Simone is 23, studies environmental science at Bristol, and keeps fifteen houseplants alive. She says that's practice for saving the planet. In a group photo she's the quiet one at the edge, until she says something so dry that everyone laughs a second late.
We met her at a cafe near the harbour. She arrived early, ordered a hot chocolate and was very polite for the first ten minutes. After that, we couldn't stop her.
The Simone File
- Age: 23
- Based in: Bristol
- Background: Black British
- Studying: Environmental science
- Hair: Long, black and wavy
- Height: 5'2"
- Bra size (UK): 32A
- Bust / waist / hips: 33 / 24 / 35 in
- Build: Petite
- Plants owned: Fifteen (one is named Gerald)
Measurements are approximate. Bra sizes use UK sizing.
The Interview
Why environmental science?
Because I'd like there to be nice places left when I'm old. It sounds dramatic, but I mean it. I grew up near a river and I watched it change. I want to be one of the people who helps.
Are you actually shy?
At first, yes. There's a difference between shy and quiet, though. I'm quiet until I trust you, then I never stop talking. Ask my flatmates.
Fifteen plants?
A new one arrived on Tuesday. He's a fern called Gerald and he's very dramatic. He droops if I look at him wrong.
What kind of person makes you comfortable quickly?
Someone who doesn't push. Good chat, a bit of humour, no hurry. I can usually tell in about ten minutes.
What do people notice first?
I hope it's my smile. It's usually my height, because I'm tiny. I can't reach the top shelf in my own kitchen. I keep a step stool and I'm not ashamed.
What's the most surprising thing about you?
I'm stubborn. Quiet doesn't mean easy to move. I once argued with a lecturer about methodology for forty minutes. I was right, by the way.
What's the best thing about Bristol?
The harbour on a sunny day. Everyone comes out of hiding, and the whole city feels like it's on holiday.
Quick Fire
- Thrift or new? Thrift, every time.
- Bike or bus? Bike, unless it's raining. It's usually raining.
- Comfort food? Mac and cheese from the pub near campus.
- Study spot? The library window seat, 9am, before anyone else wakes up.
- Dream trip? Costa Rica, for the rainforest.
Our Take
It's tempting to fill in the blanks with someone like Simone. Don't. Part of the fun is that she lets you guess wrong. She's petite, soft-spoken and dressed in a way that looks gentle, and then she tells you about the lecturer she argued with and you realise there's steel in there.
Her photos have a relaxed, close feel, as though she picked up the phone in a good mood and nobody else was in the room. That makes her seem easy to approach. She's not easy to push around, which is a different thing and a better one.
In a world where everyone is shouting for attention, a woman who waits for you to lean in is hard to forget.
See More of Simone
Her full page is right here, and you can browse everything she has shared on her pics page.
