As of August 2025, Dr. Lisa Parzefall is the Writing Program Director at Western Illinois University (WIU). Her interests include, but are not limited to, identity, sociolinguistics, and second language writing.

M&L: What is your idea of perfect happiness?

LP: Oh my, perfect is a really crazy word. I would say the first thing that comes to mind is family. I just think spending time with people that you really like and that make you feel comfortable is really important, so in my case, it’s my family and my closest friends. Also, being in a certain environment. I think of my hometown—you know—where I grew up, and I think that is definitely happiness: being around those people, and being in my hometown.

M&L: What is your greatest fear?

LP: I actually never thought about this. That’s kind of a great question. Later in my life, I hope I don’t look back and regret not trying something. One of my goals is to really try new things so that I don’t look back and think, “I wish I had tried that,” because I think that would be a bad regret. So, that’s a big fear of mine: to just not use life wisely.

M&L: What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

LP: I think I have two personalities, almost. I feel like I think about a lot of things in exactly the opposite ways, depending on how I feel, and that can be very taxing, just because sometimes I’m a person who does something 100%, or I don’t do it. Sometimes I’m fully in, or fully on the other side, and I think I need to find a good balance. That’s something I’m a little annoyed at.

M&L: Which living person do you most admire?

LP: Oh, that’s hard to choose, because it’s either my mom or my dad. I can’t choose one. I think both of them are just the greatest people.

M&L: What is your current state of mind?

LP: Hopeful.

M&L: What is your greatest extravagance?

LP: I’m not a very materialistic person, I have to say that, but maybe my coffee machine. 

M&L: What do you most dislike about your appearance?

LP: Maybe my hands? I pick on my skin a bit, and I think that’s just unhealthy. I’m not really about appearance that much, but it does hurt sometimes, because [I will] rip off some skin, and I’m like, “Why am I doing this?” So I think that’s just more of an annoyance with myself. I do it unconsciously, so it is very hard to not do it. 

M&L: Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

LP: Probably, literally, and probably definitely. Okay, I just said probably. . . definitely. So yes, probably is it, for sure.

M&L: When and where were you happiest?

LP: There are so many memories, I feel like, where I’m just so happy. Honestly, just yesterday, for example, I went for a walk at Spring Lake with my husband. There was nobody there, and it was really quiet and just nature-y. I love nature, so that was really nice. Also, my wedding day was amazing, just because of what I said earlier. All my family and friends were there, and it was a gorgeous day, and we had a great time with great music, and I feel like everyone was in a good mood. So that was probably one of the best days of my life, truly.

M&L: What talent would you most like to have?

LP: There are a bunch, but I think it’s really cool when people are very musical. I know how to play the guitar a little bit, but I need notes and stuff. There are people who pick up the guitar and just play [along] to a song or on the piano. I think that’s so cool if you can do that, and I really wish I had more of a talent to do that—to just play instruments and be very intuitive about that.

M&L: If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

LP: There’s a couple of things that come to mind, but one is to be more patient. At times, I’m one of those people where I try to learn something, and if it doesn’t work out within a short time, I get very frustrated. You know, some things just take longer to learn, like the piano. Like, I [try] sitting down, and if I don’t make progress in, like, a half hour, I get super annoyed with myself, and then I’m done. It’s pretty normal to take more than thirty minutes, but there’s something in me where I just need to know this now! So, being a little bit more patient with those things would be good.

M&L: What is your most treasured possession?

LP: I think that’s difficult, because I don’t really have a lot of stuff. I don’t really like stuff, but I have this hat that my dad gave me that belongs to my grandpa. I think it has a more sentimental value, but I love looking at it, because [I] just think about [my] grandpa, so it’s more like a memory-piece, in a way. 

M&L: Who are your favorite writers?

LP: [There’s] a Japanese writer, Asako Yuzuki, that I really like. Every book I’ve read from her was really cool, so that’s one of my recent writers that I’ve gotten into a lot.

M&L: Who is your hero of fiction?

LP: I mean, I’m one of those kids. I grew up with Harry Potter, which is, I know, very boring, in a way. But I just find it very fascinating when someone can create a true world that people can enter. I think that’s always something I envied, because I’m more of a research writer. So having the ability to create characters is something that I admire a lot. 

M&L: Who are your heroes in real life?

LP: Definitely my parents and my grandparents. I don’t think I look up to anybody [else]. It sounds kind of weird, almost, but I think those are true role models in life for me.

M&L: What do you consider your greatest achievement?

LP: You know what, I was gonna say the PhD thing, but then I think, is that really the greatest achievement? I think you put so much effort and so many years into it, that’s the thing that comes to mind. I don’t know, though, is that the greatest achievement? This sounds really weird, actually, but I think just growing up and reflecting on some of your own weaknesses and trying to be a better person—I think that’s an achievement, and it takes a lot of time to do that.

M&L: Where would you most like to live?

LP: Maybe somewhere by water. I’m a really big fan of water, just bodies of water, whether that’s the ocean or a big lake or something. Or, by a forest. I’m also a big nature person. So anything that’s close to nature.

M&L: What is your motto?

LP: To “just do it,” and I don’t know if that translates well, but I feel like you just gotta kind of go for it. Whether that’s a goal, or you want to learn a new skill, or get to know someone new, I just feel like it’s really important to always keep going and set new goals. But yeah, just kind of do it.