Name, school: Ruqayyah “Rocky” Abdul-Karim, CC

Claim to fame: CCSC 2010 council (aka pouring beers at Lerner Pub and giving out free t-shirts), President Emerita of the Black Students Organization, Undergraduate Recruitment Committee (hey tour guides!), co-chair of the Multicultural Recruitment Committee, avid fan of in-text parenthetical thought

Where are you going?
I am (finally) leaving New York for a two year fellowship in the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health in DC.

Three things you learned at Columbia:

  1. The sophomore slump is a very, very real phenomenon.  2013, you’ve been warned.
  2. It’s not that serious, regardless of what the “it” actually is…
  3. I’ve developed a deep appreciation for the Core. CC actually had a really profound impact on the way I’ve  shaped my philosophy on mentoring and community involvement.  And I think Aristophanes’ story about soul mates is sweet in a cheesy kind of way.

Justify your existence in 30 words or fewer:
Liz Lemon said that Oprah says that you teach people how to treat you. I like giving really great hugs. Not sure how they relate but  you’re all smart people…

Any war stories from the War on Fun?
If things go according to plan, I will before the end of the semester…

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese?
By random chance, you’re more likely to have a pleasurable experience from the latter than the former and I’ve never been much of a gambler…

Any advice for the Class of 2014?
I can’t remember the names of most of my professors over these past four years, but I can tell you what the weather was like the day I moved into Carman. What you learn in the classroom will pale in comparison to the amazing things you’ll learn about yourself, other people, and the wide world out there by just interacting with other students. Coming out on the other side of it all, it really is the best/worst/exciting/scary/amazing/transformative four years of your life.

Any regrets?
Discovering the exact source of the stank in the big reading room on Butler 4 and neutralizing him/her in a bubble like the Febreeze commercials. Also, spending 2 hours writing this Senior Wisdom instead of doing my loooong overdue lab report.