Opening up about the challenges of college life
What’s the one question you get that you’re just like, “I’m so tired of that one.”
It definitely has to be something about football. Kind of just like what do I expect, or what do think is going to happen? Future questions I think are really hard for me.
What’s the nicest gift you’ve ever given someone?
I got my brother two pairs of shoes that he absolutely wanted. I hooked him up with that. He’s my older brother, but we always exchange gifts, and it’s always shoes or clothes. So I gave him two Jordans that he really liked, and he really enjoyed that.
So for his birthday?
Yeah, for his birthday. For his 20th birthday.
How old is he now?
He’s 22. His name is Canaan Smithnjigba. He plays baseball under the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.
What’s the nicest gift you’ve ever given yourself?
Nicest thing? That’s a good one. I recently bought myself a plant. I thought that was pretty nice.
What kind of plant?
I honestly couldn’t tell you. It looks like a cactus, though. I got it last week at some festival I was walking by.
Do you sing to it, or...
No, I just water it every now and then.
Right. It’s a succulent. It doesn’t need a lot of attention.
Exactly. That’s why I like it. It’s kind of like me.
You’re low maintenance?
Yeah. I would say.
What is the thing you’re proudest of?
I’m most proud of my work ethic. Ever since I was little, I feel like I always had a pretty decent work ethic. I always
liked to work out and look at myself, how much I’ve changed over time, so probably that. My dad, he would always work us out, and stuff like that. I was always willing to go. We would go anywhere, for real. We would do pool workouts, a lot of track workouts, a lot of hills, going to like 24 Hour Fitnesses — stuff like that.
Is your dad a trainer?
He’s trained a couple of other kids, but (mostly) he just trained me and my brother.
What’s your dad do?
He’s a fireman, paramedic for Dallas.
And your mom?
She’s a social worker.
What’s the best advice they ever gave you?
My mom, she always preached to be me and to share my emotions, because sometimes I like to keep them in and stuff like that. Just share them and be
me. My dad, he always told me to ‘be a King.’ You know, be nice to others, treat other people how you want to be treated, treat adults with respect. He’s really big on that.
Now I’m a 5-foot-2, white lady. There hasn’t been a time in my life when I haven’t been encouraged to share my emotions. What is it like for someone who isn’t a 5-foot-2 white lady?
I feel like it’s a little tough for me. I’m trying to get better at it. Friends help me, of course, but I’m from Dallas, Texas. Came up here when I was 17-years old. I was in my room a lot. It’s hard when you move out from family. I just feel society feels like, ‘Football player at Ohio State? You shouldn’t be complaining about anything.’ But everyone has a bad day, so I often get those and they’ve been hitting me harder, because I’ve been by myself a little bit, just from being in college, so I’ve had to work on it mentally. Like I said, it was hard for me to share with people like my Mom. She would try to get it out of me so much. So I’ve been working on that, but I would say it has been a little difficult. But we’re working on it.
What is the toughest part of being a college student?
I mean, it’s not the real world, because you’re going to classes and stuff. But I feel like you’re going to be isolated, and you’re going to have to make decisions on your own. And you’re going to have to live with those decisions. It’s just a battle every day, making the right decisions that come from you. Because when you’re brought up, you’re being told, ‘Do this. Do that. Do this.’ Now I feel like I’ve been in a position that I have to make more decisions on my own, inside my brain. So probably just that.
You mentioned your friends. Who’s your best friend?
My two best friends, they don’t go to college at Ohio State. They play basketball. They grew up with me, coming out of Dallas, Texas — Rockwall. They play basketball at Louisville (Sam Williamson) and Western Kentucky (Sherman Brashear). I met them both around middle school. We were just coming up together, working out together. I feel like we have a lot of (similarities). How we were raised was similar. Their parents are basically my parents. We push each other. We compete with each other. That’s the one thing: I can compete with them, and I just think that makes us better on and off the field and court.
What is the best drip in your closet? Am I saying that right?
That was good. I was surprised. That was good.
You’re not supposed to admit you were surprised!
Oh, I’m sorry. That was good. You don’t hear that a lot It threw me off. But I’ve got some Versace shoes that I like. They have some fur on them, like gray fur. Those have to be it.