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15 Questions with Haeli Juthani!
Introduce yourself!
My name is Haeli, I am a freshman at IU. I’m studying psychology and business economics and public policy. I am from fishers Indiana. In my free-time, I like to go hiking, reading, watching movies, and obviously, spending time with kids!
1. What is your favorite song to dance to?
Dancing Queen by ABBA
2. Describe your first experience with IUDM.
My first experience was probably the first RHARC meeting. It was nice because after years of dance marathon [in high school], things had kind of ended, so it was nice to have that excitement re-spark, like a piece of home returned. Seeing how animated all of the chairs and upperclassmen were gave me a nice feeling. It made me excited again for four more years of dance marathon.
3. Why did you join IUDM?
I joined my high schools dance marathon because I had two friends that had done it in other high schools, and they told me it was for me since I like kids and helping people, which is basically what dance marathon is! I went into it not expecting it to be much more than an extracurricular, and I could not have been more wrong. It was probably the most transformational experience I’ve had, in leadership and the kinds of relationships that I built.
4. What is your Riley Story?
Personally, myself nor anyone in my family was ever a Riley kid. Though throughout high school my mom was going through cancer treatment, which was my personal experience with hospital care. The reason that I dance is because going through it at my age was hard enough, and I can’t imagine going through it as a five-year-old. It felt right to pay things forward and help out a little kid going through that experience.
5. What is your favorite memory from this year?
For the last Dance Marathon, the Riley Talent show was my absolute favorite part and it helped me realize I needed to be on Riley Development. I remember a part very specifically when Stacey Thornburgh was singing and everyone started to sing with her, right after she shared her story where she was said to be a lost cause. She inspired me with her attitude and how she would always fight back. During the song, I saw a someone who lives on my floor who I got to know through IUDM. We shared a look across the singers in the crowd, then started hysterically sobbing. It was after several hours there, so we were a little out of it, but its one of my favorite moments.
6. What are you looking forward to next year?
I AM READY FOR IUDM 2019! I’m so excited to spend it with my buddy Adrien, who is the cutest little nugget, and my committee. I am really looking forward to seeing the kids at the marathon next year.
7. If you had a super-power, what would it be?
Shapeshifting! It would be interesting to be very small, and just kind of go into spaces humans normally can’t (kind of like Antman). But also shapeshifting into an animal would be really cool, like spending a day in the life of a monkey or a dog.
8. If you had an autobiography, it would be called…
“Becoming (But not the Michele Obama Version)”
9. Or if there was a movie about your life, who would play you?
- Julia Roberts but a brown version.
10. What is your favorite way to fundraise?
Canning is always fun because that’s how you get to meet a lot of people, and it’s a way to make fast rends to see at the marathon. But also, you get to go to new locations, dress up, blast music and have a good time!
11. What is your favorite word?
(This is very difficult) Iridescent
12. Least favorite sound?
knuckles cracking
13. What is your favorite aspect of your committee?
We’re soft, we’re so soft. Everyone loves the kids and its the most welcoming group of people I have ever met.
14. What affects you creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Emotionally: Kids and Animals
Creative: Podcasts get me going
Spiritually: Nature
15. Any advice you would give to new members?
Find your reason why. But I also think that your reason is something that changes over time with IUDM. Find a family member, a kid, or a friend who inspires you. If you find it and you think about it every day, you’ll never want to stop fundraising, going to meetings, and making people’s lives better.
