By Dani Kellner
Raise your hand if you’ve ever taken Oceanography with Professor Bruce Monger. Oh…all of you? We’re not surprised! Professor Monger’s famous class has the largest enrollment at Cornell–and it’s own Facebook page!
You may think you know the professor behind the lecture, but do you know the last thing he ate for breakfast? Or the last song he listened to? (FYI: it wasn’t Adele’s “Hello.”) Or what he would say in his theoretical Last Lecture?
In honor of the 7 seas, here are 7 “Last Things” with Professor Monger:
1. So, as Cornell’s esteemed Oceanography professor, when was the last time you went swimming in the ocean?
About two years ago when I was visited my good friends in Hawaii. I went to graduate school in Hawaii and made some very dear friendships that have lasted to this day.
2. What was the last thing you ate?
I had breakfast this morning – cold granola with added almonds and rice milk. Toast with Almond butter.
3. What was the last song you listened to? Was it Hotline Bling?
A mix of songs by Mary Chapin Carpenter on my way into work this morning.
4. Who was the last person you texted?
My two friends Leanne and David (a married couple) sent to both in a single text.
5. What was the last thing that annoyed you?
The guy in the truck in front of me on my drive into work this morning that was driving about 5 MPH under the speed limit. BTW – I am not super proud of this one! ;)
6. When was the last time you laughed really, really hard?
Firstly, I laugh a lot! And I am pretty famous in my office building because my laugh can be heard from one end of the building to the other. I don’t recall any specific laugh that stands out, but I can guess most big laughs happen when I retell a story of some really dumb/embarrassing thing I did.
7. What was the last thing that took your breath away?
It was a few days ago on one of my sunrise walks I take every morning with my two dogs through the big open fields behind my house. The sky was totally clear, the sun was still a ways below the horizon, the moon was a thin crescent just above the horizon, Venus and Jupiter were still visible and together the moon, Venus and Jupiter formed a straight line crossing the lower sky. And the barely perceptible glow of sunlight brought some nice soft light across the grassy fields. Extremely beautiful!! Oh… and my two dogs were frolicking about the fields playing off of each other with great innocent fun.
Mortar Board, a national honor society, recognizes college seniors for outstanding achievement in scholarship, leadership, and public service. On Tuesday November 17 at 5pm, they will be hosting Professor Bruce Monger to continue its Last Lecture Series, which invites a speaker every semester to deliver their theoretical “Last Lecture.” Learn more about the event here!
Featured image courtesy of ithacajournal.com
