Sydney Klabnik (aka Squidney Klabs) has worked her butt off for this moment. Or so she says… The avid ketchup lover and movie critic also does work outside of school while trying to maintain that stellar GPA. William and Mary has a lot in store for when Klabnik arrives on campus this fall. Most importantly they’ll have to try their best to hide all the pizza before it becomes devoured.

1. Why did you choose William and Mary?

W&M was such a clear choice for me because of how well suited it was to the kind of person I am. Its legacy as the second oldest college in the U.S. is founded upon the importance of history and humility, two qualities which I see myself upholding as I move into this next phase of my life towards my future. It also has a wonderful campus atmosphere and I wanted to go somewhere far from home so that I could gain a sense of identity other than being a Pittsburgher!

2. Who is most excited for your college decision?

I think my friend Sumer (who may or may not be writing this article) is most excited for me because we shared the college search experience together. Every essay we wrote, every rejection we experienced, it was all done together with each other’s support. I hate to think I’ll be over 6 hours from him for our years in college, but our friendship runs too deep for that to keep us from staying close.

3. What do you expect for the next four years?

I expect to gain a lot of perspective on myself and will likely meet a lot of new people who will show me different walks of life that I could have never gained from somewhere as small as Saxonburg. I hope that I can mature and become someone who isn’t as addicted to Netflix binges and ketchup as I am now.