For this edition of 10 Questions, Sun Columnist Katie Schubauer sits down with junior women’s swimmer Ali Guba. They discuss the free stylist’s dramatic sayings, fondness of the men’s swim team and love for animal crackers.

1. Ali, you are a junior on the women’s swim team. What has Cornell swimming meant to you over the course of your college career?

Swimming has been tough, but it has also been really rewarding and fun. I’ve made so many new friends. I know so many different groups of people because of it. I’ve benefitted from it so much, staying in shape and learning time management. It’s really important to me.

Who is your favorite teammate?

My favorite teammate is definitely [sophomore] Elle Wohlmuth because she asks way too many ridiculous questions.

2. Why did you choose to come to Cornell?

Well, my parents went here. My dad played lacrosse here, so that has always been a big influence in my life — throughout my childhood and everything. I came here for the swim program and for the education and I fell in love with it immediately when I came and visited.

3. Is it true you have an affinity for the captains of the men’s swim team?

You know, the captains have really reached out to me and they’ve been very friendly. I’ve learned a lot from them and they have given me great advice. So yes.

You are also a big fan of the men’s lacrosse team. Is that because of your family connection there?

Of course! But you know, I was a lacrosse player myself, so I think I have a lot of respect for lacrosse players in general.

4. Do you like animal crackers?

My friend Kristen Askin would come home last year with big jugs of animal crackers and we would finish them in one sitting — just sitting alone in our rooms.

Was that a favorite pastime of yours? That doesn’t sound very social.

Well, yes. But I am definitely social also.

Speaking of being social, several people allegedly thought you had quit the swim team because of how social you are known to be. Can you comment on that?

(Laughing) I would have to say that I am an expert in balancing my social life, schoolwork and athletic commitments.

5. Is it true that one of your friends is consistently a smokeshow on Barstool?

Yes, my friend from home, Coray.

Does that make you jealous?

OK, it doesn’t make me jealous. It makes me extremely honored to be her friend.

How do you feel when your male friends at school talk about it?

My male friends absolutely love to address the fact that Coray is on barstool. I get countless texts and wallposts from them talking about her. It makes me laugh because I know they think it drives me nuts, when in reality, I just think it’s very funny.

6. What does the word “Gublimp” mean?

Oh God. Let’s just say we had a little trouble with the eating freshman year, so one of my teammates came up with a very nice nickname for me. It was a rough time in my life.

Speaking of nicknames, your apartment has a nickname, correct?

Oh God. OK, I was not responsible for the making of that nickname. It was one of my other very crafty roommates who did that. However, I can say that I can uphold that name.

Are you proud of that nickname?

Absolutely not.

Where did the nickname originate?

It originates from one of my roommates trying to be creative [and] funny at the same time … and she came up with “The Lions’ Den.”

7. Would you consider yourself a dramatic person?

Yes, I am very dramatic. I tend to exaggerate a lot. But part of that makes me who I am because it’s very funny. People make fun of my verbs and vocabulary and how I accentuate everything. So I’ll say, for example, “I was zooming around here,” “I rocket-shipped this way” and “I waltzed into something.” Just very dramatic words.

What does “Christ on a bike” mean?

Christ on a bike started out in high school and my friends from home kept saying it, so it stuck with me. I brought it to Cornell and everyone thinks I’m so weird for using that term. But it has actually grown on people so much since I use it all the time.

When would one use that expression?

When you want to say “Jesus Christ” you just say “Christ on a bike.” [It’s] like “Oh my God.” Another one of my dramatic, exaggerated sayings.

Can you give us some more examples of you being dramatic?

Ok, well a few weeks ago, we had a recruit and I took her back from a team activity to the apartment and the carbon monoxide alarm started going off. All my roommates were like, “It’s fine. It’s the battery.” I immediately covered my mouth, started holding my breath and dragged my recruit out into the hallway for a good twenty minutes until we were sure that everything was OK.

How about the time that you “fainted” in Gannet?

I had to get a blood test. I’m very bad with blood tests. I got very light-headed and dizzy and next thing I knew, I had passed out. I was woken up and given a ton of Gatorade to ameliorate the situation.

Apparently, none of your roommates think that story is true. Do you have any comments?

Well, I am a big exaggerator so they can take it how they want.

8. You are from the Bronx right?

NO! I live on the border. I’m the southern-most town in Westchester, so of course I am sometimes mistaken to be from the Bronx by one of my roommates. But I am not.

9. Describe your facebook relationship with Andrew Brown.

It was the shortest Facebook relationship of my life. Twenty-five minutes of glory.

10. Which other Cornell team do you like to hang out with the most?

I would say the women’s squash team because I practically live with three members of the team. We all have so much fun together because we are all in the same group of friends. 

Shocking. I thought you were going to go with swim or lacrosse.

Oh well. Actually you know what? I also enjoy the men’s swim team. They are some of my best friends and have the best sense of humor.