Welcome to Central New York Minute In this series of interviews, I will be taking a slice out of the CNY area and presenting their story how they want it to be told. The goal of this series is to broaden the perspectives of the student body, and give people who may not get to speak their minds the opportunity to do just that.
I have decided to kick off this venture with someone who in my view represents a typical student here at Le Moyne, faith driven, good-hearted, and has a parent who went here. The person I asked was more than happy to share what brought her here and what she is most passionate about. Her name is Lana Merante, and this is her CNY Minute.
David: Have you enjoyed your time at Le Moyne?
Lana: Yes! I wanted to go to a smaller school because the people are nicer and you get to know them more easily.
David: Was the religious aspect of Le Moyne another reason for you choosing here?
Lana: Yes. I wanted a church on campus and Le Moyne was the school I liked the most.
David: What is your relationship with God and the church? What denomination?
Lana: Catholic. I became serious about it at the start of high school, and God has helped me get through new experiences while in both high school and college. I’ve noticed that people seem to go down two different paths in their teen years; either they lean heavier towards Him, or stray away from Him.
David: What was your education like?
Lana: I went to a public school, and I enjoyed it, but I like the fact that people in college are more accepting of what you believe in because you are technically an adult and you can do whatever you want.
David: What is it like to be an identical twin?
Lana: It’s such a unique experience, it’s nice to have someone who you can talk to who has the exact same beliefs and opinions as you. It’s not that we have the same likes and dislikes, but on a more spiritual and personal level, we are pretty much the same.
David: What are some of the main differences between yourself and Anna (her identical twin)?
Lana: Anna is more outgoing and I’m more shy, and she also prefers to listen to more Christian and Country music, whilst I enjoy older songs. But we both listen to Josh Groban.
David: Do you have any other siblings?
Lana: I have an older brother Nick who’s 22 and a younger brother Andrew who’s 16. Nick, Andrew, Anna, and I are all very close and I love experiencing life with them. I think it is amazing having so many siblings.
David: Why do you have a preference for older artists? Who are some of your favorites?
Lana: My Dad loves a bunch of old stuff and introduced me to a lot of it. My favorite is Elvis, but the Rat Pack is great too. I have a general cutoff date of when Elvis died. My dad was also a massive Michael Jackson fan, so I like him too.
David: Do you have any favorite modern artists?
Lana: Josh Groban, Harry Connick Jr. and Adele, but that’s about it. I don’t like the messages, the vibes, nor the sound of modern music all that much. It’s as if people no longer sing about real love anymore.
The most interesting talking point from this interview was Lana’s interpretation of one’s formative years. It does seem that you often see people of high school age veer towards either a religious or secular mindset. And oftentimes, it is a decision that they stick with barring some tragedy or awakening of some kind. What was also interesting was getting the perspective of someone who has an identical twin. Lana has someone who has an almost exact mindset as her own when it comes to more foundational beliefs, and Anna is someone that she can rely on when it comes to almost any sort of issue.
If you want to be interviewed for Central New York Minute, whether to put yourself in the public eye, introduce a club at Le Moyne, advocate for an outside cause, or anything else, please email either Le Moyne Dolphin or David Kleberg for further information.
