Not many people have the ability or the confidence to befriend just about anyone and feel comfortable at any table in the dining hall, but sophomore Alyssa Limperis ’12 undoubtedly has a gift for socializing.
“I come from a loud family — my mom is a 4’11” energetic jumping bean and my dad is the corniest, biggest ham who loves to crack jokes,” explained Limperis as we sat in her Coffrin single last Friday afternoon. “Sometimes I like to think that I’m not like them, but honestly, that’s just false.”
I can certainly vouch for Limperis’ penchant for making friends, seeing that she was one of the very first people I met on campus. Disregarding a social convention that calls for awkward handshakes and formal introductions, Limperis loosened our entire MiddView group with a few jokes. It’s nearly impossible to resist her innate charm and impeccable sense of timing. I couldn’t help but wonder why someone so energetic chose a school up in sleepy Vermont.
“I have to be at a small school, I just have this feeling that I need to know almost everyone,” said a grinning Limperis. “Middlebury just fits, and there are so many opportunities to take advantage of on campus.”
If you haven’t met Limperis in person (which would be hard to believe), you’ve probably seen her perform in a play or try her hand at improv as a member of Middlebrow. Giving a thorough explanation of her involvement on campus, Limperis detailed her love for her troupe.
“It’s so much fun being best friends with hilarious people. I mean, why wouldn’t you want to spend time with people who are constantly making you laugh?” asked the Spanish major. “The first two weeks as a new member of the group is somewhat awkward because you always feel like you’re supposed to be doing improv, but that phase passes quickly.”
When confronted with an inquiry about how to survive an unfunny scene during a show, Limperis quickly added, “I’m not going to lie; it’s pretty brutal when there aren’t any laughs. You feel helpless to some extent. However, you aren’t ever totally alone, someone will see the uncomfortable pain and jump in to tap you off.”
Although she performs all over campus, Limperis took her visibility to a new level — a viral one — with her celebrity appearance in the “Midd Kid” video. As the chief laxitute, Limperis’ verse in falsetto makes for one of the most memorable parts of the song. A friend at the University of Pennsylvania claimed that she hears the song at parties and everyone at UPenn’s campus chimes in on the laxitute solo: “Oh my god, look at his backwards hat!”
What’s even funnier than the video itself are some of the responses she has gotten on YouTube and Facebook friend requests.
“YouTube users seem to love the laxitute, but the real gems are found in messages I receive from randos on Facebook,” said Limperis. “I’ve had around 100 friend requests, mostly from men, but have only accepted one from a guy who had the balls to just write ‘Marry me.’ The best message by far was from a BU grad who wrote, ‘You are too great in ‘Midd Kid.’ I mean that. Don’t ever change. My kind of woman, haha. You know that lax is for clowns who wanna play hockey but they can’t skate though. See ya on Nantucket this summer.’”
Obviously this video has rocketed her to some level of fame within the Middlebury community as well as within her family.
“My parents were so excited about the whole project that they convinced me to show it to my grandma. After listening to it completely and sitting through awkward lines like ‘b**ches pumping kegs,’ the only thing that my grandma said was ‘that’s nice.’” laughed Limperis.
Concluding the interview with a brief session reminiscing our first trip back in September 2008, I could only wonder where I went wrong. As I go through the motions as a normal Midd-kid, Limperis is out there, meeting everyone, hearing her voice over the speakers in the gym and entertaining the masses with late night improv. She certainly represents the Class of 2012 well, but what does this sophomore have in store for the next two years? With no real answer apart from a broadening grin, Limperis leaves us all guessing.
Campus Character: Alyssa Limperis '12
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