THE HOUR AND THIRTY MINUTES COMMUTER
Sana Karnawat
Integrative Seminar - Bridge 2 (Peer to Peer): Partner Profile Eric Dean Wilson October 9 , 2017 th
Karnawat 2
They say that first impressions are very important. In my first encounter with Eric, all I found out about him was that he is majoring in Architecture at Parsons and has to commute from Queens to Manhattan every single day to get to class. I don’t know how he juggles the three-hour travel time with classwork, assignments and sitting through classes. Quiet, slightly timid and composed, Eric is a polite and benevolent human being. Throughout these six weeks of knowing him, he has been one of the most helpful peers. I had a wonderful time collaborating with him on our Bridge projects for Integrative Studio and Seminar. He has opened up to me in these past few weeks and is now not only my peer but also my friend. Living with his family back in Queens, Eric gets to go back to the comfort of his parents and younger sister every day after school. He knows how jealous I am. He tells me about his cousins’ dog Remington (Remy) whom he describes as “the best thing ever”. He doesn’t know if he likes dogs, he just knows he loves Remy. When I asked him about his little sister, he gave me one word explaining their relationship – tension. Eric has subtle ways of making people laugh, even though he may not look like he does. His respectful bond with his parents is reflected in his relationships with other people. Eric doesn’t like seeing anyone upset and is always super caring and compassionate. He says that the purpose of his life is to make the world a better place for his loved ones. Witnessing as well as doing good deeds, warms his heart. Eric’s favorite part of the day is listening to music for three whole hours during his commute. His ringtone is an uplifting, catchy and motivating song called Walking the Wire by Imagine Dragons. I have to mention, he has an impressive song choice. Listening to the song made me feel that Eric is an optimistic and “ready to take on whatever life throws” kind of
Karnawat 3
person. Passionate about music, Eric dedicates one day every week to playing the piano. It is something he does only for himself. I find this habit of his very admirable. Doing something for one’s own pleasure and not for impressing others, can be unbelievably calming. Eric especially loves listening to music in other languages like Japanese, Spanish etc. I also noticed this openness of his while sharing our ideas for a project. He is a very receptive person, and this trait will take him places. Eric Hu does not like his short six-letter name. If given a choice, he would definitely change it. Another important thing to know about Eric, is that he is afraid of elevators. You wouldn’t want to be stuck in an elevator with him. Eric does not believe in New Year’s resolutions. He has never made one, and doesn’t plan on doing so in the future either. Eric felt his biggest adrenaline rush while mountain climbing in China. However, he doesn’t know whether it was a result of nervousness, excitement or fear. Talking about his high school experience, he says, “Even though I was in a relatively small school, I discovered a lot about people in general.’ His observant and attentive characteristics make him who he is. “Quiet, open, careful, friendly and short” is how he describes himself. Eric knew that he wanted to study architecture in 4 grade itself. His dedication and love th
for art can be seen in his meticulous work. Eric loves traveling, particularly with his friends. His favorite city is Paris. “The vibes there, and the ability to relax and slowdown is what makes Paris so beautiful,” says Eric. He prefers Paris’ sit-down kind of atmosphere over the rush of the Big Apple. For him, his family and friends mean everything. He thoroughly enjoys recollecting the memories so far with his friends. This is what he delineates his “happy place” as. Even with the little that I know about him, I can definitely say that he’s going to make this world a better place.