Greetings 👋🏼
Welcome to the “Take Gallery”. Knowledge is one of the most important aspect of our identity. We must seize every opportunity to learn and understand one another. Come and understand me and let me understand you.
Welcome to the “Take Gallery”. Knowledge is one of the most important aspect of our identity. We must seize every opportunity to learn and understand one another. Come and understand me and let me understand you.
Hey there! I'm Lucca, a junior at UCLA studying Economics, and I’m excited to share a bit about myself with you. The Take Gallery was something I started in high school, with the intention of writing articles as a vessel to explore my passions and discussing topics that interested me. After leaving for college, I abandoned it… and increasingly felt I wouldn’t have time for it. As of writing this (2024), it is my intention to reclaim this space with an angle commensurate with 21 year old Lucca. But first things first: who am I?
Well, the nickname my dad gave me is a surprisingly informative place to start: ‘Freund der Berge’ or ‘friend of the mountains.’ In accordance with this moniker mountains have been a constant through line in my life. My formative years in the Austria Alps coupled with my recent stint in California, has nurtured a love for skiing. I’ve skied extensively in both places and am part of the UCLA skiing team, competing in state and regional events. I have a laundry list of skiing destinations I hope to visit, yet my ultimate dream is to ski in Japan someday – the powder there looks amazing! I have recently began bouldering, my progress in the beginning was swift but I have since been slightly dissuaded by my own stagnation :(
When I’m not on the slopes, you’ll often find me playing or watching football (soccer). I played in high school and now enjoy intramural games at university. I’m a passionate supporter of FC Barcelona and my local club, Red Bull Salzburg. One of my best memories is Salzburg’s incredible run to the Europa League semi-finals. My party trick is a regrettably useless ability to recount the score lines, starting XIs and goal scorers from our underdog run to the semi final. Perhaps less unavailing, I run a football Twitter account (@FDJCHIEF) where I dive into analytics, tactics, and share my fandom with over 30,000 followers. Alongside the bucket list packed with skiing destinations, I hold an equally ambitious catalog of football fixtures and grounds I wish to visit. Finally, I take Fantasy Premier League (FPL) very seriously; hit the link below to join my league.
My profoundly less popular twitter account, @Lucca_T_S, exhibits my more unusual love for trains and urbanism. I believe passenger rail and high-speed rail (HSR) are crucial for sustainable travel and combating climate change. Comparatively, rail travel is a romantic and comfortable alternative when weighed against the stress filled, sleep deprived services offered by competitors. Adjacent to ski destinations and football stadiums is a desire to seek out my favorite rail corridors, stations and rolling stock. In my view the Graz Simmering Bfmpz could act as the blueprint to scale passenger rail with an accessible and sustainable foundation. I’m also interested in city transportation and sustainable urban planning.
Reading is another passion of mine. I enjoy both fiction and non-fiction, with Haruki Murakami, Albert Camus, and Hegel being some of my favorite authors. Murakami’s "Kafka on the Shore" and Camus’ "Myth of Sisyphus" have had a profound impact on my life. Unfortunately, like this website, reading has taken a backseat to the heavy metal soundtrack of my college life; something I ought to fix.
When it comes to my career, finance is my focus. In high school, I was captivated by monetary policy and international currency markets, even writing an article on quantitative easing that you can still find on my website. I had a vision of pursuing carry trade strategies or even arbitrage opportunities in the forex or crypto markets. Since my aspirations have evolved. After interning at various firms, I have unearthed my own shortcomings and have since shifted to developing cor competencies. At BCG, I worked on consulting teams tackling public policy and climate change issues. I learned to craft compelling argumentation and heavily buttress each claim with every evidentiary shred I could muster; at BCG there was what I would describe as an academic or scholarly commitment to find the right answers the right way.
Food is another area I’m passionate about, thanks to my Austrian father and Indian mother. I love both cuisines and also have a soft spot for Japanese and Spanish food. Exploring new dishes is always exciting for me. If you’re interested follow my Beli @FDJ, I will follow you back!
Debating has played a significant role in my life. I captained my high school debate team, ranking 4th in Canada at the national tournament. Debate allowed me to delve into public policy and develop my critical thinking skills. I still debate at UCLA, and it’s something I deeply enjoy.
If you’ve made it this far, wow! You’re a little obsessed, I might need to get a restraining order. You’re welcome to remain an anonymous stalker, but please also feel free to reach out.
