Street: Give us a fun fact about Mortar Board.
Kay Lu: I just found out that Sphinx and Friars were founded at about the same time and they were only for men. So the women on campus had no society to recognize them. Mortar Board nationally was a women’s senior honors society—so women on campus started a Mortar Board...Women would go into classrooms and when they tap people they would physically tap them with a Mortar Board. I think when Sphinx and Friars went co–ed, so did Mortar Board.
Street: And you’re international?
KL: I’m from Hong Kong. I went to a Chinese all–girls Christian school for 10 years...so my school was super strict. We wore these sailor looking outfits for our uniform—it was like blue and white and super serious.
Street: How did you first get involved in Vagina Monologues?
KL: I saw the show freshman year and I loved it. I auditioned sophomore year and got a really small part...I said something about the Bermuda Triangle.
Street: What does it mean to be Publicity Chair?
KL: I have to think of brand identity for the entire show! I do outreach...[and] publicity for all of the events and run digital media. There are a lot of people working with me, which is really cool—we have a photographer, a videographer and graphic designers.
Street: Do you have a favorite Philly bar?
KL: Trestle Inn. It’s this whiskey go–go bar...One of my friends go–go dances there.
Street: So you’re strutting down Locust—which song are you listening to?
KL: I’ve been listening to “Numb Encore” by Linkin Park and Jay Z.
Street: There are two types of people at Penn...
KL: People who like food trucks and people who don’t.
Street: What’s your favorite food truck?
KL: Kim’s. There are a bunch of food trucks near Pottruck...Kim’s is the last one. I think I like the mapo tofu with pork the most.
Street: If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
KL: I’d like to at some point live in London, maybe Berlin, maybe Barcelona (Ed. note: Can we come couch surf?)
Street: You sound like you’ve traveled a lot. Any cool stories?
KL: I was in Berlin for four hours and had like the most ridiculous time. My friend brought me to a club, this huge former power plant club, in the middle of the day. It was amazing.
Street: Describe yourself in three words.
KL: Clumsy. And “Always hungry.” (Ed. note: That’s four words, but we’ll let it slide.)
Street: If you could have a drink with anyone in history who would it be?
KL: Angelina Jolie. Just because I’ve always been obsessed with her.
Street: At which stage of her life?
KL: Definitely when she was a badass in the 1990s. When she did whatever the fuck she wanted and had the vial of blood around her neck...Now she has like 20 kids.
Street: What’s the weirdest present you’ve ever gotten?
KL: One day I got a call from the FDA saying, “What is in your package?” So I called my mom, and my mom was like, “I just sent you some growth serum that I bought from Taiwan.” Literally a hundred bottles of growth serum...She calls me every other week, like, “Have you started drinking that?”
Street: What’s the last thing you bought?
KL: A pop–tart.
Street: What’s your favorite flavor?
KL: I actually don’t really like pop–tarts, I was just hungry.
Street: Do you have any tattoos?
KL: No, but I would like some, maybe. I’d either get something that meant a lot to me...or something random that’s kind of funny. My friend has a slice of pizza on his ass.
Street: What’s your guilty pleasure?
KL: Sometimes, really late at night, like at 3 a.m., I go to weird places on Netflix. When I say weird, I mean I love cartoons, so I always watch cartoons. One time, I woke up the next morning, and...My Little Pony was the last thing I watched. Actually, that’s not a guilty pleasure. That’s just embarrassing.
Street: Which house would you be in at Hogwarts?
KL: I used to say Gryffindor, but now I think Slytherin. I think they have more fun.
Street: What will you be doing on this day in 10 years?
KL: Right now I’m trying to work in entertainment...so hopefully I’ll be in Hollywood somewhere. But I’m probably going to have a lot of visa problems. So if anyone wants to marry me, just let me know!
Street: What would your dating profile say?
KL: “Always DTE.” Like, down to eat.
Street: Tell us about your first kiss.
KL: It was for truth or dare, and it was 30 seconds of sloppy.
Street: If you could compete at an event in the Olympics what would it be?
KL: I guess gymnastics... I went to a rhythmic gymnastics summer camp.
Street: If you had a time machine, where and when would you go?
KL: Probably the 1960s in America. I’d love to go to Woodstock.
Street: What would you wear?
KL: Nothing. Probably nothing.
Street: If you were a cocktail, what would you be?
KL: A little bit of everything—so probably a Long Island?
Street: If you are what you eat, what are you?
KL: Dumplings.
