Our people: Hard work and clean living

Kenan "Griff" White, 21, lives in Portales but considers Colorado home.

White is in his senior year at Eastern New Mexico University. He is studying communications with a double emphasis in journalism and broadcast journalism and a minor in digital filmmaking.

White considers himself a nerd.

"I grew up avoiding partying, drinking, and doing all the fun things," White said.

He was well known around school because he was different and hard working. "I valued knowledge, hard work, good morals, good ethics, and being a good person," White said.

Instead of partying he would often find himself staying in and writing music or studying business.

Do you have any hobbies?

My hobbies would be learning personality types, making music, playing basketball, weightlifting, eating grass-fed beef, studying sales, studying business, selling my music beats, and just learning how to be a good person.

What do you spend most of your time doing?

I live a very integrated lifestyle. Basically, wherever I'm at always has health, wealth, and love. So, when I'm in my studio all I have to do is walk 5 feet and lift a few weights.

I do a lot of walking in my house while I listen to motivational speakers. I call it the integrated lifestyle because I have my health, while I'm learning wealth, while I'm getting healthier, and now I just need a woman to share that with.

What type of music are you into?

I don't like music based on genre; I go based on message. If you go through my playlist most of the songs that I have all have a message to them. For example, Kendrick Lamar is always humble.

Could you live without the internet?

I mean maybe not without the internet. But I have taken social media detoxes before and they've really helped my life. I liked going without social media because it gave me more time to focus.

Where do you like to go to have fun?

I like to go to work (at a Portales restaurant). Even when it's a busy day and I'm slammed with dishes.

I just enjoy being in the flow, even if it's something hard or nasty stuff to do, because in the end I know I'll make money. The money that I earn will eventually fuel my real goal of being in the studio all day and living a super integrated lifestyle.

My goal is to one day be able to have a studio, basketball court, and gym all in my house. I want to be able to be at my house all day and have everything I need right there.

What could you spend all day talking about?

The brain, evolution, DNA, health, wealth, love, karma, personality types. When I get home from work, I go over to my friends' house and just annoy them for hours just talking about different things.

If you had to be one cartoon character, who would you choose? Why?

I would be SpongeBob. He's always happy, he's a good guy, he doesn't care what people think about him. He's nice to people, he doesn't judge other people even though others judge him. He has a neighbor who has a terrible attitude and yet he's always trying to bring him joy.

What's your biggest pet peeve?

My biggest pet peeve is when people set goals and don't follow through with them. It's better to set smaller goals that are easier to achieve rather than set bigger goals that you're going to fail at because then you're training your brain to fail. You have to set realistic goals that you can achieve.

- Compiled by Correspondent Nicole Trujillo