Preliminary Questions
Do you live within a thirty-minute radius/are you comfortable commuting to Murray Hill or elsewhere in Manhattan to hang out with me?
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Are you crazy?
Can you supply a personal website or social media profile?
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Once I review your application, I will reach out to have a more formal, sit-down interview to be my friend in Manhattan. This interview will be videotaped and I will be posting the footage on social media. Are you able to report to Manhattan and spend at least an hour for the interview?
Open Questions
Why are you filling out this questionnaire?
I saw the flyers around the east village and thought it could be interesting. The pandemic changed so much about friendship, and a lot of my friends moved away. We were all so disconnected anyway. I’m also just interested in making new friends.
How many "close friends" (by close friends I mean people that you see more than twice a month if they live in the tri-state area or if they are a long-distance friend that you speak with at least twice a month) do you have?
I feel like it used to be more, but maybe now it’s 5-10?
Do you listen to Billie Eilish? If so, why?
I don’t. I think it’s kinda weird the way she talks… is that her real voice?
It's Saturday morning! What time are you up and what do you want to do with the day?
early. Coffee and walk around and reading and writing. I quit drinking about a year ago and I love the morning now. It would be great to have friends who are up early and want to do stuff. I would love to be making music early in the morning but it’s too loud in my apartment.
Have you ever had an existential crisis? How did it come about and what was your ultimate takeaway from it?
Isn’t life just one big existential crisis?
You are at a party and a topic comes up that you could go on and on and on about that nobody else knows anything about. What is the topic and would you talk about it or not talk about it?
psychedelics. Or the cannabis industry. Or music. I very much try to read the room, and I would prioritize the harmony of the group conversation vibe over pushing any topic or agenda.
What do you think about feminism? How did you come to that conclusion?
feminism is important. I’m not sure if it was a conclusion I came to but just something I’ve always known to be true. I grew up in New Zealand, so my Overton window has always been way far to the left of what it would have been if I grew up here with American parents. That being said it’s not perfect over there. I just think in general we should all be working together against oppression and subjugation rather than fighting against each other while the powerful bad actors in the world get away with whatever they want.
If there was an alternate reality in which you had a debilitating, life-altering addiction, what would you be addicted to?
I was addicted to alcohol. I’m glad I decided to stop. I’m sure if I ever had tried heroin I would’ve been addicted to that, but I don’t ever want to try it. I stick with cannabis and the occasional psychedelic, but no shade to anyone who is into alcohol.
What are your dreams?
I really would like to get involved in the film industry. Growing up I was into theater and read a lot about the movie production process. Recently I’ve been doing some background acting gigs, and I’m not sure how, but I’d like to try to join the union and get some small speaking roles going.
Do you believe in ethical consumerism or is it a drop in a giant well that has already been dug by multinational corporations so it doesn't matter?
we need to drastically change the system. America is an oligarchy, not a democracy. Corporations control everything and they have a vested interest in slowing and controlling change so they can keep their power. People should try to do what they can to be ethical, and if we work together we can disrupt and make change by coordinating en masse when where and with whom we spend our money.
Multiple-Choice Questions
What qualities are most important to you in a friend
What is the worst thing on this list
Work is:
Which poet's writing do you most connect with?
Do you feel like you've lived one life or lots of lives?
How do you feel about answering all these questions:
Aristotle once said; "my friends, there are no friends." How do you feel about that:
Essay Question
Please describe a friend breakup you have gone through. If you haven't gone through a friend breakup, please explain why you think you have never gone through a friend breakup. Outline a major friendship in your life and explain why it is successful.
One of my friends from college moved to NYC a couple years before covid started. We hung out a lot and I introduced him to a lot of people. During the pandemic the amount of text messages got out of control. There were also a lot of unwanted gym selfies and stuff like that. It made me uncomfortable but I’m retrospect, at the time I didn’t know how to do good boundaries. Instead of communicating, I got kinda resentful and withdrawn and we ended up not hanging out anymore. I’m glad we don’t hang out anymore, but I wish I had communicated and focused on creating boundaries that made me feel more comfortable. My most successful friendship is with my brother. I’m just always honest with him, and I always try to give him space to tell me what’s on his mind. Even if we don’t talk for a while, when we do connect it’s like no time has passed.