While most freshmen on campus are worrying about the dreaded Freshman Fifteen, we know one group of new students who won’t: the athletes. Instead of packing on the pounds, these new faces answers 15 questions about what it’s like to wear the purple and white for the next four years.
Name: Michelle (Shelly) Patton (5-foot-6, Littleton, Colo.)
Sport: Women’s swimming and diving
Event: Back/IM
The Daily Northwestern: North Campus or South Campus?
Shelly Patton: I’d probably say South. It’s more artsy and the theater is down there. It’s prettier than North Campus, too.
The Daily: Favorite place to eat in Evanston?
Patton: Giordano’s. I like their thin crust pizza. They say they are famous for their deep dish, but then they say they are equally famous for their thin crust also. I tried it and I loved it.
The Daily: Hardest class you’re taking?
Patton: Gen Chem. Chemistry isn’t really my thing.
The Daily: Any superstitions before a race?
Patton: Oh, yeah. A bunch. I always have to do the same stretching routine. I have to wear different goggles for when I warm up and when I race. I have to wear the same practice suit. But nothing too exciting (laughs).
The Daily: Any hidden talents?
Patton: I played the violin since first grade.
The Daily: How did you get the nickname Shelly?
Patton: It’s interesting. When my dad named me Michelle, he hated the name Shelly. He never wanted to call me Shelly. But apparently when I was a kid, my belly would always hang out so they would call me “Shelly Belly” (laughs). Shelly just kind of stuck. I tried being called Michelle but it’s not the same. It’s just not me.
The Daily: Coolest place you’ve swum?
Patton: Two places: First was an open water swim in Hawaii. The water was so clear and beautiful. But it got to a point where you couldn’t see the bottom. It was so scary. I saw turtles and a shark, but it turned out to be a dolphin. The other place was at Olympic trials in Omaha. It was really cool to see all those people there to watch a swimming event.
The Daily: Idol growing up?
Patton: Natalie Coughlin. She’s such a technician. She does everything right. Her technique is so good.
The Daily: Favorite pre-meet meal?
Patton: Spaghetti and meatballs. Good combination of carbs and protein.
The Daily: Best part about NU?
Patton: The people. They can be so dedicated to our sport but at the same time you know they are really serious about school.
The Daily: Chicago or Denver?
Patton: Sorry, Chicago. I am going to have to pick Denver. It’s so humid here. I love the lake and low altitude but I miss the mountains a lot.
The Daily: Team Edward or Team Jacob?
Patton: Team Jacob. Edward kind of sucks (laughs).
The Daily: TV show you could watch all day?
Patton: “Once Upon a Time” or “The Office.”
The Daily: Coolest celebrity you’ve met?
Patton: I don’t know if Missy Franklin counts, but I used to be on her team and carpooled with her.
The Daily: Biggest freshman moment so far?
Patton: There are too many. One time I wanted to go to the stadium to get an ice bath and I thought it closed at 7. I thought I could make it there after practice. So I took a shuttle up there and it turns out it closes at 6. I got there at 6:15 and I was stuck there. I didn’t have the shuttle times, and I didn’t know how I was going to get home. I called one of the upperclassmen and asked if she could pick me up, and she said she could in like 15 minutes. But my foot really, really hurt, and I really wanted to take an ice bath. There was this big tub of ice water where they would put the Gatorade bottles in. And I said, “Well, there’s nobody around,” so I took off my socks and shoes and got in the ice water (laughs). Then there was this football player who came out of the locker room literally ten seconds later and I got out of the tub and said “Oh, that’s cold” (laughs). After he left, I went back in.
— John Paschall
