Lauren Chapman’s face can be seen all over campus, but not just because she is involved in so many activities. As the Valley Magazine cover girl for the Spring 2013 issue, Lauren’s cover can be seen everywhere. Lauren will be graduating this May, but has hit every kind of activity possible on campus as a varsity cheerleader, member of a sorority, and a member of the ROTC. Valley said it best when they wrote — “you kind of just want to be her friend.” We caught up with Lauren to find out how she prepared for her shoot, what she does in her spare time, and how she feels about horse-sized-ducks (hint: she feels strongly).

Onward State: How do you manage your time to work in ROTC, cheerleading, sorority activities, being the Valley cover girl, schoolwork, and a social life?

Lauren Chapman: Wow, that sounds daunting when you say it like that. I’ve been on cheerleading and in ROTC since my freshman year. I don’t know, it’s kind of just what I have been doing all along. I am very big on priorities, and I know where mine are. I like having a lot on my plate — it ensures that I am organized, and I always like to be doing something!

OS: How many episodes of America’s Next Top Model did you watch in preparation for your photo shoot?

LC: It’s funny because I did prepare for it, but you know who I was really stalking for my photo shoot? Rihanna. She is honestly one of the most beautiful creatures. I really like her style and clothes. I was even kind of copying one of her Glamour Magazine photos. The photo shoot was weird, but it was really comfortable at the same time. Pictures are a huge thing with cheerleading. We are always meeting families and students, so I am used to posing for pictures, but when it was me by myself, it was a completely different experience. The people that I was working with were great. They really knew what was up and helped me out with posing and everything.

OS: What is your favorite class that you have taken?

LC: Oh, that’s a good one. I’m trying to think of an elective that I got an A in. Anything that requires minimal work, but results in good grades is a good class right? One of my favorite professors was Dr. Waters, a biology professor. When he lectures I wanted to learn regardless of whether or not it was a subject I was interested in. I did okay. I was still figuring out this whole time-management juggling act at that time!

 OS: What do you like to do in your free time (if you actually have any)?

LC: Shockingly free time creeps up here and there. I do have a boyfriend, Robbie Edwards, so I spend a lot of my free time with him. I still have time to go out with my girls too! I like to spend my downtime watching TV or a movie, hanging out and relaxing with my boyfriend. He is the sweetest thing to ever walk the earth, just a genuinely nice guy, sometimes I wonder if I really deserve someone like him! We like to work out together too.

OS: What is your favorite Berkey Cremery flavor?

LC: Coconut chip! I love everything coconut flavored.

OS: What is it like seeing your face on a magazine all over campus?

LC: Weird. Really cool, but really weird. I actually had a nightmare before it came out that is was this hideous terrible picture of me posted all over campus and I had to go into hiding. It is funny to go into the HUB and see my face being used as a coaster. I’m not that into myself, so I don’t think that seeing my face on the cover will change anyone’s mind to read the magazine. If people don’t know me they probably won’t care (laughs).

OS: How were you selected to be the cover girl?

LC: It’s kind of a funny story actually. A friend of mine in my sorority sent me a screen shot of the e-mail that was sent to a listserv over winter break and encouraged me to apply. I also had a friend who told me during my sophomore year that I would be on the cover of Valley my graduating semester. I thought it would be awesome to apply and see if they would take me as an applicant. I thought I would just spit my resume real quick and they might wanna meet me. I went in and had an interview, and I found out in January or February that I would be on the cover. I went in for the interview for the article shortly after and we started planning the photo shoot. I really have my friends to thank for it. If it weren’t for them encouraging me my sophomore year and sending me the email, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to apply.

OS: What would you say a normal day for you consists of?

LC: Some days are busier than others, and the fall is really hectic for me. A typical Monday I will wake up at 5:15 a.m. and have PT til 7, and depending on when I have class, I will have breakfast or do some work or possibly go back to sleep. Hopefully I will have a break if possible, because I will sleep as much as humanly possible. I try to do homework throughout the day because I have cheer practice from 6:30-9 Monday to Thursday. Some days I luck out and have a little extra time. I think I am just super used to it. I do everything because I tell myself that I’m going to do it because it’s what I have to do. It’s never a question of will I or should I or do I want to, this is what I signed up for, I’m going to do it. Stuff gets done because I come through on my promises.

OS: Would you rather fight 100 duck-sized horses or one horse-sized duck?

LC: Ohhh (sharp intake of breath), that number though, it’s terrible. That’s a lot of duck-sized horses. That number — I mean I like ducks, but they are also kinda scary even when they are little. I’ll take the horses. Maybe my toe will get hurt in the process because they will be galloping on my ankles, but you could just kick them away. You better be thankful that ducks aren’t that size. We would all be slaves. That would be awful. They would probably be carnivores and eat people. Oh my god, if ducks were carnivores. They would be on land and sea and in the air. Like the marines of animals. (Please note that this conversation continued on for an unhealthy amount of time, which is mostly my fault.)

OS: Finally, in Onward State tradition, if you were a dinosaur, what kind of dinosaur would you be?

LC: Hmmm, I’m gonna say a Velociraptor, those little ones. They have those really cool slashing hook toes. I really don’t have a better reason than that. In Jurassic Park they seemed like the boss of the dinosaurs, and I would wanna be a boss dinosaur. T-rexes have tiny malnourished arms. They were probably the ones to get made fun of. Not that they talked, but they did in my mind.