HUMANITIES Ambassador SPOTLIGHT | Diane Montague

Q: Why did you choose to become an ambassador for the College of Humanities?

A: I've always wanted to become more involved in campus life! I live off campus with my parents, and I started at the U in 2020 during COVID-19, so I've felt like I missed out on certain aspects of "college life." However, I feel I've learned more about the student body and interacted with campus more than ever before, even though I only give a few hours a month.

Q: What are your major(s) and/or minor(s)? Why did you choose them, what do you love most about them, and what do you hope to do with them once you graduate?

A: I'm a History major with a minor in Asian Studies, and I'm getting a certificate in International Relations. I've always been drawn to history but enrolled initially as a political science major. While there were aspects of the major I had an interest in, I found myself being drawn back to history, so I decided to switch to it. To me, history has always been an explanation of why we are the way we are today, and there's seemingly a plethora of things I've yet to learn. I hope to go into diplomacy (que the international relations certificate) with my history degree. 

Q: When you have to lock in and study for a hard test or write a long paper, what is your go-to method for staying focused and pushing through?

A: I'm awful at staying focused! I try to turn on music I enjoy and just hunker down. If it's a subject I enjoy, I have no issue.

Q: In what way(s) do you feel "at home" at the University of Utah?

A: I've always felt connected to the U because I grew up taking field trips to campus! I remember in preschool, we took a field trip to the Olympic Torch at the Rice-Eccles stadium. I love flexing that I'm Utah-born and raised.

Q: What is the earliest or latest class you've ever had? What about that class made it worth getting up so early/staying on campus so late?

A: The latest class I've had was until 5:30 p.m., and the earliest I've had was at 8:35 a.m. I'm actually taking the 8:35 a.m. class right now. It will be nice to see the sunrise as winter approaches.

Q: What's the best piece of advice you have received in life, and how have you lived up to it?

A: My dad told me to rarely take things personally! Obviously if someone directly does something to bother me, I'll take it personally. But if I get cut off on the road or someone almost hits me in the crosswalk, I know it's not a me issue.

Q: On a regular day, what does your commute to school look like? Do you enjoy it? If not, what are some ways you make it more bearable?

A: I leave my house an hour before my morning classes because I take the freeway onto Foothill Drive. Foothill Drive is my biggest source of stress, especially in the winter. If I'm really bored, I'll put on music and sometimes make faces at people at stoplights.

Q: In what way have you engaged in the college experience that you are most proud of?

A: I had a job at the campus bowling alley, and I felt really close to campus life! I got to watch over the bowling classes and even got myself interested in the sport. Now I'm running a bowling club (Tuesdays, 5-7 p.m.), and hoping to start a team!

Q: Would you rather have back-to-back classes from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. one day a week or one two-hour class every day of the week, including weekend.

A: I'd rather have the latter, given it's in the afternoon. I'm not a morning critter, and my brain only runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Q: If you could go back and tell just one thing about your college experience to your past self on your first day at the U, what would you tell yourself?

A: I'd tell myself to take less classes! Most of the classes I did in my first year don't apply to my major now, and it was a year almost entirely online, which I did not bode well with. I could've focused on my gen-Ed's then instead of now.