His hat is New Era; his shirt is Brick City; his leather pants are from Urban Outfitters; and his shoes are Finish Line.
Joshua Aihia: I like biology and technology, so I mixed the two together to get biotech. I got into it by playing with technology (like) computers and recordings, and I also love biology — the facts of science, plants, all of the above.
The Cougar: So you love nature. Do you go hiking and camping a lot?
JA: I’ve never been. I went skydiving once. It was crazy!
TC: What would you say are some words to describe yourself?
JA: Energetic, inspirational, motivated, funny.
TC: Who are some people who you admire?
JA: I love Albert Einstein, Michael Jordan and my parents.
TC: Do you have any siblings?
JA: I’m the only child.
TC: How do you feel your parents have inspired you?
JA: They spoil me, and it kind of messed me up because it made me want all kinds of fashions and everything.
TC: Do you feel they grew up a lot differently than you did?
JA: Yeah! That’s why they want better for me. My dad is from Nigeria and grew up from a little village. My mom is from an urban hood in Dallas. I grew up in the suburbs. I want to live in downtown Houston. I plan on going to pharmacy school after my biotech degree.
TC: You must really love Houston. What do you love so much about it?
JA: I don’t know. I just moved to Houston from Dallas. I like the lights, the whole city, the downtown experience, all of that. It’s a great experience.
TC: Do you feel your graduation is significant since you are the only child?
JA: Exactly, (and) because I’m the only child especially. Out of them and everyone, I’ll be the first to graduate college.
[/tab] [tab title=”Aly Tafolla”]Her jacket and shoes are Adidas; her shirt is from Self Evident Truths; and her skirt and socks are from Urban Outfitters.
The Cougar: How would you describe your style?
Aly Tafolla: I guess eclectic. I kind of just collect a lot from the Internet, so I guess very Internet culture. I’ve always been into fashion; I get a lot of ideas from movies, music videos, things like that. I like a lot of street fashion, mostly from Japan and France, the East Coast and West Coast clashing.
TC: Are there any style bloggers you follow? Where do you tend to shop?
AT: My favorite style blogger would have to be Lua Perez. She’s from Brazil, I think. She lives in New York right now. I Internet-shop a lot. I like shopping at Urban because I get crazy discounts, and there’s a website called Echo Clubhouse I really like. I used to be really into Romwe.
TC: Did you grow up here in Houston?
AT: I was born here, but I grew up in the country, (in) South Texas.
TC: What are some of your goals and dreams?
AF: I want to be a physics professor and a documentary filmmaker. I guess being a professor would be more later in life… once I’m maybe 50.
TC: Do you feel your parents support your dreams? Do they influence your interests?
AF: No, not really. I’m going to be the first person to actually graduate college in my family. My dad was in the Army. He went to business school after that, but he didn’t finish. He has his own business now. My brother went to college and didn’t finish. He is taking over my dad’s business now, but they support me.
TC: Did your brother play a significant role in your life growing up? Do you consider yourself more of a girly-girl or a tomboy?
AF: Yeah, he taught me everything growing up. He taught me how to do math and everything. I think I’m kind of both. I don’t really feel like a separation between genders.
TC: What would you say makes your childhood unique?
AF: I’m a scholarship student. I was valedictorian at my high school.
TC: Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert?
AF: Introvert, yeah. I’m in my head most of the time. I feel the people who have the same interests as me, we run into each other. We meet. It’s all connected.