As you may have gathered, my name is Mary. I'm twenty, and a student at NYU. Although I'm technically a senior, I'm in my third year at NYU's College of Arts and Science, and studying biology. I hope to become a genetic counselor, and am extremely proud that I earned an A in an undergrad genetics course last semester. I am also pursuing a minor in Computer Science as I have always enjoyed programming. My favorite college course to date has been an introductory course to CS, and I will be taking additional computer-related courses in the upcoming semesters.

I have a wide range of interests, and you can learn more about them in the other pages of this website. I think the key chains on my car keys sum me up pretty well, though. There's an Islanders logo, a Mets logo, a shamrock with a claddagh, and a keychain from the musical The Scarlet Pimpernel. Of course, there is much more to me than that (or so I'd like to think!), but it's a good start.

I was born in late October, which makes me a Scorpio. I think I tend to fit many of the typical scorpio characteristics, including the fierce loyalty, long-held grudges, stubbornness and rebelliousness, and a strong temper. However, I've been subjected to Libras all my life, and as a result, I tend to dislike when things are perfectly balanced, preferring designs that are a bit off-kilter. I've become a bit more of an independent spirit lately, and I've finally come to accept one of Dr. Seuss's best quotes: "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

My current motto is "Non dubitare mai," taken from "Canto Alla Vita," a song performed by Josh Groban and the Corrs. It's Italian for "Don't ever doubt." I take it to mean that I should think about what I am going to do, and then just act on my decisions without looking back. The past can't be changed, so I may as well look forward to what I can do now and in the future.

I tend to be firm in my beliefs and opinions, but I will concede defeat if given enough evidence or a strong, logical argument. I'm not exactly sure where I fall on the political spectrum. My biggest political issue is equality. I hate intolerance of any form, whether it's based on race, sex, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, or anything else. With regards to abortion, I am pro-life and believe that life begins at conception. Reality and a politically-savvy friend force me to admit, however, that many people disagree. Banning abortion would lead to it becoming an underground industry with no regulations and no assurance of safety. Since abortion cannot be prevented, it should be made as safe as possible. And for God's sake, educate young people about the consequences of sex and how to reduce the risks involved. If conception can be prevented, abortion is a moot point. And on a quasi-related subject, I'm all for stem-cell research. New Jersey recently approved a motion to allow leftover cells and embryos from in vitro fertilization to be used for research. These tissues would otherwise be discarded, so why not use them?

Perhaps the most important thing you should know about me, however, is that I am a dork. I do the Newsday crossword puzzle every weekday. I'm ecstatic that I'll be working with microscopic worms in a lab next semester. I sing at the top of my voice in Italian when I'm alone in the car (and if I'm lucky, I know what it means in English). I can tell you random facts about most of the players on the Islanders, and a good number of players throughout the league. I can tell you who won the Stanley Cup the last two years, who they beat, how many games it took, and who the MVP was. When I come home in the afternoon, I check on my cats and make sure they have food and water and are comfortable before sitting down to eat my own lunch. I like playing around with computers, making graphics, playing with pictures, writing programs in java, writing my own pages in HTML with Notepad.

I've never been your average teenage girl, and I'm quite proud of that. I think I've figured out a lot of who I am, and I'm pretty satisfied with it. And since "making other people happy" with who I am has never really been high on my list, I think I'm doing ok.