In case you haven’t heard, there’s a question in the MBA application that asks for 25 random things about applicants. So, here’s my list of very random things:

  1. In Barcelona, Spain.

    My family was unable to travel much when I was young, so I’ve made up for it by traveling to 17 countries in the past 9 years.

  2. I was born in Jamaica, though my non-accent makes it hard to believe.
  3. A surprise to many, Ann is not my middle name. In fact my entire name is Deidre-Ann Yanique Nelson, but I’m most commonly referred to as DA or D.
  4. I’m an introvert.
  5. My mother, father and younger sister mean the absolute world to me!
  6. I really love to eat. No, seriously, I love food and am so fortunate to have access to a wide variety of world cuisines. I especially love all types of fruits — except for one: Durian get’s no love from me.

    Fruit in Taipei … I did NOT eat the Durian.
  7. I’ve performed ballet and jazz routines in New York’s Madison Square Garden.
  8. After taking an AP Art History class in high school, I discovered my two favorite artists, Caravaggio (Baroque/Renaissance) and Salvidor Dali (Surrealism). Yes, their art is crazy and possibly creepy, but that’s probably why I love it.
  9. My drive from New York to Durham when I started my MBA at Duke is the longest road-trip I’ve ever been on — a whopping 7 hours!
  10. I enjoy jigsaw puzzles and sleuth TV. Correlation? I think so.
  11. I adore accessory shopping, particularly for hats, necklaces and scarves since they are a huge part of my personal style. I’m ashamed to reveal the number of these items I have, but am convinced its not Hoarders level yet.

    New York City — home, sweet home.
  12. If the socks I’m wearing are not colorful or interesting, I’m having a “grumpy day.”
  13. At the age of 14, I attended an all-girls summer camp program in upstate New York called Camp Rising Sun. That experience forever changed my life by exposing me to an amazing group of empowering women who live all over the world, and helped me realize how vast the world is.
  14. I enjoy photography because of the multiple views it allows me: how I perceive an image, how the lens perceives it, and through other’s reactions.
  15. In the spring of 2009, when I lost my grandmother to a treatable health condition, I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my career in a health-related industry.
  16. I was once a Captain of my JROTC High School Army battalion.
  17. I’ve lived in New York City for the majority of my life, but only went to the Empire State Building in December of 2011. The Statue of Liberty is still on the to-do list.
  18. Since we are talking about food — I also have grown a love for tea! From blossoming to loose leaf, I’m a bit serious about the whole affair and at Fuqua I’m usually never without one of my various tea tumblers.
  19. Strange food requirements: I save all my pink and purple Skittles until the very end. I also save the innermost parts of pastries and sandwiches to be my last bite.
  20. As of two years ago, my Electronica music files now outnumber all other music types.
  21. Oddly enough, I am always wearing a watch … unless I’m in the water.
  22. While working in London, I decided to pick a soccer team to follow. To this day I’m a big Arsenal fan and mostly follow the English Premier League.
  23. I enjoy watching movies, and if I am going to watch a movie, it better be funny since I’d rather be laughing than crying or scared.
  24. I cannot play any musical instruments, but hope one day I’ll have time to learn how to play the cello or violin.
  25. My favorite time of day is sunrise, when everything seems possible!

See more examples from and insight on Fuqua’s 25 Random Things essay