More than just a blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty

Although this freshman might not exude an air of fame, she is a celebrity in her own niche. World-renowned fencer and Swedish beauty Emma Väggö has already made headlines, and she is now bringing her talent to Harvard. She fenced as a member of the Swedish junior national team, and she was a member of the Swedish Olympic training squad for the 2012 games. In case that isn’t enough, she was also ranked 10^th in the world by the International Fencing Federation (yeah…no big deal).

We’ll be honest – fencing is a bit obscure. Personally, the word “fencing” only conjures up images of that fateful scene in The Parent Trap (you know which one I’m talking about). Emma herself admits that, to a spectator who doesn’t understand fencing, it appears as “a bunch of jumping around in bizarre white suits.” However, any layman can appreciate the skill, precision, and athleticism required to master this difficult sport.

With gold medal aspirations, a modest attitude, and undeniable skill, this freshman is bound to leave an impressive legacy.

What has it been like moving to America from Sweden?

It has been a big adjustment, especially not being close to your family. It is pretty bizarre knowing that I am across the ocean from them. America is very different, but I love it here! I’m having the time of my life!

What first sparked your interest in fencing?

My dad was an Olympic fencer so he introduced me to fencing. I guess it kind of runs in the family.

How long have you been fencing?

I have been fencing for 10 years, which feels like my whole life. I can’t imagine not being a fencer.

What has been the highlight of your fencing career?

It was probably when I won my first Junior World Cup in Portugal last year. I had made the podium several times before, but this was the first time I came in first. It was a surreal experience.

Any Olympic aspirations?

Isn’t that every athlete’s dream? If I’m still fencing in 2 years, I’m hoping to go to Rio 2016.

Follow the jump to watch one of her impressive wins at the FIE World Championship!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AecdKFv6AI

4. Ansel Duff 

Giving his best killer look.

Ansel who, you might ask.

Well, we are kind of running out of freshmen celebrities by now, and he might not ring as many bells as the previous two did.  But in all fairness, Ansel Duff is definitely a guy to watch out for.

First of all, he’s got this band:

http://www.facebook.com/TheAnchors

…which he started with Alex and Ian Mothe during Christmas break of his junior year in high school. Within only a few months, they made quite a name for themselves in New Bedford, Massachusetts, drumming up support through various local gigs and band tours. The Anchors also garnered some name recognition for themselves through features in local newsletters.

In his senior year, Ansel decided to fly solo. He spent all summer recording two original songs: “Stay the Course” and “Colours Fade” (both of which have been launched on iTunes), and so began to establish a legit reputation as the “Ansel Duff.”

Get the picture? Good. You might want to know that the guy also happens to be tall and attractive, with a pair of large, sensitive-looking brown eyes that exude the sincere charms of an artist (definitely a feature that will come in handy to convince his fans that he means every word he sings). So ladies (and half of Harvard boys as well), if you don’t like his music, just plug your ears and let yourself get carried away by his irresistibly shy, melancholic smile.  It works, trust me.

Why did you decide to fly solo instead of continuing with the band? 

Well, it is kind of hard to arrange practice with my bandmates now that college has started. Being in a band also means having to make a lot of compromises when it comes to composing a song. I feel like I have more freedom to express myself in my individual songs. That being said, I am still part of The Anchors and we still perform every now and then.

What else do you do in college? How do you find the time to fit in your music with your other commitments? 

I’m on the sailing team, and I’m planning to major in Engineering. Perhaps a secondary in music. I can’t tell you how, but if you love something, you will find a time to do it. You just make it your priority, instead of… watching TV shows online, for example.

What’s your future aspiration for your music? 

Of course, like all musicians, I want to make it big.  I want to be able to inspire and influence people with my music. I’m still realistic, though, because I know a lot of factors must come into play to become a star. The most important thing to me is that I’m doing it because I love doing it, not because I’m obsessed with getting more fans.

Who or what inspires your music? 

Hmm, I’m a big fan of Eric Clapton, PB King, Paul Gilbert, and John Mayer -- before he got all famous and commercialized. I would say a lot of my music is inspired by John Mayer. The thing about my music is people either love it or hate it.

Last question, are you single? 

Huh? Yeah I am. Oh, and straight too! (well sorry boys..)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1nGeoBZgmI

Ansel Duff. Performing his original song.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRZNQ06kWyc

Remember this?

(Makes you cringe a little inside isn’t it? )

Watch out section kids, here’s a real genius coming your way. And he doesn’t even have to try that hard. Second on our Fresh Five edition is…

2. That Spelling Bee Guy On CNN

No less, Evan O’Dorney has graced Harvard compound for the past one month as a member of class 2015. At the age of fourteen, he had memorized the whole English dictionary (ergo the spelling prowess), taken college-level math courses at the UC Berkeley, and survived a lifetime of home schooling. Last March, O’Dorney once again flexed his mighty brainpower by clinching the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search award, pocketing a cash prize of $100 000.

Looking a lot more composed and appealing than his fourteen-year-old self, O’Dorney eagerly answered every question and kindly corrected every mispronunciation I made.

How does it feel to be in college after eighteen years being home-schooled?

It’s home-school-ed. Your -ed wasn’t audible. It’s been great. I make new friends and get involved in new activities. I’m enjoying my time here. For example last saturday I went for Glee Club retreat and we sang and played games the whole day. On Sunday we performed at a Unitarian Church, even though I’m a Catholic. So it’s a new experience.

Do you feel that being home-school-ed has disadvantaged you when it comes to making social interactions? What do you make out of the social scene in Harvard?

I don’t know whether it’s due to being home-schooled or my personality, but I prefer to spend my time alone and I feel awkward when I have to strike a conversation with someone new. I’m busy with my studies and personal projects, so I don’t have much time for socializing. That being said, I’m consciously trying to improve and everybody here is really nice and friendly.

Is it because you find most students here don’t operate on the same wavelength as you do? Do you find everyday conversation boring?

Sometimes yes. But sometimes it’s pleasant to meet and interact with new people in Annenberg.

So certainly no college parties on your agenda?

What parties?

How do you find the lectures? Are they challenging enough for you?

They are wonderful. My mom home-schooled me because I learned much faster than most students my age, and I got bored quickly in normal schools. However in Harvard, you meet so many people with varying level of intelligence. For the first time I feel like I belong to a community. I’m taking Math 114 and Math 213 this semester, and a lot of my class mates are grad students. Currently I’m working on a personal project on linear algebra equations. I also play the piano. I’m taking Music 150.

Any last word for your batch mates?

Yes, I’m sorry if I don’t remember your names when you know mine. The thing is, everybody seems to know who I am but I can’t remember everyone I met casually in Annenberg.

For this series, The Voice has identified five interesting freshies that might be worthy to take note of. Let’s start with…

1. The (In)Famous Pole Dancer

Have not we all met Katalicious from our premature, over-excited Facebook correspondences? She has successfully established her Facebook persona into a sort of Harvard online “hooker” brand, shocking the more conservative peers while earning respect from even the raunchiest upperclassmen with delightful innuendos such as “High school is like a dick : long and hard. Unless you’re Asian.” Sometimes they are outright suggestive like “I cannot fucking wait for Inside Out to hit radios. That song is so orgasmic and it turns me on every time and I will grind the fuck out of any nearby person/object.” Or perhaps shorter and classier pieces like “I love your cock because it sticks up for me.”

If those saucy statements alone did not catch your attention, her barrage of half-naked pictures will. Be it performing an impressive feat in her pole-dancing classes, doing her CS50 homework, or simply hanging around the yard, there will always be cleavages, or abs or asses and legs to show. That girl who is always in bikini-like attire every single time you spot her (even when it’s 40 degree outside)? Yep, that’s her.

But not everyone has met Katherine Ji Zhou, the real, breathing, human being behind this social-network sensation. Surprisingly normal and decent (bordering to somewhat shy, even!), she greeted me in (surprise, surprise) hot pants and sports bra. Kat was all smiles and willing answers, with not a single hint of stereotypical bitchiness. Here are some Q&As :

Why do you brand yourself as Katalicious Def (GET NAKED BITCH) ?

“Oh, I have the typical Asian Tiger parents, and they banned me from using Facebook in high school, so they kept searching for Facebook names I might come up with. I created this name so they wouldn’t locate me.The “(GET NAKED BITCH)” part was more of an experiment to see if I could get swear words and all-caps through Facebook’s filters.

“I’m pretty much a nerd. Seriously. I’m really huge into computer games and Pokemon. In fact, my application essay was about Pokemon. I’m also a slacker who enjoys just staying indoor and doing my own stuff – like pole dancing, programming, and graphic designing – and that’s why I don’t join any club. I’m trying to start up a pole dancing club though, feel free to join!”

Have you always been so open about your sexuality? Our sources told us that you had been pretty reserved in high school. Is this some kind of a Facebook publicity stunt?

“Hmm not really. I’ve always been this outspoken with my close friends. I’m rather shy around new people, and being raised under strict Asian parents definitely did not give me any opportunity to express my wilder side (except on Facebook!) But with the start of college I think it’s about time for me to let it all out.”

What’s with the bikinis?

“Well I find them comfortable to wear. I’m in good shape. I feel completely confident and secure about my body image, (and is it that cold?) so why not? “

Fair enough. Lastly, aren’t you afraid of peer judgment and nay-sayers? People have been calling you names, from attention seeker to Asian whore/slut/bitch.

“Nah, I don’t care. I don’t know these people, and probably never will throughout my four years in Harvard. I’m just saying what I think, wearing what I want, cracking inappropriate jokes to amuse my friends. There’s no harm done. My friends call me whore/slut/bitch all the time just for fun.”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB2QPSmf7gg

(Video by Daniel Garber ’13. Accessed May 26th, 2010.)

For someone like me, the phrase “Annenberg card-swiper” conjures up frightening, embarrassing and (slightly) painful memories of being turned away at the door for having forgotten my Harvard University ID for the umpteenth time. For Nolan Pollock ’13, however, an Annenberg card-swiper named Francine inspires romantic verses.

Earlier this month, attendees of Annenberg’s hot breakfast were treated to an impassioned and dramatic recitation of Nolan’s 4th-winning entry in the Harvard Slam Poetry Competition, entitled “Oh, Francine!” Nolan stood atop a table, bathed in the yellow light of ‘Berg’s Harry-Potter-esque chandeliers, looked into the eyes of Francine and sang her praises in a way that would make Shakespeare proud.

Here are Voice’s favorite parts, even though pretty much every line is quotable.

“As I wait in line for my chance to dine,
All I can think about is making her mine
[...]

Oh, Francine!
For you, I must stop and thank the Dean
You’re like something out of a magazine
When you swipe my card, it’s almost obscene!
[...]

How can you resist my youthful zeal?
What do I have to do? Get down and kneel? (cute kneeling action)
YOU are an orange that I must peel!
[...]

This is not some emotional lie
Know that I am your guy!
I think about you always, in PhySci
I think about you always, in LifeSci
I think about you always, and inside.

Oh, Francine!
YOU, are my Annenberg dream.”

Awwww <3 The procrastination bit is a very nice touch. Extra brownie points for keepin’ it real.

In his response to Voice, Nolan expresses that his biggest fear was “to lose the crowd’s attention,” and he was relieved to find that everyone loved it. Nolan wrapped up his poem amid maddening applause from the ‘Berg crowd. The reaction of Francine herself was priceless. “She gave me a great big hug and a kiss afterward and was apparently talking about it to staff members all day. She even asked for a copy of the poem to show to her kids,” Nolan recalls. I can testify to this because by dinnertime that day, Oh Francine!-related chatters still abounded among HUDS staff in the servery. Also, Facebook reports that Nolan, who is a member of the Harvard Heavyweight Crew, is single, in case anyone was wondering.

Everybody loves a random, cute act of romance in Annenberg. (Remember the dude who asked his girlfriend to the Snow Ball from the balcony, complete with giant poster boards? Those kids are still nauseatingly in love, much to the chagrin of their lovelorn and cynical blockmates. JK!) And this act deserves to go into the history book of the Class of 2013. (Sex on the balcony, proposals from the balcony and slam poetry atop a ‘Berg table. It is a tough job keeping up with this class.)

Voice approves! <3 Almost makes me wish I could wake up in time for breakfast every once in a while.

ETA: The original version of this post misstated the owner of the Youtube video to be Daniel Goldhaber ’13. My apologies to both Daniels! I blame the 102 degree weather. I really do.