Name, Hometown, School: Jose Alberto Delgado, Brownsville, TX, Columbia College

Claim to Fame: Marching Band Banned headlines, I woke up to 10 emails from journalists asking for interviews one day and was called like 30 different times by radio stations, newspapers, and magazines. I also organized a performance for a party attended by LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Jay-Z.  At some point did Chicano Caucus, MRC, CMTS, and Wind Ensemble.  That work study guy in Casa Hispanica who interned at a zoo one summer and can play the drums.

Where are you going? I will be going to Los Angeles as a member of the Teach for America corps team for 2 years.  My parents visited during Thanksgiving once and said they never imagined being in New York City considering they started off as teachers in Mexico, now they get to go to LA too!

Three things you learned at Columbia:

  1. You’re never stuck with the same group of friends, but the best ones always make the effort to keep in touch
  2. The best classes are defined by the professor, not the subject
  3. If you’re not happy then you shouldn’t stay in that club/class/major/school/job.

“Back in my day…” Someone believed in me and that made all the difference.

Justify your existence in 30 words or less: The moment you’re standing outside as a cold front comes in and feel the instant change in atmosphere; you’re the same person in different places almost.

Is the War on Fun over? Who won? Any war stories? In high school I was suspended for taking long lunches instead of being in class. In college I was written up for being with a bunch of loud Latinos. Even though Columbia has a diverse student body, the administration and our professors don’t always understand we don’t all come from the same sources of privilege and academically torturous high schools among other things.  If you’re written up in Barnard the complaint never circles back to Columbia. If you’re caught red-handed in the tunnels, run but don’t take off your shirt in the process.

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese? Only one of these makes it easier to fall asleep. But seriously midnight snacks are the best.

Advice for the class of 2016:

  1. $4 umbrellas at the news stands on Broadway are much cheaper than the bookstore one you’ll eventually lose just the same.
  2. Learn the lyrics to school songs
  3. G(tb)^2

Any regrets? Not being better friends with my freshman year roommate.  Storing my stuff in 125th street and thinking it was a good idea to blue bin everything back to Woodbridge. Not going to the beach in the summer.  Not asking for help those times that I needed it.  Bakon Vodka.