Elsie Fisher and Emily Robinson (right) in Eighth Grade.

Social Media Editor Zack Abrams recently sat down for a conversation with Emily Robinson, CC ’21, who recently starred in the A24 film Eighth Grade. Her current film out is Private Life. Read on to find out what it’s like working with literal middle schoolers and whether or not Bo Burnham ever helped her grab something from a high shelf. 

Name/Year/Hometown/Major?

Emily Robinson, Sophomore in CC, Hopefully Creative Writing, and New York City

Why creative writing?

I love stories, I’ve always loved reading, and I just wanted to take college as a chance to allow myself to explore different forms of writing.

How did you get into acting?

When I was younger we had a neighbor who was a model and she had two kids and she was taking their pictures at her modeling agency and said “Oh, Emily should do this too!” and I was like “Sure!” so I started modeling and then realized acting was a thing, so I told my parents I wanted to try it and they said “Sure, fine.”

I was eight when I started acting and I started doing commercial work and some theatre and then slowly became more serious and it was only when I worked on Transparent that I realized that I wanted to do it forever.

Read on to find out why Emily had to bite 45 hot dogs

the logo up on my computer screen all day

The Senate Judiciary Committee hearings for nominee Brett Kavanaugh have been going on all day, and many students have spent every minute between (or during) classes to watch Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Judge Kavanaugh testify. If you need a change of scenery, here’s where you can go:

The law school: Maybe you can meet/converse with some nice people to restore your faith in the legal profession, or give you tips on admissions! You’re basically a legal expert after eating, sleeping, and breathing this hearing for the last 10 days.

JJs: Food is always a good call in stressful situations. While the nation’s highest court faces uncertainty, you can at least find solace in mozzarella sticks.

A music practice room: What better use for soundproof booths if not to yell expletives at a CSPAN livestream?

On Low Steps: Let the fresh air wake you up and close your laptop every so often to people-watch everyone going by who hasn’t been glued to their computer screen for 8 hours straight.

Milstein Center, Floor 6: This one is genuinely a really great option! The Barnard Center for Research on Women is providing snacks and a venue for people to watch the hearing together. You can hang around Milstein afterward and try to do work while one browser tab remains open on Twitter.

Remember that today is really hard for many people, so be sure to take care of yourself and others. If you need further support, please call:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673
Columbia Sexual Violence Response: 212-854-HELP (4357)
Columbia Counseling and Psychological Services: 212-854-2878

C-Span via Wikipedia

This looks like “Dear Evan Hansen” meets “The Shining”

Proving Up is a new opera from Opera Omaha written by Missy Mazzoli (music) and Royce Vavrek (libretto). Wednesday the 26th marked its New York premiere (a second performance on Friday the 28th is already sold out).

(Your humble correspondent had never seen an opera in his life before tonight, so if you thought this was the greatest thing since sliced avocado, chalk it up to that.)

Kicking off the Miller Theatre’s 30th season is Proving Up, a dark new opera centered on the Zegner family’s hardships and efforts to get a deed to their land under the Homestead Act in post-Civil War Nebraska. After five brutal years, and the deaths of the two Zegner girls (played by Abigail Nims and Cree Carrico), the rumor comes out that a federal inspector is coming to hand out grants. the family is desperate to finally “prove up” and firmly establish themselves in their new, western home. However, those seeking land must meet the Homestead Act’s strict requirements first- the main issue for many poor farmers in the rural hinterland being the requirement that every house must have a glass window. (Spoilers ahead.)

This the Zegners have, thanks to Johannes (AKA Pa, played by John Moore) and their neighbors, the Yotherses, who “proved up” and got their land deed the previous year. However, the Yotherses then mysteriously vanish, leaving no trace except for a field of “queer little trees” that are variously described as looking like crosses, ivory, or human bones (cheerful!). Pa takes their window, since they’re not using it. In the present, hearing rumors of an approaching inspector, the Zegners hatch a scheme to share the window with their neighbors so everyone can prove up. Miles (played by Michael Slattery) is forced to act as the window’s courier after older brother Peter (played by Sam Shapiro) injures himself and has to be tended to by Ma (played by Talise Trevigne). His dead sisters float around, generally acting creepy.

More spookiness after the jump

Tried to use Tinder for investigative journalism…guess *that* was a bad idea! (shoutout to my former LitHum classmate)

While Bumble is boppin’ (shoutout to the campus Bumble ambassadors and their free Mel’s drink tickets), Tinder still remains ever-present at Columbia. Because, as Pitbull sings in the song “Timber” (which Bwog thinks should be called Tinder), who wouldn’t want to make a night you don’t remember with a person you don’t forget (but want to forget)?!

As we all know, our college population (especially undergrad) isn’t the largest, which increases the probability that you’ll physically run into any person you match with on a dating app. In fact, Tinder’s new “Tinder U” feature is only available to college students, decreasing your chances of making it through college unscathed. As such, Bwog decided to ask Columbia students about their cringiest Tinder run-in’s to determine what scenario was the cringiest of them all! Here are their responses:

• “My alumni interviewer and I had matched on Tinder the day before and he began the interview by asking me if he knew me from somewhere while I proceeded to run to the bathroom and unmatch him.”
• “In the first week of freshman year I matched with unnamed Beta guy on Tinder and he asked me to their party so I went but he was being boring so I asked another Tinder match to come…TURNS OUT THEY WERE SUITEMATES! The other guy came and introduced me to the first Tinder match and I was like yes…I know him.”
• “I have three matches in my CC class…talk about constant cringe.”
• “Last Saturday night, I saw a Tinder match from freshman year on a random roof in Chinatown.”
• “Matched with a girl on Tinder the first night I arrived…guess who turned out to be my RA?”
• “A guy on my floor and I had matched and we both didn’t acknowledge it until he started drunk calling me, drunk Tinder messaging me, and knocking on my door within the span of an hour.”
• “In Butler after studying next to each other for three hours…he tapped me on the shoulder and asked me if I was his Tinder match…now I’m scared every time I go to Butler.”
• “I matched with one guy and we were talking a lot but I stopped replying. I went to see a play last semester, sat in the first row, and he was the main character. A few weeks ago, I auditioned for a play and he was in my scene NOT ONLY during auditions but also during callbacks.”
• “Matched with one of the main meme posters on columbia buy sell memes…now I cringe every time I see his memes (do Internet interactions count?)”
• “He was my RA’s best friend and was visiting him….I was later sent a Snapchat video of him asking why his Tinder match had to be his friend’s resident.”
• “Last year, the John Jay elevators kept breaking down, and we were trapped together for over an hour…I just kept trying to not make eye contact.”
• “Turned out that he was the president of a club I was interviewing for…I now have to go to weekly meetings and pretend nothing ever happened.”
• Him: “where do u go to school?”
  Me: “I go to Columbia”
  Him: “I’m Cuban ;)”
  Me: “haha cool”
  Him: “but I asked where you go to school…”

Think you have a story that’s more cringeworthy than the ones above? Feel free to comment or email tips@bwog.com about it!

We don’t deserve them and they deserve better.

Events Editor and occasional sports fan Isabel Sepúlveda didn’t know if she would ever fill the void in her heart after the end of basketball season (and Camille Zimmerman’s graduation). The women’s volleyball game against Cornell changed that. 

I didn’t know what to expect when I walked into Levien with the marching band last Saturday. Due to some traumatic middle school gym classes, I knew the basics: very tall people on one side keep the ball in the air and try to hit it really well that the other side can’t. Otherwise, as I crowded into the bleachers in an otherwise almost empty gym, I was completely clueless. How many sets did they play? Who were they killing? Why was one of their players wearing a totally different uniform? Watching the players warm-up, I was struck with the fear that I would never understand (I’ve been in marching bands for almost 8 years and have only just started to understand football; the fear was valid.)

The band quickly discovered that there really aren’t very many place to play during a volleyball game, giving me ample time to observe the game and ask questions of the former volleyball players in my midst. (You play until someone wins 3 sets, up to 5. They’re killing the ball, hitting it so the other team can’t return it. They call that player the libero, and they can replace any defensive player.) The game itself reminded me of basketball, which I grew up watching, with frequent scoring and fast-paced back and forth action. While that was nice, what truly made the experience great wasn’t the game, but the team playing it. By the end of the night, I was 100% in love with them.

Though they ultimately lost 1-3 against Cornell, the sets were tight to the end (23-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-27). I’m perpetually in awe of people who have more skill than I do, and the ability to stay poised and passionate to the end will win my heart every time.

The love letter continues

The face of a woman who will not be forced out of office

Happening in the World: The head of the Polish Supreme Court, Malgorzata Gerdsdorf, is resisting the Polish government’s attempts to reform the judiciary by staying in her post despite a newly lowered retirement age for judges. She says that she will only leave her position if the constitution is officially changed or if she dies. (CNN)

Happening in the US: Dr. Christine Blasey Ford is set to testify today at 10 am in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. She will speak about her allegations of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who has also been accused of sexual assault by two other women. (Vox)

Happening in NYC: Recent data from the city comptroller’s office indicates that over 1 million low-cost housing units have disappeared from the NYC market in the last 12 years. Rent-regulated housing stock has also plummeted, with more expensive stock taking its place, leaving fewer options for affordable housing. (Gothamist)

Happening on campus: The SEAS Colloquium in Climate Science is at 2:45 pm in Mudd Hall 214. Dr. Oliver Watt-Meyer will present his research on “Extratropical circulation response to warming: role of cloud radiative effects and ITCZ width changes.” Although SEAS is hosting the event, it is open to the public!

Overheard: “The Columbia experience is me googling how to boost my immune system after 2 weeks here and then realizing all the options are unfeasible, like sleeping more and drinking less.”

Place to nap today: The McBain lobby lounge has some new chairs! I haven’t gotten to nap-test them yet, so be the first and let me know how they are.

Malgorzata Gerdsdorf via Wikipedia