What is your name? Carissa N.

What school do you go to? Elmira College, Elmira, New York

What is your major? Double major in Biochemistry and Business Administration

Tell us a little bit about yourself… I am from a town outside of Scranton, PA, which is commonly referred to as “The Office”. I was a biochemistry and business administration major at Elmira College in which I graduated from this June. I have been a part of Margaritaville University for two years now which is an amazing, empowering organization. Through it, I have been given countless opportunities and loved every moment. Having graduated, I am pursuing my dreams of becoming a veterinarian as I am working at an animal hospital prior to applying to a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. After dreaming and staying in the Margaritaville state of mind for many years now, I am hoping to at some point move closer to the ocean breeze and palm trees where I will have a margarita (or two) in hand.

How did you find out about Margaritaville University? I found out about Margaritaville University during the fall of 2017. My mom told me about the program and encouraged me to apply. I am so happy she did, I cannot thank her enough for pushing me to enroll.

What is your favorite tropical destination? I enjoy the beach, sand, sun (burns or tans), palm trees, and the list goes on… I cannot say I have a favorite tropical destination. I do not have a favorite destination because I like traveling to new places and would rather venture to locations that I have never been than revisit one particular harbor.

Would you rather explore the tropics by boat or sea plane? I cannot pick one or the other. I would like to travel around the tropics by boat because it would allow me to smell the salty water and I would be up close to the flora and fauna. On the other hand, I would like to explore via sea plane. I have never been on a sea plane so it would be a different experience and would allow me to see the tropics from above.

What is your favorite Jimmy lyric? My favorite Jimmy lyric is “Breathe in, breathe out, move on.” I really like this lyric because it is a simple reminder that there are many things in life that we have no control over. As humans, we often get caught up in small things and we need to realize that there is nothing we can do about it, so why fret when we can enjoy the good things and move on?

If you could pick one musical artist to cover a Jimmy Buffett song, who would it be and what song? I would pick Cat Power to cover the song A Pirate Looks at Forty because I find her music very soothing and the pace of her songs are slow.

What’s on your ultimate cheeseburger in paradise? My ultimate cheeseburger in paradise would include a plethora of mushrooms, onion rings, bacon, a medium rare burger made with garlic, some avocado aioli, and of course toasted hamburger buns.

What should the mascot of Margaritaville be and what is his/her name? I think there should be two Margaritaville mascots. One mascot would have to be a parrot with a name many people would associate with a shark such as Finley or Sharky. The other mascot would then have to be a shark with a common parrot name. There would be two mascots to appeal to the Parrotheads and of course those who can always be seen with their fins up.

Why is Margaritaville and its values something that needs to be shared? Margaritaville and its values are something that needs to be shared as they are a simple reminder to live life like a song. By this I mean, one should not fret on the small things and should learn to relax more. Overall, Margaritaville and its values demonstrate the needs to live and maintain a stress-free life to the best of one’s capability.

What is your favorite Margaritaville University product? My favorite Margaritaville University product would have to be the flags! I love being able to take my flag with me everywhere and anywhere I go because it is a great way to represent Margaritaville University and they are really easy to pack. I have taken my flag and flown it all over the map in Peru, Czech Republic, Poland, Thailand, Cambodia, and of course domestically.

If you could create a new Margaritaville University product, what would it be? I would create a line of drinks and snacks. Margaritaville University grab-and-go coffee that could be bought in convenience stores would be a hit with all the coffee addicted college students! I also think it would be fun to have snacks like chips or pretzels that could be easily brought to the library or the beach.