Becoming one with a dolphin on Santa Monica Pier (I’m obsessed with those beautiful creatures, in case it wasn’t obvious already)

Name: Nicole Veenstra

Position: Fashion/Lifestyles writer

College/University: Rider University

Year in studies: About to begin my senior year of college . . . crazy!

Major/minor: Journalism major/American studies minor

Organizational involvement: The Rider News, Lambda Pi Eta

I show my school spirit by: Getting up for Rider’s 6 am basketball game last season . . . it started ESPN’s College GameDay for men’s basketball this past year!

My favorite thing about Fall is: the colors and the weather (it lets me wear my leggings again)

For Halloween I will be: Not sure yet. Hopefully something creative, though. Good costumes make Halloween so much better.

Neon pants – yay or nay? Eh…I probably wouldn’t wear them because I don’t think I could pull off neon jeans, but if someone likes ‘em…go for it!

Twitter or Facebook? I like both! follow me on Twitter: @nicoleveenstra

Hanging out in Griffith Park on our California vacation two weeks ago

I love Pinterest because: It gives me fantastic ideas for recipes and DIY projects. Follow my pins: asdfnicole

My favorite color is: Yellow (but I can’t deny my love for green. It has so many beautiful shades. Have you ever laid your eyes on Crayola’s jungle green? It’s perfect…)

My go-to accessory is: Nail polish. I’m obsessed.

My favorite store is: H&M

My favorite food is: The pasta primavera my mom makes. I really don’t know what’s better than pasta and vegetables. YUM.

My favorite movies/TV shows are: My favorite movie is 127 Hours, though I love Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (…and anything by Alfred Hitchcock). My favorite shows are How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family, Dexter, Mad Men and Workaholics. Thank goodness for TV on DVD because I could never keep up with these without the help of those commercial-free CDs.

My favorite book is: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, On the Road, Brave New World, Harry Potter

My favorite magazine is: Glamour, Food Network Magazine

My pet is: A dog, Coconut. He’s a maltese/poodle mix and has enough sass for 10 grown humans . . . I love it.

My favorite quote is, because: “The world fascinates me” — Andy Warhol. This quote is so simple and straight to the point. Plus, I’ve loved Andy Warhol for years for his individuality, non-apologetic attitude and ability to think outside of the box.

My family takes up the whole first row in Tower of Terror

My role models are, because: My parents. They’ve sacrificed plenty to send my four siblings (3 of the 4 are triplet boys!) and me to Christian schools from kindergarten through 12th grade, which, in my opinion, is the epitome of selflessness.

I spend my weekends…: With my friends, shopping, watching movies . . . anything to take advantage of the days off from school

I take a break from studying by…: Hanging with my friends or taking a nap

I de-stress by…: Doing something fun! I love anything that can make me laugh.

My secret talent is: Turning anything into a song. Unfortunately it’s not a secret for my friends and family. (I definitely do not have the gift of singing…)

My friends describe me as: “creative, straight-forward and hilarious” …I asked!

My favorite College Lifestyles article is: Any of the recipes or DIY projects

Why I am excited to be an intern for College Lifestyles: It’s a great opportunity to write weekly for such a fun company! I was a writer over the summer, as well, and loved having the ability to write about things I’m interested in.

My definition of a classy co-ed: Someone who is confident in themselves and willing to help others. A classy co-ed is encouraging, goal-oriented and willing to try new things.

Nicole Veenstra is a senior at Rider University. Follow her on Twitter @nicoleveenstra. To stay tuned to more articles for classy co-eds be sure to follow College Lifestyles on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.