The next time you see junior Claire Littlefield walking down the hallway in her green striped onesie, give her a high five.
It would be well deserved, considering she manages to find time to double major in art and English, play three club sports, volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters and do all the stupid things her friends tell her to do - like shaving her head. But that's really a story you should ask her about in person.
You should be warned, though, that one story could quickly turn into another, and before you know it, you might be sharing an embarrassing story of your own. Beneath all of the goofy jokes and quirky clothing, however, is a serious artist who can still laugh at herself.
"Last summer all I did was paint," Littlefield said. "I was super obsessed with painting. I would only leave my house in the middle of the night to go eat French fries at a diner with a friend, and then go back home and keep painting."
Although Geneseo may not be the obvious first choice for someone who plans to pursue art full time after graduation, Littlefield said the art department here has given her a lot of freedom. She described her work as mostly "wonky landscapes that are hyper-colorful and mildly controversial." One of her most recent paintings imagines Mount Rushmore where the presidents are making out with one another.
"I want to intersperse happiness through the world through my art," said Littlefield, and you can tell she means it. The combination of refreshing sincerity and a playful tongue-in-cheek attitude is reflected in her lofty aspirations of becoming an "underpaid, unappreciated barista" after college to support her life as an artist.
But first, she's going to bike across the country. So try to get those high fives in while you can.