Meet Eric
An Intuitive Decision
Because the university’s motto is “What starts here changes the world,” I took this as a sign and decided to come here. You see, I applied to three different schools and was accepted into all of them. However, since the age of 15, I have wanted to change the world in some way, no matter how small. It was truly an intuitive decision. The University of Texas offers an impressive MFA program in writing, which I plan on applying to next year in December.
Mechanics of the Written Word
I didn’t want to pick English because then I thought I would feel too much pressure to teach, and teaching is not my calling. I picked Rhetoric and Writing because it had “writing” in the title, and I figured it would teach me the mechanics of the written word and of argument in general. I thought, practically, rhetoric and writing would be more useful because English is really more of a basic kind of education, a solid foundation on which to build further knowledge. Because I really wanted a major more specific to my interests, I chose Rhetoric and Writing.
Eric’s advice on…
Making friends
Just go up to people in your dorm or class and introduce yourself.
What to wear/not wear
Get a good pair of walking shoes.
How to be a successful student
Bring a recorder and start study groups.
Living on/off campus
I live on campus in Simkins. I recommend living on campus because it’s nice having so many resources within walking distance. I think if I lived off campus, I would only go to my classes.
One of the Most Interesting Personalities I’ve Ever Encountered
During the summer, I took a rhetoric class, and my teacher, Michael Widner, gave us our first assignment. We were supposed to write a paper giving different views on a topic. My topic was vampires and it pointed me in the direction of Elizabeth Richmond-Garza, one of the most interesting personalities I’ve ever encountered. When I walked into her office, I felt as if I had been transported about 60 or 70 years in the past. It was great. I asked her a few questions about vampires and about reactions to vampires, and I used her quotes frequently in my papers for the class. So, I guess interaction with my teachers and other professors has helped me write papers and make better grades.
Favorite UT Experience…So Far
I was waiting in line for food at the Kinsolving dining hall when I noticed a girl in front of me. She looked really familiar to me, but I thought, “No, Emily has lighter colored hair.” Well, I passed her again on my way to sit down and I just couldn’t help myself. I walked to her side, tapped her on the shoulder and asked, “Excuse me, is your name Emily?” She looked at me for a second and responded, “Eric?!” I replied, “Yeah!” and we hugged and asked each other how the other was doing and what was going on. That was pretty cool.
More about Eric
Favorites
Books: Pocho by José Antonio Villareal, Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray, A Practical Guide to Racism by C.H. Dalton, The Dead Travel Fast by Eric Nuzum, The Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice, Wizard and Glass by Stephen King
Pastime / Recreational activity: I really love to write in my spare time. I’m currently working on a revision of a novel which I’m writing. And when I don’t feel like writing, I read.
Biggest challenge
Finding a job
Best unexpected thing
Running into old friends from high school who I didn’t know came here.
Send Eric an e-mail at ericcamarillo@mail.utexas.edu