Among the Cal field hockey squad, few have embraced the Berkeley spirit as much as Michaela Swensen. The fifth-year senior has made a steady impact in the Cal lineup this season while enjoying the many outlets Berkeley has to offer. From falafels to film, here are five fast facts on Swensen:
 

1. She calls herself a "Cheagan."

Vegan + Cheater = Cheagan.
 
After going vegetarian several times in her life and having trouble sticking with a vegetarian diet, Swensen finally committed to veganism this year.
 
"I knew that I didn't want to eat animals, but I never really knew why," Swensen said. "I didn't know how the whole process worked on it getting on my plate."
 
She watched "100 Reasons to be Vegan" on YouTube and the documentary "Earthlings," and it helped solidify her new lifestyle choice.
 
Swensen says becoming vegan has helped her feel more in tune with her body, and she gets sick less often.
 
"Now I know what's going into my body like vegetable, grains, beans, things like that where there may be GMOs," she said. "For me, it just works and I think the main part is I've just lived a compassionate life for animals and all beings, and now I can actually live that fully, and be in touch with my own body and what it wants and needs."

Still, eating vegan-friendly on the road with a sports team can be tough, so Swensen occasionally allows herself items with milk, or cheese.

"It is really hard on a team sport when you're going to restaurants where it has to cater to your whole team, and I'm the only vegan on my team," she said. "There are times when I'll have to get a little bit of cheese on it like a fettucine Alfredo because I want pasta the night before a game. I call myself a cheagan because every now and then I have to cheat, but when I am at home, I am very much vegan."

2. Speaking of food, she's a falafel connoisseur.

"I could eat a falafel every day of the week and not get tired of it. It's my guilty pleasure," Swensen said.
She enjoys frying her falafel in olive oil or sunflower oil, adding the cooked falafels to pita bread and adding spinach, avocado and tomato.
 

3. She's a total film buff.

A film studies major, Swensen is into both watching and editing films, of all types of genres. Among her favorites are thrillers and documentaries.

"I really enjoy movies that you have to watch very intently all the way through that kind of unravel with clues," she said. "If I could make films like that I'd love that. But I always watch and think, 'Who even thought of these things?'."

"What also amazes me about film is you have the ability to transform anything into what you want to make," Swensen added.
 

4. She considers herself a New York City girl.

Though Swensen was raised in nearby Morgan Hill, Calif., she was born in New York.
 
"I love traveling back to the East Coast and seeing the leaves change and sitting in Central Park and watching ice skaters or seeing the performers there," she said. "San Francisco is cool but in relationship to cities I think I am always going to be a New York City girl compared to a San Francisco girl."
 

5. She didn't plan to play field hockey in college.

Though Swensen has seen significant playing time this season, there was a time when she wasn't sure there would be an opportunity for her to continue her hockey career after high school. It wasn't until she attended a Cal field hockey camp to try to improve her skills before her final high school season that she surprised head coach Shellie Onstead. Before then, Swensen didn't think she had the skill level to be able to attend Cal, and had only been accepted to San Francisco State at the time.
 
"When my mom dropped me off she said 'Enjoy these three days at Berkeley because you're never going to come back'."
 
Needless to say, Swensen left with a scholarship offer in hand.