Darcy Whelan
She/her/hers
1. What are you most excited for during your last year in Charlottesville?
I am so sad to leave this place. I’m looking forward to thoroughly eating and drinking my way through C’ville’s restaurants, breweries, and wineries, though. #TeamBodos #3LOL #HarrisTeeterBar
2. What is your favorite word?
“Idiosyncrasy.” I don’t know why, but it’s always been my favorite.
3. Where did you grow up?
Calvert County, Maryland (in Maryland we identify with our counties for some reason). My mom’s family has actually been in the area since colonial days. It’s a super rural area on the water; when you drive across the county line, you’re met with a sign that says “Welcome to Calvert County. God bless y’all real good,” and our county flag, which is just one single tobacco leaf. It’s only about 45 minutes from D.C. without traffic, but it feels like a world away.
4. What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
Everything bagel with sausage and provolone from Bodo’s and a diet coke. I will also say it tastes even better when you get that #1 ticket of the day.
5. If you could meet one celebrity, who would it be and why?
J.K. Rowling, the guiding light of my whole life. I have so many questions for her. How was she able to chart out the entire AMAZING Harry Potter series before even writing the first book? Why does only Harry’s birthday get celebrated out of the trio? WHY DOBBY?!
6. What’s your favorite hobby to avoid the stress of law school?
Aggressively snuggling with my puppy, Luna. She lights up my world. (Hit her up on insta: @lunathepawhoo)
7. Where is your favorite place to vacation?
The Outer Banks, North Carolina. We’ve gone there since I was a kid, and it feels so familiar to me.
8. What’s something you wish you’d known about law school before coming to UVa Law?
That your life does not have to just suck for three years. Everyone told me that law school would be miserable, but I’d do it all again if I could. I hate to leave; the friends and mentors that I have made here are now some of the most important people in my life. Plus, Charlottesville is awesome.
9. What did you have for breakfast this morning?
... a Bodo’s bagel with sausage and provolone and a medium Diet Coke. The one consistent thing in my life.
10. What’s your most interesting two-truths-and-a-lie? (And what’s the lie?)
I’ve been skydiving, paragliding, and bungee jumping.
(Bungee jumping is the lie; a vision of the rope snapping is too engrained in my head)
11. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
Italy. Either Cinque Terre or Florence. If this whole lawyer thing doesn’t work out, I’m moving there to make wine and pizza and live a happy life on the Mediterranean with my dogs.
12. What’s your least favorite sound?
It’s a tie between people chewing and people scraping their teeth on their silverware. Both drive me utterly insane.
13. What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
For our first Christmas together, my fiancé got me a set of all of the Harry Potter books because he noticed that I’d read mine so much that some of them were actually falling apart and borderline unreadable. That’s when I knew he was the one.
14. Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera?
It’s Britney, b*tch.
15. What is the best concert you have ever been to?
Kenny Chesney in Williams-Brice stadium, the football stadium at the University of South Carolina.
16. What’s your favorite thing to do in Charlottesville?
Vigorously cheer on softball games while simultaneously be pretty lousy at softball (go Legal Eagles though).
17. If you could make one rule that everyone had to follow, what would it be?
If someone does something nice for you on the road, like let you into traffic, WAVE OR OTHERWISE INDICATE YOUR GRATITUDE.
18. What’s your spirit animal?
Chrissy Teigen.
19. What’s your favorite food(s)?
Bagels, queso, and potatoes (in all forms).
20. If you won the lottery, what would you do with it?
I’d like to say I’d do something groundbreaking and benevolent, but I’d probably just like, buy an island or something and make everyone I love move there with me to live the rest of our days in idyllic luxury.
21. If you had Matrix-like learning, what would you learn?
Another language.
22. What would be the title of your autobiography?
Darcy Whelan: A Girl Who Lived
23. Where is a place you haven’t been but want to travel to?
Probably Greece. In my head, I am a character in the CLASSIC show and film “Mamma Mia” (the OG one), so I’ve always wanted to grab some overalls and go to Greece and sing my little heart out.
24. What are the 7 wonders of the law school?
Snakes in the law school, the absolutely magical BFF relationship between Dean Goluboff and Vice Dean Kendrick, the Libel Show, how WB is always so freakin’ cold even when the rest of the school is toasty, Mandy, the snow day decisionmaking system, Professor Dick Howard.
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