Nicholas Liu Goes with Just About Everything

Indy intern Nicholas Liu has been studying history and the Middle East for a number of years, first at the University of Chicago and now at UC Santa Barbara for a doctorate, which could explain a dependence on the quick sandwich and a love of mayonnaise.

What made you decide to intern at a newspaper? Last fall, I came to UCSB, moving here in the midst of a pandemic and rarely emerging from a confining world: the student residences, Zoom classes, the tennis courts, and a grocery store. I missed Chicago and the associated experiences. Reading and working for the Independent has helped me connect to Santa Barbara.

During the summer I visited the Museum of Natural History and other sites for reviews, learning about flora and fauna and talking to curators and artists. I enjoy writing about issues that matter, and I anticipate broadening my involvement as I move to the newsroom this fall.

Does mayonnaise go with everything? The obsession with mayonnaise snuck up on me, unbidden. I did not notice how far I had fallen until a friend raised his concerns. As with many things, I cannot pinpoint the logic behind my fondness for it. Perhaps it is the unassuming smoothness that balances out a roast-beef sandwich or fried seafood — or how it can take form in so many different flavors. But one thing I do know is that my mayo obsession is imbued with happy memories, laughter, condimental jokes, and countless outings with good friends, always disgusted by my asking for extra mayonnaise.

Disclaimer: I once tried it on pizza. That is where I draw the line.