Lauren Fontan

Get to know Lauren: a kind-hearted athlete with a passion for learning and a secret love for impromptu dance parties.

Tell us a bit about your shoot – where, when, etc…
The shoot was a rustic studio vibe in the afternoon. My photographer and I got creative and used the light that was pouring through a window. Instead of having the light on me we placed it behind me to create some unique beautiful shots. Keith is an absolutely amazing photographer to work with.

Give us a little more background about yourself and your life story so far
I grew up playing soccer my whole life so I’m someone who thrives in being active all the time whether it’s playing volleyball or throwing a football. Friendly competition is always fun! Also, who doesn’t love good endorphins from a workout class. Besides being active daily I’m a huge lover of learning. I graduated with a Bachelors of Science. Go nerd me! I love a good self-help book and have even taken a leadership class at Harvard to better my leadership skills and understanding as well as an America’s poverty and Inequality course at Stanford.

What do you love most about yourself?
I love how kind I am. it’s actually funny when people meet me in person they always say how shocked they are how sweet I am. The more they get to know me their like “wow this really is Lauren.” My closest friends still bring this up to me today. I think it’s important to pour into others rather than take from them so any opportunity I can to build someone up I absolutely want to be a part of that.

What is the first things you do when you get up in the morning?
I’m not a morning person at all so I like to relax on the couch with coffee and slowly wake up. Once awake enough I check my to do list. It’s this cute little notepad I keep on my counter and write in the night before of tasks, reminders and to do lists. It’s what keeps me organized and motivated even on the days I don’t have motivation.

What is one of your weird quirks?
I love dancing around my house without a care in the world. This happens pretty much daily at some point. It makes me happy, goofy and authentic to who I am. Sometimes I dance sexy, sometimes silly and everything in between. I’ll even get my dog involved and dance with him too. I never want to lose that inner kid in myself.

How would you describe yourself in five words?
Confident, Authentic, Athletic, Kind-hearted and Resilient

What’s the first thing you notice when it comes to the opposite gender?
I’ve always been a sucker for light coloured eyes but brown eyes have still gotten my attention. I’m a huge personality girl so anyone that has lots of energy, optimism and maybe a sprinkle of adhd I’m immediately drawn to them.

What do you think is the most attractive quality in a man?
I think confidence is quite attractive. I think it shows how well one feels in their own skin and that they’re not afraid to speak their mind or act silly.

What impresses you on a first date?
I love a good dose of energy and optimism. That gets me every time.

What advice would you give a man?
Get creative where you approach women. I’d say somewhere in their natural habitat like target or at a grocery store (preferably where they’re not done up.) It will make you stand out. Think about how few men approach women this week. Keep in mind a girl tends to look different running errands compared to when she’s out with her girls on a weekend night.

Describe your ideal boyfriend/girlfriend in 1 sentence.
My ideal boyfriend is authentic, funny, kind-hearted, optimistic and energetic.

What’s your guilty pleasure?
Coffee. I’m always carrying a mug around wherever I go drinking it far later than I should.

What words do you live by?
I’m a huge believer that who we are is determined by who we believe we are. I believe its called a growth mindset over a fixed mindset. It’s this idea that we are not born a certain way like bad at sports or bad at algebra. When we start believing ultimately what we want to believe about ourselves our actions effortlessly follow. For example, if we believe we are funny we’ll start telling more jokes. If we believe we’re healthy we’ll start going to the gym more.

What is something new happening in your life right now?
I recently started volunteering at a non-profit called Johnathan’s Place. Their mission is to provide a safe place, loving home and promising future for abused and neglected children, teens and young adults. I have been visiting some of the teenage girls weekly and I can not express how much joy it brings me knowing that I can impact the lives of these young women. My goal is to teach them on a personal level the impact that self-love has on their life and that parental love doesn’t equate value.

Lastly, what is one major thing you want to accomplish by the end of this year?
I’d love to be a Sports Illustrated rookie. Crossing my fingers!