Bridget Pieschel

English and Women Studies Professor at MUW, Columbus

Is what you’re doing in life now what you wanted to do when you grew up?

One hundred percent. What I liked to do when I was a little girl was read, up until I was a teenager. I would have read all the time if my mother didn’t stop me to get me to do chores. I had an uncle who was a professor at Ole Miss. I asked what he talked about in his classes and he said he talked about what he reads. I thought, “That’s it, that’s what I want to do.” I didn’t know that I would become so fascinated in women’s studies and Mississippi history though. I can’t imagine doing anything else in my life.

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?

Don’t worry so much. I worried all the time, I was very anxious. I worried about everything from what people thought about me to if I was going to get killed by a tornado. I wasted a lot of time worrying about things that were never going to happen. As I’ve gotten older, not that I still don’t worry, I don’t sit around and worry about every little thing.

What’s the one thing people always misunderstand about you?

One thing that comes up repeatedly is, with a first impression, is the assumption that I am a conservative. I fit the pattern. I’m old, I’m white and I’m a Mississippian. I am always shocked when people assume that about me. I’m not sure that people who know me very well have many misconceptions of me though.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Fine meals. I’ve always been, since I was little, basically a glutton. When I went on a trip, I would come home and write about what I would eat. It’s probably embarrassing to describe this as a goal, but I like the fact that now I can eat anything I want even if it’s expensive. When I travel, I like to eat at different types of restaurants, and it’s a close second to going to museums and archives. Combining literature, history and food is ideal for me.

If you could master one new skill what would it be?

To speak a different language. I’m embarrassed now that I know the languages that everyone speaks outside of America. I haven’t made myself learn another language. I’m still capable of doing it, but I think that I think it’s too hard at this age. Which is true, but that doesn’t make it impossible. I teach language, and I teach literature in translation but I can’t read the original text.

Layforn Profice, Jr.

All State Insurance Agent, Columbus

Is what you’re doing in life now what you wanted to do when you grew up?

No. I went from wanting to be an architect, to a NASA engineer to a mechanical engineer. When I got to college, the whole college life was new to me. I enjoyed the college life more than I did the studying. That kind of derailed my plans a little bit. I never thought of being an insurance agent, but now that I’m doing it, I would never consider doing anything else.

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?

One thing I would have done, definitely, don’t take things too seriously. I think being in high school, we kind of get wrapped up in our world. We don’t realize a lot of people we give power to, we probably won’t see in five years. My parents. It wasn’t until I had kids of my own, I realized the sacrifices they made for me. Both of my parents are now deceased and I definitely miss them. I would tell my younger self, that they turned out to be better friends than some of the best friends I had. I would take more time to love on them.

What’s the one thing people always misunderstand about you?

My name. I finally asked my parents one day where I got my name from. His father had a friend that told him about a job, that pretty much changed not only his life but his family’s life. He named his second son after his friend. This different name that I have was passed down because of the kindness of this one person. It’s a legacy. I try to remember that every time someone messes up my name.

What is your greatest extravagance?

I really don’t have any. The things I spend most of my time doing, it’s definitely work. Outside of work, it’s the family. I’m also an associate minister. If I’m not with the family, I’m usually studying for a sermon. My wife says I need a hobby, but it’s sad to say that I just don’t have the time. When I was younger I used to read comic books. I love Marvel movies and stuff.

If you could master one new skill what would it be?

It would be to learn a different language. That’s probably what I would do. I would say Spanish just because that’s probably who I would run into first. There are other languages that are becoming more prevalent, so I would just love to learn a different one. I tried before, but the software I used was okay. I learned a few words but I none of it really stuck.

Abigail Voller

English Instructor at MSU, Columbus

Is what you’re doing in life now what you wanted to do when you grew up?

If I wasn’t going to be Whitney Houston’s protégé. I always wanted to teach. My parents found a chalkboard at a garage sale and they put it in the playroom. I taught all my stuffed animals. So yeah, since I was young I always wanted to teach.

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?

Work hard, but also take more time to play hard. Take advantage of opportunities that you may be too tired to take advantage of them. Advice I did take was to travel as much as you can. Travel before you have as many responsibilities.

What’s the one thing people always misunderstand about you?

People often think that I’m shy. I’m not as much shy as sometimes I like to sit back and take everything in. I want to hear what other people say, because those are things I tend to reflect on later. I don’t always advertise what’s going on with me or my life. Sometimes it’s good to give words of encouragement to those in your lives who don’t seem to need it. It might come at a time when they do need it. Just as an act of kindness.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Ballroom dancing. It’s kind of a weird answer. I really don’t have as much of an opportunity to go out and do it, I guess. I love the grace about it. It’s all about communication without words. It’s also about etiquettes. You have a leader and a follower but the leader can’t lead unless the follower accepts the idea of what the leader wants to do. There’s a lot of give and take with that. It’s a great teaching lesson and life lesson. It’s a wonderful way to meet new people and learn how to react to different situations.

If you could master one new skill what would it be?

I know a lot of basics to ballroom dancing and I even teach basics to juniors and seniors in high school at Governor’s School. But, I would definitely love to do more with that. I would love to be able to do that more. I started taking private lessons when I was teaching in Columbus. There were some instructors form Tuscaloosa who drove in every week. The ballroom place in Columbus closed down later so that opportunity was dried up. I have on occasion driven to Tuscaloosa from those instructors. I’ve always loved dance, but it’s never really been as much of an option.

Clint Vancourt

Entrepreneur for Campusknot Inc., Starkville

Is what you’re doing in life now what you wanted to do when you grew up?

I know a lot of basics to ballroom dancing and I even teach basics to juniors and seniors in high school at Governor’s School. But, I would definitely love to do more with that. I would love to be able to do that more. I started taking private lessons when I was teaching in Columbus. There were some instructors form Tuscaloosa who drove in every week. The ballroom place in Columbus closed down later so that opportunity was dried up. I have on occasion driven to Tuscaloosa from those instructors. I’ve always loved dance, but it’s never really been as much of an option.

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?

This is going to take a while. That’s the advice I would give. It’s going to take a while. Whatever you think you want now can change in a matter of seconds. Be prepared for the rollercoaster because we are all kind of on one in our own respects.

What’s the one thing people always misunderstand about you?

I try not to spend too much time thinking about what people think about me in the first place. So, they misunderstand something, they haven’t spent enough time with me. I’ve worried myself for hours, sometimes days, what people thought about me. That’s out of your control. It’s a learned trait to not worry about what people think about you.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Recently, I have started spending money on vinyl and physical media. It’s kind of refreshing given our digital dependencies. Don’t get me wrong, I still listen to Spotify. But it’s kind of nice to hold something. It’s introduced me to other genres of music as well. Like, who would know I would be a Willie Nelson fan? That’s been my latest one. I don’t think as hard when it comes to swiping the card on that as opposed to other things.

If you could master one new skill what would it be?

That’s a unique question for me at least. I am fascinated at multiple skills. I was once called a jack of all trades but a master of none. I like having my hands in a lot of different things. I think music is something I would thoroughly enjoy. That takes time though. I think music is unique and special whenever a lot of people are doing it unison. I like to think I’m a singer. But instruments that would be something I’d like to learn.

Aaliyah Young

14-year-old Student at GTECHS, Columbus

What all have you wanted to be when you grow up?

I always wanted to become a CRNA, which is a certified registered nurse anesthetist. They assist the anesthesiologist. Once I finish high school, my next step is to get my bachelor’s degree, then my master’s I think, and then go to nursing school.

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?

It would be to stay focused on what you want to do and don’t get sidetracked. I used to not know what I wanted to do, but then I found something that I liked and stuck to it.

What’s the one thing people always misunderstand about you?

Everybody thinks that I am mean and stuck up. But I’m actually not. I’m a nice person. My face is straight a lot, but once you start talking to me I’ll never stop smiling.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Vacationing. I travel quite frequently. I like traveling to South Carolina because I have family there. I like going to beaches. I mainly like going to different places that are not like Mississippi.

If you could master one new skill what would it be?

I would say drawing. Like if I could be a really good artist, that would be great. I am not the drawing type. I want to learn how to cook too. I can cook some things, but I can’t really cook myself dinner.