The next Bwogger to pass through the gates of wisdom: Claire: legend, hero, and former Editor in Chief.

Name, Hometown, School: Claire, London (UK), CC

Claim to fame? Aspiring polymath, least likely to have run a marathon, Editor of Bwog 2010-11.

Where are you going? Back to Butler, baby. I’ve found a wonderful intellectual mentor in my thesis advisor, who’s agreed to take me on as a research assistant for the time being, so I’ll be around campus this summer, when I’m not in Long Island City speculating about the future. After that, my dream is to take to the parks as an urban ranger (seriously) somewhere in NYC, though it seems a bit inevitable that I’ll eventually end up in graduate school, studying the history of science.

3 things you learned at Columbia:

• 1) Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Fear of being ignorant will only breed more ignorance. You’re much more intelligent, and know a lot less, than you think you are/do. This isn’t just about the classroom—which brings me to my next point.
• 2) Learn from each other. The most enriching conversations I’ve had took place in my suite, at 1020, on the subway, in office hours, reading Senior Wisdoms and Bwog comments. School is as relevant as you make it. It’s not the only thing, but you should make the most of it by engaging it with all the other things. Talk to your professors about what’s going on in your life, not just about homework. Get excited about your friends extracurricular frivolities. Turn off your phone and go exploring.
• 3) Relationships, whether social, intellectual, romantic, professional, or with your self (don’t forget this one!) require work, deliberation, and attention. Cultivate them, and appreciate them. Live with people you don’t know, but would like to. Make standing appointments, and establish rituals that incorporate generous helpings of coffee and Die Antwoord.
• 4) I still have no idea what my priorities are but I know that I have some. It’s okay if you don’t have them all worked out, but don’t leave them unconsidered.

Back in my day….There was no discussion of “wellness,” no FemSex, no Nutella, no NoCo, no Mels, no Spectrum. There was nothing scary about growing up, and I returned every text message and then some. My attention span had not yet bifurcated into increments of either 5 minutes or 5 hours.

Justify your existence in 30 words or fewer: I am a good friend.

Write a CU Admirers post to anyone or anything at Columbia: First of all, I am sympathetic to CU admirers, kind of, but you should really, really suck it up and say this stuff in person. Imagine how amazing it would feel to have someone speak aloud, to your face, some of the wonderful appreciation that website has encouraged. Good right? Don’t you want to give that to someone else? I’ve tried to make that a regular practice. People seem to like it. Anyway, I’d like to thank James the Hawk-watcher for very occasional but inspiring conversations, reminding me to look up and around, that Morningside Heights is a beautiful place to live, that talking to strangers on the street is right; Everyone that has ever eaten food I’ve made, or made food for me; everyone who has made or broadcast music for public benefit; Patrick, Antonio, and Maria of Ruggles, River, and Claremont for the best smiles.

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese? One thing most people don’t know about me is that I’m incredibly indecisive.

One thing to do before graduating: Have purpose, and lots of sleepovers.

Any regrets? Okay I gotta give it to one of my most special accomplices in life who once wrote, “Have regrets! But don’t let them eat you up.” This is so right. So I mostly regret having regrets. I guess I regret not being able to get to the point without a preamble; I regret not realizing the value of being a more critical, active listener sooner. I regret not taking more classes, and not taking fewer classes. Thinking that I needed to have it all. That time I had bangs.