We can start with super basic stuff, so... name, year, major.
I'm a public health policy major.
[Whispering] What's your name?
My name is Randy Lau. I'm a first year.
Are you living in Mesa?
Middle Earth. Whispering Wood!
Oh my gosh, I totally forgot about that!* How do you like it?
It's good. Noisy since I'm on the first floor, y'know? Just something I have to deal with. My room specifically is right below the common room, so whenever is running around and stomps, you can hear it, so I have trouble sleeping at night.
You have any crazy stories?
I think I was taking a shower one time, and I think this coouple came inside arguing right outside my shower curtain. And I'm really tall, so you can even see the top of my head. Even though they can hear that the shower is going, I was trying to make it look like I wasn't here. I just waited it out. I didn't even try making any noise. I think it was about something like, "You broke something!"
Correct me if I'm wrong, but you said you're from NorCal right? How'd you like moving down here?
Moving weekend was stressful. I didn't start packing until the day before, and then my parents drove me out here. That was very stressful. I didn't know where Middle Earth was, because I didn't explore the Middle Earth area when I came to look at UCI. I was like, where am I supposed to go? But I found it.
So, why UCI? Basic freshman question.
I always get that question, but for me, originally I wasn't planning on coming to SoCal for school. I was really excited when I got into UC Davis, but then the next day I got into UCI. I was going to SIR** into UC Davis, but then my sister told me to think about it, because she was like if you move away from home, you get more experience out there. She said that at UCI, it's more-- you can do a lot more independently because you live alone. I think I SIR'ed before 11PM on the last day. Like, I was unsure at first, but I'm starting to like it here.
You're "starting to?" Is it still warming up to you?
I still-- There are still some things I haven't really explored.
Do you have your car down here?
[ . . . ]
I probably won't, because I heard you have to pay a fee to park your car here or something?
[ . . . ]
Where from Norcal?
The Bay Area, specifically. Like, near Fremont.
So it's a bit warmer there.
Mmhm. A bit warmer there. But you could say everyone there is used to cold weather. So it was a big change going from cold weather to warmer weather here. And people are like, "Irvine's not even that hot." Then everyone's like "Oh, it's so nice and warm today," while I'm just there sweating up a storm. Then when it's cold here, I go out in shorts and a t-shirt, and everyone's like "It's so cold." Like... what? [Laughs] Then, when you're walking back from classes at like 6 o'clock and it's dark and cold, everyone's like "Why is it so cold?" And I would just stare at them like--
He gives me a mock glare.
So you joined halfway through fall quarter, but aside from that, favorite Rotamemory so far?
My first ever service event, which was making the sandwiches for the Santa Ana event. It was my first time in Irvine, so I never really explored the area, and going out with new people was really nice. And they're really welcoming, like Ashley. You and everyone else.
I'll put that in. [Laughs.] Have you been to any other events before?
The last event I went to wasn't really a service event. It was the scavenger hunt bonding one. But every time I want to go to an event, I get sick. I was supposed to go to the canning thing [Somebody Cares], but I just wanted to sleep in. I'm trying to get better at waking up in the morning though. I keep sleeping through my alarm.
[ . . . ]
Are you part of any other organizations or clubs?
I joined PHA-- Public Health Association-- because I switched majors when I came in. I switched into Public Health. I was kinda iffy at first when I came in as Sociology. So over the summer, I was looking at other options, and I saw that Public Health wasn't really offered anywhere else. So I looked into it more, and yeah. I still didn't really know what it was, so I joined PHA to explore more into it.
Okay, so I'm just gonna cool us off with these questions now. Favorite ice cream flavor.
Mint chocolate chip.
Favorite animal.
Giraffe, because I'm tall.
Do you have any pets?
When I was young, I used to raise a lot of fish. I don't wanna say I killed them, but I always overfed them. It's not that I was a bad caretaker. [Laughs.] I would want fish now, but I would kill them instantly. My mom says we have three dogs anyway. "Your brother, you, and your sister." Like?
Oh my gosh! [ . . . ] So yeah, we're nearing the end. Is there anything else you wanna say as closing thoughts?
Mm. I hope everyone treats me well. I'm a first year, so going in, I thought there'd be a lot of first years, but there's a lot of second, third, fourth years. I just hope we can all be friends.
