Keep on keepin’ on with the help of some senior wisdom

Name, school: Yonatan Gebeyehu, Columbia College

Claim to fame: Numerous Columbia theatrical productions, including 115th and 116th annual Varsity Show, playing PrezBo with a white wig and soffe shorts.

Where are you going? Staying in New York, I got a job working at a restaurant and also doing some tutoring to keep me going while I audition for acting jobs. I wanted to be a doctor, but my parents made me do this, so……

Three things you learned at Columbia:
1) No single event that you experience is as important to your education as a whole as it may seem.
2) Get to know your professors, at least a few of them. Not only are they , for the most part, great educators, but they’re also really amazing people with fantastic stories. Be a part of that.
3) Do tons of stupid things. Those are the things you’ll be thinking about when college comes up in conversations, not how well you did.

“Back in my day…” You could get a mean batch of mozzarella sticks from jj’s for 5 bucks. Damn.

Justify your existence in 30 words or fewer: I am what I love: my friends, theatre, the game Taboo, and the color purple (the actual color, not the musical. Or the movie. The book’s pretty good).

Is the War on Fun over? Who won? Any war stories? One Monday earlier this year I find myself with a few friends and this drink called four loko. We had all decided that we would try it together, just a sip, just to see how it feels. 20 minutes later, we decide to go get some more. I didn’t want another because I didn’t feel like it ( I didn’t want another because I couldn’t afford it), but my friends gladly get a second serving. They can’t wait to get back to their dorm so they decide to enjoy it in a nice paper bag. Well, it must of been in the air or something, because the police sniffed it the second they cracked it open and pulled over. After my friends did some sweet talking (thank you Columbia), they ended up having a court summons and had to pay a hefty charge of $25. That night, however, we went home and enjoyed us some loko. I like to think that my friends won. We’re still goin.

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese? Cheese.

Advice for the class of 2015:

1) For the next four years, you’ll be surrounded by some of the most gifted people you’ll ever meet. If working in the admissions office has taught me anything, it’s that each one of us has something incredible to give to the rest of the community. Open yourself up to those opportunities. Spend time with people. Make friends and invest in them. Celebrate their successes and support their tribulations. We have the capability of being the support for so many others, its a shame to see all of our energy wasted on ourselves

2) Find something that inspires you. Not an idea, but an actual object (a book, movie, painting,etc). Always keep it close to you. Everyday, look at that object. Read it. Watch it. Just a little bit each day. It will remind you why you of why you work so damn hard.

Any regrets? Nothing major, maybe not taking enough random classes, but overall I think I got everything I needed to get out of Columbia.

Know someone wise? Submit your nominees’ UNIs and a few good tales to editors@bwog.com.