A Day in the Life

Glimpsing into Four Different Areas of Study

STORY BY AARIN WRIGHT | PHOTOS BY DANIELLA BECCARIA

(Above) Kitty Moujaes poses for a portrait.

While Simon Grant studies multiple hours a night to secure a good grade in economics, Sam Carlos designs his very own lesson plan on the chemical history of the universe. Kitty Moujaes drinks countless cups of coffee trying to complete design projects for friends and clients. Running around in pajamas, Ryan Moghadan strengthens his acting abilities and Christopher Ramirez creates lesson plans for Spanish classes for adults much older than him. All five hold one thing in common: they’re all Western students, working hard to find their purpose. This is a day in each of their lives.

Disclaimer: A source in this story, Kitty Moujaes, identifies as non-binary (a gender identity that is not exclusively masculine or feminine) and prefers to use the personal pronouns they/them/theirs in place of she or he. Here at Klipsun Magazine we respect all identities, and will be using Moujaes’ preferred pronouns.

Numerical friends

Simon Grant sees numbers everywhere.

“I like numbers because they provide good evidence,” he says. Grant prefers one solid answer to a question, while subjective questions frustrate him.

And the tall, strawberry blond, fifth year student has applied his numerical love to his studies through an economics degree with a minor in mathematics.

“Economics ended up being the path of least resistance,” he says. After struggling in computer science classes, Grant stumbled upon the College of Business and Economics with a successful grade in Microeconomics.

Grant leads a hectic life.

Each day he wakes up early and spends hours between math-heavy classes and homework.

But through all the challenges, Grant has found a field he’s passionate about. He works with health information daily at Unity Care NW. Which involves the thing he loves: Numbers.

Demands of Design

Kitty Moujaes took inspiration from Kill Bill.

“The intro sequence of that movie really spoke to me,” they say, dressed in dark clothing and eyes masked by dark sunglasses.

After watching the Tarantino film in high school, Moujaes wanted to create similar sequences.

Which is how they wound up in their fifth year at Western, pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design. The competitive program accepts 10–12 students a year through a portfolio review. Moujaes was accepted after weeks of severe lack of sleep and multiple cups of coffee.

Now Moujaes works through courses that cover product design, packaging, computer coding, typography, illustration and more.

“Everyone is struggling,” they say, in regards to the massive workload.

But for a self-proclaimed critical thinker like Moujaes, the involved design process is seductive due to the attention of detail demanded in each project. They hope to secure a job at a digital agency in Seattle after graduation.

“Basically, I just hope to not be poor,” they say.

College of Curiosity

Sam Carlos’ doctor said he had ADD at age 14.

“Fairhaven calls it ‘experiential learning,’” he says. A fifth year student at Western, he bounced from astronomy to biology to chemistry until creating his own concentration in the Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies.

Carlos dips his feet in a wide variety of subjects, while working towards one degree. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings he studies the solar system.

On Thursdays he locks himself in his room to write fiction for a Green Literature class. Almost every evening he’s editing stories for the Planet Magazine, Western’s environmental publication. And in his free time he volunteers at the campus radio station, KUGS-FM.

“Fairhaven has allowed me to base my learning on my curiosity,” Carlos says. He and other Fairhaven students may tailor their concentrations to their unique interests.

Thespian Exploration

Sick of individuals self-marketing themselves, and lying to succeed in the business world, Ryan Moghadan turned to theater in effort to tell the truth.

“Because that’s what acting is,” he says. “An honest approach to life.”

With no previous formal theater training, Moghadan transferred from Washington State University to Bellevue College and finally to Western. Two years into the theater major, he starts his day with caffeine pills and studio acting classes, performing mental and physical exercises.

One of the best aspects of acting for Moghadan is the opportunity to perform diverse characters in different professions.

“If I’m given the role of a chef, I get to study as a professional chef,” he says

Whether a chef, a construction worker or a business man, Moghadan is eager to explore.

¿Comprendes?

Raised bilingual in Guadalajara, Christopher Ramirez speaks Spanish upward of five hours a day. The Western junior works toward degrees in Spanish and International Business.

“It comes naturally to continue speaking Spanish,” Ramirez says. His days are spent switching between positions of student and teacher. He starts off the morning by working on business statistics and analyzing Spanish literature, followed by planning lessons for the tutoring subjects, and the Western Employee Language Program. Ramirez instructs basic level Spanish classes to participants made up of Western employees, from professors to custodial services to grad students.

Ramirez believes fluency in a second language doubles his job opportunities. He hopes to find work as a translator in a professional area, or conduct business in Spanish-speaking countries.

A Day in the Life

All five express satisfaction with their studies. All recognize different paths they could have taken. All will eventually graduate or move on from Western. All are preparing to experience what lies beyond their degrees.