesting. When I saw an academic advisor, they asked if I was planning to go into psychology as I had most of the lower-level credits done for a psych major. I had never considered a career in psych. Although I have taken AP Psych in high school, I thought counseling had sounded exhausting & research had sounded boring. Plus, I had done poorly on my final project for AP psych, so I thought I wasn’t good at it. I decided to try out more psych classes while taking other classes in different areas. I asked my friends if they thought I would do well in psychology. They thought I’d be a great therapist. My junior year I had to officially declare a major. I had very much enjoyed my psych classes, and I had done well in them (better than AP Psych). I thought maybe I could be a couples counselor. So, I went for it – I declared a psych major (& a human development major… & an English minor…).
Side note: I changed my mind about doing therapy the fall of my senior year …while I was applying to grad school. I found out that I really like research. It is very interesting and exciting when you are in control of the topic.
4. What do you do for fun?
I like to play board games, draw, paint, cook, go to concerts and plays, read, and watch movies/TV/Netflix. I also like to hang out with my friends, my cat, and my husband.
5. What academic experience or accomplishment are you most proud of?
At UWGB, I was most proud of earning the Chancellor’s medallion. Since graduating UWGB, I have been proud of being able to mentor students in research.
6. What’s your favorite movie, book, and TV show, related to psychology?
Movie – Stanger Than Fiction OR Fight Club
Fiction Book – the Matched trilogy by Ally Condie has a really interesting psychology component in its dystopian setting
Non-Fiction Book – Wasted by Marya Hornbacher OR As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl by John Colapinto
TV Show – The Good Place
7. What’s an important goal or accomplishment you are currently working on?
I’m currently working on my dissertation proposal so I’ll say my dissertation.