Completely put together and excited to start her morning, Kelly Carter sat down with me to discuss her life — including her love of the color pink. Our chat on the Terrace under the bright morning sun felt like talking to an old friend. Mentor chair of College Outreach, Orientation Aide Director for the recent Freshmen Orientation, and a recruitment chair for sorority recruitment, Kelly probably could use a triple shot espresso. Instead, she opts for tea and a blueberry muffin. She even brought her own mug to help save the environment.
What’s something about you that most people might not know?
I’m in an a capella group. I got a lot of comments this week, people are like “You’re in the Christopher Wren singers? Really?”
Also, my fun fact is that I used to work in an asphalt plant. It was a lot of fun and really interesting. I know that
I will never be a geologist or anything of the sort, but it was a good experience.
What kind of experiences led you to become so active on campus?
Really, it comes down to all the great people here. It’s not any experience in particular, but it’s the really great interactions I’ve had with people and all the great relationships I’ve formed.
Do you know David Hindman? He’s the guy who runs the Wesley Foundation. He’s a really great guy. He’s really spiritual and even though I was never involved in Wesley Foundation he was friends with the minister at my hometown church. He really took the time to look after me and make sure things were going okay, especially freshman and sophomore years. He definitely still looks out for me. Having that encouragement there really meant a lot. It’s important to always have that center and to know God is always there for you.
What’s your favorite tradition?
It has to be Convocation. Not just because we just did it — no one else does that. It’s a very unique tradition. It’s very symbolic of the W&M experience. I feel like everybody takes that away when they graduate.
If you were lost in a building or museum alone, which building or museum would you want it to be?
I’d like to be lost in the Grand Old Opry Hotel forever. You go through all the gardens and it’s just beautiful — in the heart of the south, right where I’d love to be. I’ll always be a Southern girl.
What has been your favorite project or thing you’ve been a part of since you’ve been at the College of William and Mary?
The most recent thing that I’ve been most proud of has been orientation — just being a part of welcoming the new students and making sure they are having a good experience. I think the beginning of any experience really sets the tone for the rest of it and it’s something that’s really important at W&M. From all the conferences that Mark Sikes and all the other OADs attended, they said that coming back, W&M has the best orientation. We’re the best at what we do. That’s really good to know — some schools don’t have orientation and you think about the dropout rates there and you think of the type of people who go to that school and you think how cool that is.
That and the Wrens. They are kind of equal in things that I’m proud of.
How do you stay so happy and upbeat all the time?
Everybody has a certain level of stress. They have that paper that was due eight days ago and you’re just now starting it.
There’s always something I can be thankful for. No matter how crappy things are, life is actually really awesome, because I’m not starving in a third world country. I have so many things to be thankful for, so that’s why. Sometimes, when you have to take time out, it’s okay. I don’t think people know that it’s okay to not be around people. You can sit and have a moment, it’s okay.
What’s your favorite color?
Pink is my favorite color, and while that’s the girliest of girly colors, I love pink.
This is a long story: The first woman I ever took voice lessons from, I thought she was a crackpot because she was a very free spirited person and before her I’d never had anything to do with colors and being free. I thought that she was stuck in 1970s.She taught me these color schemes. I really grew to love and respect her. She was the top notch voice teacher in the Roanoke Valley. She took me on as a project, because normally she only worked with adults who were established in their voice and mature. Here I am a 16 year old learning to sing. She taught me a lot: She taught me about how when you sing it’s like singing a color, singing an emotion. Each color was an emotion and there’s the whole range of them. One day she gave me a hug and told me “Ya know Kelly, you were always pink.” Pink is supposed to be warm, bright and happy — it’s different from yellow.
She was the first person who got me to sing with emotion and actually think about what I’m singing and about music in an artistic and romantic sense. I owe her everything that I’ve ever done in music.
What’s your favorite YouTube video?
I like all of the “My New Haircut” videos on YouTube. They are all hilarious and crack me up. They have an Asian one and a Jewish one — you have to watch them all.
Finally, if you could be a member of a band, what band would it be?
I think I’d have to be a member of the Pussy Cat Dolls.
After this question, I left Kelly singing parodies of Pussycat Dolls and talking about Tenacious D with a mutual friend on the Terrace. I could hear “Don’t you wish your girlfriend like was hot like me?” as I walked away.
Maybe the Christopher Wren singers should do a remake.
