Interview with Monica
Date20 October 2025
Mediumborn digital audio file
DimensionsDuration: 52 Minutes, 45 Seconds
ClassificationsInformation Artifacts
Credit LineCommunity History Project Collection
DescriptionAudio file of interview with Monica. She was interviewed by Remi Dupuis on October 20, 2025 in Storrs, Connecticut.
Monica was interviewed as part of the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History's Community History Project discussing moments of change in her life.
Monica is a UConn student in her senior year studying Psychology with a minor in Anthropology. To Monica, change is “something that genuinely leaves an emotional impact,” an experience that differs greatly from her day-to-day experiences and that sticks with her for a long time, reminding her of her humanity.
About a month prior to the interview, Monica was walking by the Student Union when she noticed a dead bird against the wall on the cement. People were going past it, unbothered, but she felt a sense of duty to bury it, so she came back after class to do so. She had been feeling “emo” that day (which she described as emotional, sad, and alone) and was surprised that no one had stopped to pay attention to the corpse two hours later.
Monica collected the bird and decided to go to Mirror Lake, a natural and beautiful location much more appropriate for a dead bird. She intended to carry out the burial on her own because she didn’t want to sensationalize the bird’s death or “gloat about her character” by sending a picture of it to a friend, however, on her way to the lake, she ran into an acquaintance that she met at HerCampus (a club for university students to write articles about their interests) and hesitantly showed her what she was doing. To her surprise, instead of thinking that she was strange and leaving her alone, the friend offered to help bury the bird.
So, the two buried the bird by the lake, naming it Brat. Monica was a little worried about what passerbys were thinking as they dug the grave, admitting that it was a strange scene, but her appreciation for the bird and the spontaneous opportunity to do something good outweighed her fears.
This event was important to Monica for several reasons. She struggles with ruminating over whether or not she is a “good person,” and her decision to bury Brat reminded her of her morals and deep respect for life. Monica mentioned that she has always loved birds and is known by her friends as being “obsessed” with them. She is envious of their freedom because they are able to fly and, like other wild animals, are exempt from human social norms and live simple lives. She was also grateful that this quest was a “breakaway” from the monotony of college life, which makes her feel robotic. As for her friend, Monica stated that burying Brat together brought them closer, and now they text each other whenever they pass by the grave.
Monica was interviewed as part of the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History's Community History Project discussing moments of change in her life.
Monica is a UConn student in her senior year studying Psychology with a minor in Anthropology. To Monica, change is “something that genuinely leaves an emotional impact,” an experience that differs greatly from her day-to-day experiences and that sticks with her for a long time, reminding her of her humanity.
About a month prior to the interview, Monica was walking by the Student Union when she noticed a dead bird against the wall on the cement. People were going past it, unbothered, but she felt a sense of duty to bury it, so she came back after class to do so. She had been feeling “emo” that day (which she described as emotional, sad, and alone) and was surprised that no one had stopped to pay attention to the corpse two hours later.
Monica collected the bird and decided to go to Mirror Lake, a natural and beautiful location much more appropriate for a dead bird. She intended to carry out the burial on her own because she didn’t want to sensationalize the bird’s death or “gloat about her character” by sending a picture of it to a friend, however, on her way to the lake, she ran into an acquaintance that she met at HerCampus (a club for university students to write articles about their interests) and hesitantly showed her what she was doing. To her surprise, instead of thinking that she was strange and leaving her alone, the friend offered to help bury the bird.
So, the two buried the bird by the lake, naming it Brat. Monica was a little worried about what passerbys were thinking as they dug the grave, admitting that it was a strange scene, but her appreciation for the bird and the spontaneous opportunity to do something good outweighed her fears.
This event was important to Monica for several reasons. She struggles with ruminating over whether or not she is a “good person,” and her decision to bury Brat reminded her of her morals and deep respect for life. Monica mentioned that she has always loved birds and is known by her friends as being “obsessed” with them. She is envious of their freedom because they are able to fly and, like other wild animals, are exempt from human social norms and live simple lives. She was also grateful that this quest was a “breakaway” from the monotony of college life, which makes her feel robotic. As for her friend, Monica stated that burying Brat together brought them closer, and now they text each other whenever they pass by the grave.
Object number2024.79.81
NotesSubject Note: The Connecticut Museum of Culture and History’s Community History Project (CHP) is a public-facing initiative, focused on contemporary collecting, gathering items of the recent past as well as from events happening today. This program developed community historians to identify, document, and preserve their experiences as residents of Connecticut, and to share these experiences during a series of community presentations. The project focused on the theme "Redefining Moments of Change." Conneticans share stories of people or events who have changed their lives or how they have sparked change in the lives of others.Cataloging Note: Digitization and access to this collection is supported by a Congressionally Directed grant through the U.S. Department of Education.
Subject Terms
CTDA Handle: Watch/Listen on the Connecticut Digital Archive
https://hdl.handle.net/11134/4085710
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