Stephen Autar
Medill sophomore Stephen Autar is comfortable with the person he is, and his perfect man should share the same kind of self-acceptance.
“I like tall guys, facial hair is probably a must,” Autar said. “Really smart, but not obnoxious about it. You have to like to laugh, you can’t take yourself seriously and you’re OK being uncomfortable.”
Preferring to have fun and be humorous, Autar is laid back, though he’s simultaneously ambitious and involved in a variety of activities. He is an editor for NU Intel, works at Jumpstart, volunteers with Medill Media Teens and is in charge of social media for the Knight Lab.
“When people get to know me, they sort of see me as this person who is standing in this sort of whirlwind of activities,” Autar said. “I enjoy doing everything that I do, but the other thing is I don’t necessarily care about anything unless it makes me feel good. I also don’t really care about titles.”
Autar is an outgoing person, which contributes to his fun and engaging personality. He also describes himself as having few inhibitions, and he looks for the same qualities in a boyfriend.
He loves to eat and talk, so Autar’s ideal date would involve food and going for a walk or another activity that allows him to have a conversation — which is why movies, to him, are a terrible first date.
After seriously considering the matter, the best option Autar has found for his spirit animal is a panther because “they’re cool and sexy and fierce.” However, he says it’s not a perfect match because they do not encapsulate his “pure ridiculousness.”
In a relationship, he said he’s looking for someone with whom he can sit at home, watching television and eating Chinese food. And although he calls himself boring, Autar has a variety of interests, including an obsession with Britney Spears, whose birthday is three days after his.
Autar also has some defined preferences when it comes to style — he despises vertical stripes — but when it comes to guys, he has some low requirements for their taste in clothing.
“I’m generally fine with really laid-back style,” Autar said. “You can dress however you want to dress as long as your pants aren’t drooping, not sloppy. I don’t like a guy who’s too stylish because then I feel bad.”
The people he prefers to hang out with, Autar said, are different from him in individual taste but tend to have the same interests. For example, they can be really into music like he is but not necessarily fans of the same bands. And when it comes to boyfriends, Autar has this same philosophy.
Kate Geraghty
This week, while students are canoodling with their valentines or sulking about their lack thereof, Homecoming co-chairs Kate Geraghty and Tina Umanskiy are gearing up for 14 hours of interviews with potential exec members. The pair, who will be in charge of school spirit for the next year, are excited to make Homecoming “bigger and better,” concentrating on how every student can celebrate their school pride.
Geraghty, a Weinberg junior, is a notoriously big fan of the Wildcats. She and her roommates, who are also sports enthusiasts, talk about all types of sport under the sun, especially football. Despite her passion for football, Geraghty said she wouldn’t mind if her boyfriend wasn’t as caught up in it as she is.
“All of my female friends watch football,” she said. “It would be nice if he knew something about it, but I don’t need another person to talk to about it.”
That said, her perfect date would still be at Northwestern’s Ryan Field stadium. After all, she is a die-hard fan.
“If you don’t like me on our first date when I’m watching football, it’s not going to go well,” she said. “That’s when I forget that people are around, and I just go for it.”
Ultimately, Geraghty said she hopes to find a guy who is as fun-loving as she is. Dates can be boring, and she just wants someone to watch “dumb TV and movies with.”
Umanskiy, a Communication sophomore, is all about school spirit. Most days, she can be seen sporting her signature outfit, a Northwestern sweatshirt and a pair of jeans. She plays foil for the women’s fencing team on campus and is highly knowledgeable about athletics in general. She is also a part of NU Wildside, an embodiment of her devotion to NU athletics and spirit.
“Basketball is my life. My life revolves around basketball,” she exclaimed when Geraghty confessed she didn’t know what March Madness was.
Umanskiy’s preoccupation with basketball extends to her romantic requirements: Her perfect date would take place at a Chicago Bulls’ home game.
“I’m from Chicago, so I love the Bulls,” she said. “I also hate the Cubs, so as far from Wrigley Field as possible.”
Because a Bulls’ game might be too expensive for a first date, Umanskiy said that she would also like to go to a Northwestern basketball game with a potential other half, but on one condition — that the student section is full.
“My pride and joy is seeing the student section of the basketball stadium full,” she said. It’s no surprise then she described herself as “spirited about Northwestern” — now all she has to do is find a guy who’s as big of a fan as she is.
