Santa's Helper!

It is not everyday that you can say you have a teammate who is close personal friends with Santa Claus. Yeah you read that right.. the man, the myth, the legend, SANTA! I had the opportunity to get to talk to Sophomore, Judith Hepburn, who is from North Pole, Alaska!

1. How is Santa Claus as a person? 
Santa is a very nice person I found out. He is always happy and is "always spreading the joy of Christmas to everyone in the North Pole."

2. I know you have lived in multiple places. How did your family end up in Alaska? 
"I have actually lived in 4 different places in my life. I was first born in Wuhan China and was adopted when I was baby. My parents and I then lived in Alaska for a couple years until when I was 3 and we moved to New York. We stayed in New York for about a year, went back to Alaska, then North Carolina, and then back to Alaska." Both of Judith's parents were in the military so they moved around for their jobs.

3. How did you find Gustavus? 
"I had a friend, Maddi Ackiss, who already went here who I knew from Alaska. She talked to the coach about watching me play because I was here for USA cup.  Coach came to watch me and we stayed in contact and I eventually came for a visit and met the team."

4. Do you work for Santa in Alaska?
Unfortunately the answer was no. Judith actually worked for a cruise company. She worked at a tourist hotel and helped the tourists find good places to eat and explore all of the great things that North Pole has to offer.

5. What is your favorite part about living in Alaska?
"I really like the outdoor aspect." We talked about how she grew up hunting and fishing and how she can go to a mountain and hike whenever she feels like it. She also talked about being able to snow board on the mountains in the winter and kayak during the summer.

6. What is the biggest fish you have ever caught?
"When I was younger I caught a 110lb halibut."




7. What is your least favorite part about living in Alaska? 
Judith and I talked about besides the outdoor stuff, there is not a lot to do there. Especially compared to Minnesota, it does have nearly as much there is in the cities She also does not like how hard it is to travel to other places from Alaska. "Living in the middle of the country would be nice, it would be nice to be able to drive or fly and not have it be a 10 hour flight."

8.  Do you want to live in Alaska when you are older?
She definitely wants to move from Alaska. Going to school in Minnesota she really likes it here or she would want to live in North Carolina. Her mothers family is from North Carolina so they go there often for holidays and to visit family.

9. What do you want to do after you graduate from Gustavus?
Judith could see herself moving to Minnesota. She said that she definitely does not want to stay in Alaska. She is a business management major and she wants to get a job in some sort of Sports Marketing. She thinks that it would be really cool to work for the Minnesota Vikings or a professional team like that.

10. Do you have a pet reindeer?
"No but I do have a be black lab, his name is Jack."

11. Is Christmas your favorite holiday?
It actually was! But not because she lives in the North Pole. "I like it because it is the most comforting and chill holiday." Being able to hangout with her family and opening presents on Christmas day was her favorite part!