By Maggie Urban-WaalaStaff Writer
The 6’1” blonde bombshell that struts around campus with an additional 10 inches of hair teased to its maximum height leaves most curious, if not completely puzzled by his ability to make almost anyone do a double take.
Seeing him live so ferociously and fearlessly around Hofstra makes it necessary to learn more about him and his life outside of the university.
Greg Mania is a fierce and hard-working senior at Hofstra majoring in Mass Media studies with a minor in German. The student possesses an array of skills ranging from writing in his highly esteemed blog to entertaining numerous crowds involved in the New York City nightlife.
The eager teen gained attention for his contagiously defiant yet playful nature in NYC and couldn’t avoid it throughout high school as well.
“I’ve always had that in me, but I didn’t feel comfortable because every time I did something over the top the kids would look at me and say ‘What is he doing dancing on that table with his shirt off?’ but when I went downtown I realized that these people would not mind me being outrageous.”
Mania glances in the mirror, checking to be sure his blonde locks are firmly in place before he explains his rising stardom in the groups he used to admire from afar. He began to run into an increasing amount of individuals who recognized him and praised him for living up to his name.
While experiences such as this make him gush, Mania humbly explains that he understands, just like every other college student, the exhaustion of performing at his highest potential in multiple aspects of life.
Between maintaining his hair at its skyscraper-esque height, networking with a range of characters in the city and attempting a normal college experience, Mania states he deals with the stress by embracing the madness of it all.
He recalls himself sitting in class in a constant state of struggle between paying attention to the lesson and brainstorming his next outlandish look for that night’s outing. This isn’t the only time an on/off switch for his eccentricity would come in handy to separate his Hofstra life from his NYC life, although he explains coolly that he is “Mania” 24/7.
Refusing to step out from the spotlight anytime soon, he is now collaborating with celebrity hair artist Chelsea Pickthorn, being hired to write a bio for up and coming NYC artist Brittany Campbell, providing comic relief and insight through his blog and Twitter accounts, and plotting new looks to sport at his favorite events, always making sure to constantly push the envelope on gender ambiguity.
Although Mania clearly portrays his confidence through his style and personality, he notes that it is a struggle for some to fully embrace their own potentially unique fashion sense, explaining that although Hofstra is a very liberal community, there is always that yearning to fit in.
He proudly states his advice to those who are playing it safe, stating, “You don’t owe anyone an explanation for who you are.”