Name: Marin Helppie-Schmieder
Age: 18
Hometown: Carrollton, Texas
College: The Conservatory of Performing Arts at Point Park University
Major: Modern Dance
Favorite food: Green bean casserole
Favorite TV show: Modern Family
Favorite movie: Singing in the Rain
Favorite quote: “You are unique, and if that is not fulfilled, then something has been lost.”- Martha Graham
Favorite time of year: Winter, because it is a time of giving and celebration.
Plan ahead OR procrastinate: Both. I’m usually very good with planning ahead, but we all have those days where procrastination gets the better of us.
Paper OR plastic: Paper
Glass half-full OR glass half-empty: Half-full
Introvert OR extrovert: Extrovert
Cats OR Dogs: Both! My dog, Cleopatra Pistachio, and Cat, J. Butters, are the best pets ever!
Morning person OR night person: Morning person
If you could be any color crayon, what would you be and why? Green because it is my favorite color and it is a reminder of nature and this beautiful earth that we live on.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you absolutely need for survival? A tent, sunscreen, and an endless supply of Goldfish (the snack food, not actual fish!)
What would I find in your refrigerator right now (if you have one)? Two small cartons of milk, dried mangos (a great snack for some quick energy), and leftover Thai food. With being physically active all the time, I am constantly eating, so the contents of my refrigerator are constantly changing!
What is the one thing you wish someone had told you about college life that you had to find out on your own? One thing I wish someone had told me about college life is how incredibly easy it would be to make friends. Going into a new environment is always a scary thing, but when you remind yourself that everyone is going through the same change, it’s easier to connect and make those friendships.
Sum yourself up in three words. Determined, kind, witty.
Describe your single-most favorite moment from your Distinguished Young Women experience.
Distinguished Young Women has left me with so many cherished memories. From both State and National level, I have truly made friendships that will last a lifetime. But if I had to choose one specific moment, it would be from Nationals at Camp Grace. One of the activities that we all had to participate in was a high ropes course. Now let me tell y’all a little fact about myself. I am always up for a good challenge and I love trying new things. But when that challenge involves standing on a two-inch wide rope suspended forty feet up in the air, I guess you can say my fear of heights kicks in a little. On the course, we had to use one another (grab hands and weight-share) to get from start to finish with each obstacle. While I was completely scared out of my mind (I sang songs out loud to distract myself from how high up we were…the other girls got a kick out of this) it was everyone’s positivity and willingness to help one another that got me through that course. As we all got back down to solid ground (which I kissed with excitement,) we hugged and cheered because we had made it through the ropes course not as individuals but together.
