Each week, the Record (using a script in R) randomly selects a student at the College for our One in Two Thousand feature, excluding current Record board members. This week, Luca Scafidi ’29 discussed his love for the environment, his vehement hatred for Greylock Hall, and his dream dorm pet. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Tess Halpern (TH): I heard you’re on Williams Environmental Council (WEC) and you’re doing environmental research with a professor. Why are you interested in the environment?

Luca Scafidi (LS): I grew up in a suburban area and my favorite part of being a kid was going to the park. That was the natural beginning to it. When I moved right before high school, I didn’t really know anyone, so I joined sports. The only sports that I thought I could do were soccer and cross-country, and those are outside, lots of running in the woods and everything. 

TH: How did being outside spark this interest? 

LS: Our high school cross-country team did this project where we helped clean up one of the local trail systems. From there, I talked to the trail director, and that was how I became a board member and program director for [the trail restoration program]. It was a natural segue. 

TH: What would you recommend to a fellow student looking to learn more about the environment? 

LS: I would say take a class about it. For me, the best part about the College so far has been taking classes in as many disciplines as I can. I also think that there are so many ways to get involved, which is really nice, and a lot of opportunities are super low-commitment. Whether it’s getting paid to do two hours of work a week at the Zilkha Center, or joining WEC, or Williams Sustainable Growers, or going to Log Lunch. Actually, I take it back. Log Lunch is the best way to do it. 

TH: What is your least favorite building on campus and why? 

LS: My least favorite building is 100 percent Greylock Hall. It’s hideous. It’s so ugly. I hate how it’s this weird addition to the ’62 Center, but not. We have a cappella rehearsals there. I hate every room. It’s musty and disgusting. The water fountain doesn’t work. It has an awkward layout while the rest of Greylock Quad is actually pretty. 

TH: Wow, I think we’ve unlocked something. 

LS: Yeah, I think it’s some hatred, for sure. Every time I walk into that building, I’m sad. 

TH: What about your favorite building? 

LS: I really like Hollander. It’s super inviting. You walk in and there are all these little nooks to study in. I love the third floor lookout area, because there’s way more room than in Schapiro and you can actually find a place to sit. 

TH: Schapiro is just evil Hollander. 

LS: Yeah, literally. And it’s smaller too. 

TH: If you could have a dorm pet, what would it be? 

LS: A turtle, for sure. 

TH: What would you name the turtle? 

LS: Gerald the tortoise. 

TH: What’s something you wish people knew about you?

LS: When I’m just standing or walking on skis, I will constantly fall down. I don’t even have to be moving — I’ll be standing before the ski lift, or in line, and all of a sudden I’ll just fall down. It’s a real talent, I know. I did [the Williams Outing Club Learn to Ski classes] over Winter Study. I learned how to ski, but I really learned how to fall. 

TH: What’s your favorite Spring Street meal? 

LS: CRUST build-your-own pizza. I get the gluten-free, vegan crust with pancetta, sausage, onions, garlic, red sauce, no cheese, oregano, and basil. 

TH: Very nice. There’s been a lot of conversation about veganism at the College lately. Where do you stand on the debate: Should our dining halls go vegan? 

LS: I don’t think so. I’m not vegan, I just have allergies, but I have friends who are vegan and vegetarian. I was talking to my friend who’s a vegetarian, and he was saying that he thinks that’s too far. I think that having a higher proportion of vegan options would definitely help the issue in terms of carbon production. But I think forcing the College to go vegan is not a great idea. It would just result in more people ordering takeout and more unnecessary bad effects where students are spending more money outside of campus or spending more gas on getting stuff from further away. So I think the idea is really nice, but I think completely converting the dining halls is a little too radical.

TH: When the snow finally thaws, what’s on your bucket list for spring? 

LS: Definitely doing more sunrise hikes. I’ve done two, and they’ve been really fun, but I want to do more. Second, I’m going on a road trip with my friends over spring break — we’re going to Acadia National Park. It’ll be really fun. In terms of spring at Williams, I’m really excited for [Sawyer] Quad to be filled with people. I’m also low-key really excited to see the touring groups and everyone all excited to come to Williams.

TH: You’re in The Williams Octet. What is that like? 

LS: In movies, they’re always like, ‘Oh, you’re gonna end up in a college a cappella group, and it will be great.’ But genuinely, I thought this was gonna suck. Then I joined, and it shocked me how close you get with your groupmates. It’s so nice to have upperclassmen to look up to, especially not being on a varsity team or anything. I think the most surprising thing is their maturity and willingness to help you along, while also being really fun people.

TH: No monthly listener limits — who do you wish was playing Spring Fling? 

LS: Bon Iver.