Get To Know Quinn Busch, Distinguished Young Woman of Oregon 2017

Name: Quinn Busch

Age: 18

Hometown: Milwaukie, Oregon

College: University of Nevada Las Vegas

Major: Chemistry pre-med with a minor in gender and sexuality

Favorite food: Gluten Free Mac’n’cheese

Favorite TV show: The Fosters

Favorite movie: Short Term 12

Favorite quote: “For beautiful eyes, look only for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never along.” -Audrey Hepburn

Favorite time of year: The fall, because in Oregon, that’s when it rains the most and I love the rain.

Plan ahead OR procrastinate – Procrastinate

Paper OR plastic – Paper

Glass half-full OR glass half-empty – Glass Half Empty

Introvert OR extrovert – Introvert

Cats OR Dogs – Dogs

Morning person OR night person – Night Person

What is your most embarrassing moment?

My most embarrassing moment was probably when I was really young. My mom and I were in line at a store, and I hadn’t realized that she’d moved forward, so I turned to the person next to me and said “Uppy” which is what I said when I wanted to be carried… Needless to say, it wasn’t my mom, and the 60 year old man was very confused.

If you could be any color crayon, what would you be and why?

If I could be any color crayon, I would be the color cerulean. This is a muted blue color, and when I was younger, my sister and I always called it the cauliflower crayon because that was the closest word that we knew. It reminds me of being a little kid and coloring the sky cauliflower.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you absolutely need for survival?

If I were on a deserted island, I would definitely need to have the entire Harry Potter series, a trapeze bar, and some matches.

What would I find in your refrigerator right now?

Right now my refrigerator has a couple of water bottles, some fruit, some yogurt, and a lot of coffee.

What is the one thing you wish someone had told you about college life that you had to find out on your own?

I wish that someone had told me to bring a lot of pictures to put up on the walls. The dorm room itself is very white, and it kind of looks like a prison, but after putting up some Christmas lights and a couple of bright pictures, it feels a little bit more like home.

What do you want to be when you grow up and why?

When I grow up I have two life goals. The first is to become a plastic surgeon. I want to do this so that I can perform transition surgeries for transgender people and make their lives a little bit better. Also, parents often joke about selling their kids to the circus, but I actually want to run off and join Cirque Du Soliel so that I can follow my dream of performing.

Describe your single-most favorite moment from your Distinguished Young Women experience.

I think that my favorite moment with Distinguished Young Woman would have to be from Nationals. During out Be Your Best Self Day, I was given the opportunity to go and volunteer with the children at Woody’s Song. Woody’s Song is a learning environment for children on the autism spectrum, and we got to sit with the kids and talk, help with crafts, and even make ice cream. I think this was the most powerful for me because I also fall on the autism spectrum. I never had the opportunity to spend time in a place with other children like me, and I think that what these kids have is very very special.