Alaskan native dreams of “The Big Apple”

Michaela Youngberg is a sophomore at the University of South Dakota. She is from Alaska/Wasilla, Alaska and is an English major.

Sam McMahon: What would you like to do after you graduate?

Michaela Youngberg: I would like to go to law school.

SM: Why did you choose USD?

MY: Alaska didn’t really offer me a whole lot when it came to English (degrees), and the whole pursuing a law degree.  So, this was kind of the next best, cheapest place to go.

SM: You lived in the town that Sarah Palin was mayor of before becoming governor, did you ever have any interactions with her or her family?

MY: I saw her at the grocery store. I don’t know, she’s a normal person, just with a bunch of publicity behind her.  She’s a pretty normal Alaskan.  She fishes, she hunts, she camps and she’s kind of just like a neighbor.

SM: Are there any things that you miss about Alaska?

MY: I miss the scenery mostly, my mountains.  I miss being able to go down to the ocean and the wildlife.  As strange as this sounds, I miss not being the top of the food chain, because you are kind of living life on edge all the time. Like, OK I could be eaten today, as messed up as that sounds.

SM: Do you miss home a lot?

MY: Yeah, I miss it. It’s always going to be home, but it’s time to start my own person.  It’s always going to be there for me.

SM: What do you like to do in your free time?

MY: I like to go hiking a lot.  Lazy Mountain is the best one. It’s my favorite.

SM: Do you have any siblings?

MY: I have my little brother, who just started high school, and I have my older sister.

SM: Do you have any jobs or participate in school activities?

MY: I work at Dairy Queen, so visit me anytime.  I just joined the National Society of Leadership and Success.

SM: Have there been any large changes that you made going from living in Alaska to living in South Dakota?

MY: I’ve had to buy summer clothes. I actually have to start knowing what directions are, like north, south, east and west because in Alaska, east is elevation and west is water, and that’s how I always remembered it. I’m directionally challenged here.

SM: Where do you want to see yourself five years after college?

MY: I want to be in New York.  I’ve always wanted to go there, but I’ve never had the opportunity. So, when I do, I’m going to go full force.