With the recent rumors of the world ending in 2012, the new trend seems to be to party like there is no tomorrow. For some students, however, this prediction is merely looked upon as a mental speed bump on the road to reaching their dreams. For junior Varsha Ramesh, no distraction can keep her from her ambitious dream of being America’s first Indian-American First Lady.
“I know it’s a little out there, but being First Lady would give me so much influence without the stress of being president,” she said with a laugh.
Since conceiving of this ambition two years ago, Ramesh has embraced every detail of the job. She realized her desire to be First Lady a couple years ago and hasn’t let go of it since then.
“My freshman year I was watching some of the presidential rallies for the 2008 election and I just thought it would be so great to be a part of everything without actually having to run,” she said. “Everyone knows that being president is the most stressful thing ever, and if I get stressed about my calculus quizzes, who knows how stressed I’d be if I were president?”
For Ramesh, one of the best opportunities of the job is the example she would set for people all over the world.
“I think I would bring a new perspective to the table,” she said. “I am really aware of cultural diversity and it is my dream to bring that knowledge to the White House and the rest of our nation.”
Living in the White House is another incentive for Ramesh to chase her difficult goal.
“The White House itself is enough incentive for me to want the position,” she said. “It will open up an opportunity for me to meet amazing people and experience the wonderful history and architecture of the monument itself.”
Of course, falling in love with a man fit to be president is an important box on her checklist.
“Being First Lady would obviously require me to be married to the president. That’s part of what I want to, to meet a guy who has the same characteristics of all the past presidents: good leadership, charismatic and (she hopes) charming.”
Although her peers and family have somewhat doubted Varsha’s dream, she isn’t deterred.
“I think to some extent, everyone’s dream is a little out there,” she said. “I know that if I really do end up becoming First Lady, I would have proved so many people wrong, which pushes me to work even harder.”
The most important part for Ramesh is her right to dream big.
“I want a goal that is hard to reach because it requires me to push myself,” she said. “It’s the best combination of politics, law, and leadership; things that I am already involved in. So if you think about it, its not much of a stretch.”
