Ask a College Student: A Freakonomics Quorum

This is the time of year when high-school seniors receive letters, thick or thin, from college admissions departments. (I have two nieces who both just got some thick letters from great schools: way to go, H. and L.!) Those seniors will soon start a new life.

What’s in store for them? Freakonomics contributor Nicole Tourtelot put a few questions — about smoking, sex, and career ambitions, among others — to a few current New York students. Here are their answers:

Leah, 22, Senior, Anthropology, Brooklyn College

Who’s paying for your education?

I’m on full scholarship right now with the CUNY Honors College, so I guess I should say them. But my mom pays for my living expenses and rent.

How do you and your friends view smoking cigarettes? Do you smoke? If not, why not?

Most of my friends are anti-smoking, in as much as we don’t like being around it. I have a few friends who smoke “socially,” meaning only when they’re out drinking, but I’ve really only had one close friend that was an actual “smoker” — as in, needed to smoke everyday. Most of us see it as an obnoxious habit that’s too expensive for a college student.

If you could have anyone’s job in New York City, whose would it be?

Joke answer: Jennifer Connolly. Real answer: I’m not entirely sure what I want to do, specifically, for the rest of my life, so it’s hard to pick one successful person because they have very specific roles. I suppose head of youth and community outreach at the Whitney would be lovely, but I have no idea who has that job now.

How many more people do you think you’ll sleep with before you get married?

I have no idea, since I’m not sure when I’ll get married. [I’m] pretty serious with my boyfriend right now, and we’ve discussed the possibility of marriage in the future, but nothing is set in stone.

How many would you like to?

Again, it’s not like I have to fill a quota. I’m not sure if anyone can reasonably answer this question since you don’t know when you’ll get into a serious relationship. If my boyfriend dumped me tomorrow — I’d guess maybe four or five more, if I kept up my pattern of one guy every two years (as a serial monogamist, not someone who gets laid every two years) and I get married at 30. Then again, I might end up marrying my boyfriend, so then the answer would be zero.

I’m not a fan of promiscuity; it seems to lead to more trouble than it’s worth. I prefer to be in a relationship before having sex.

Ali, 21, Senior, Journalism, New York University

Who’s paying for your education?

Almost 75 percent of my education is being paid for by scholarships and grants. I got one of my scholarships through my university based on my volunteer experience. That scholarship pays for about half of my education. I have another scholarship ($7,000) that is a merit-based scholarship through an Iranian student support association. That money comes from donations from Iranians all over the United States.

As a [resident advisor] at my university, another huge chunk (housing and food) is also paid for by my school, but my mom uses her savings and loans to pay for the rest.

How do you and your friends view smoking cigarettes? Do you smoke? If not, why not?

I don’t smoke because I think I could get easily addicted, and I really don’t want to get cancer. I also hate the smell of cigarettes on clothes. However, I am often tempted.

So many NYU students smoke, and I find that it actually provides a great catalyst for making friends in a city where it’s hard for students to meet people. My friends are definitely open to smoking. I think that if one of us started, the others could definitely be tempted.

If you could have anyone’s job in New York City, whose would it be?

I would love to have Conan O’Brien‘s job. Or, I would love to work in programming at a theater. I used to have this boss who just spent the year traveling the world in search of quality plays — all paid for! I’d take her job in a second.

How many more people do you think you’ll sleep with before you get married?

I intend to sleep with a lot of people before I get married (if I get married). I think I’ll sleep with at least 20 people, maybe five of which will be as a part of committed relationships.

How many would you like to?

I’d like to sleep with way more than 20! But let’s be modest. 30? Yeah, 30.

Sophie, 20, Junior, Journalism/Nonfiction, The New School

Who’s paying for your education?

My parents are paying most of it, though I have about $6,000 out in federal loans. I am slowly paying these as the months go by.

How do you and your friends view smoking cigarettes? Do you smoke? If not, why not?

Seventy-five percent of my friends smoke, but socially, rather than habitually. Some only smoke when they’re drunk. This includes me, but not every time — plus sometimes I’ll bum one to relieve stress. Also — and I would be ashamed of this if most of my friends didn’t already know — I find smoking looks sexy.

If you could have anyone’s job in New York City, whose would it be?

This is very tough. Is it conditional? Because if I was already financially solvent, it would be different. Assuming I am not — maybe the Donald. Maybe Martha Stewart. Maybe Tim Gunn; I could make it work.

How many more people do you think you’ll sleep with before you get married?

Hmm … assuming one a year, and I get married at 30…that’s 10 more people. I’m going to be stingy here and guess that I’ll sleep with maybe 12 to 15.

How many would you like to?

24?

Gabrielle, 21, Junior, Communication and Media Studies, Fordham University

Who’s paying for your education?

It’s a mix between my mother, my father, my stepfather, and myself. We all have loans.

How do you and your friends view smoking cigarettes? Do you smoke? If not, why not?

I don’t smoke. I can’t afford cigarettes and it seems like a dirty habit. Lots of people who smoke are kind of scummy. Some of my friends smoke, which I don’t mind, except for the fact that it makes my hair smell bad when I’m around them.

If you could have anyone’s job in New York City, whose would it be?

I’d like to be a fashion/style editor … or the zoo-keeper at the Bronx Zoo.

How many more people do you think you’ll sleep with before you get married?

I’ve had the same boyfriend for three years, so probably none. But if we ever broke up, I’d guess it would be between one and three.

How many would you like to?

I don’t really care at all, whatever happens, happens.

Shaina, 23, Senior, English, Barnard College

Who’s paying for your education?

My parents.

How do you and your friends view smoking cigarettes? Do you smoke? If not, why not?

I cannot for the life of me fathom why someone could — in the face of all the medical evidence that smoking literally kills — take up this habit. Some friends of mine see my attitude as naive or quaint in some way, and don’t have a problem with smoking (these people have adopted a very cavalier, and dare I say, more “European” attitude towards it).

Not surprisingly, these people smoke. Other smoker friends of mine see it as terrible but started so long ago that they just don’t have the energy or willpower to quit. They see smoking as a disgusting habit and a dumb choice that people make when they are of a certain vulnerable (i.e.: adolescent) age. According to them, if you start to smoke after you’re 16, you’re an idiot.

If you could have anyone’s job in New York City, whose would it be?

I want to be Joan Didion.

How many more people do you think you’ll sleep with before you get married?

If I’m lucky (no pun intended), six or so.

How many would you like to?

Theoretically, like 14 — and without consequences.