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Sylvie Krekow
Another member of the Bwog/Blue & White (note the ampersand) family: Sylvie Krekow, rower and sweatpants-clad managing editor of the Blue & White. Congrats on graduating today!
Name, Hometown, School: Sylvie Krekow, Sun Valley, Idaho, BC
Claim to fame: Former managing editor of The Blue & White (pro-ampersand contingent), rower, fratstar. If we’ve had class together, you probably know me as “that sweatpants girl.”
Where are you going? You know, I never liked that Dave Matthews song, and now it’s stuck in my head.
Three things you learned at Columbia:
- It’s okay to tell your professors if you’re having a hard time in life and it’s adversely affecting your schoolwork. If you’re honest and upfront with them, most of them will be incredibly kind, understanding, and helpful. And, if they’re not, you can talk to your class dean — or at least write a heinous review of them when it’s time for class evals.
- You can pre-order Chipotle online, and when it’s time to pick it up, you can hop in front of all those poor saps waiting for their carnitas and guac and grab your perfectly-wrapped ‘rrito. I learned this trick junior year, and I value it more than anything I ever learned in “Confessions” (yes, Barnard girls read Augustine too).
- In class, listen. Just listen. I wish I had learned this earlier, because I was probably the most annoying, loud-mouth, hand-raised-constantly freshman ever, but at least I got it eventually (apologies to everyone who put up with me while I definitely did not get it). Your professors are incredibly knowledgeable, and you’ll have lots of time to express your own thoughts in papers or office hours or with your friends over a growler at Mel’s, but you only have so much time in the classroom. Use it wisely.
- Okay, sorry, I know this is four, and at this point, with the Chipotle thing, I’m treading dangerously thin “dumb athlete” ice (ugh) but: there is a “simple English” language on Wikipedia. If you haven’t cracked open a science book since high school and you desperately need to understand something like spacetime to pass your science requirement, you’re welcome.
Back in my day…Anna ruled the Heights, there was no “shuttle system” to Baker, and the Jay was gloriously, blissfully open on Saturday mornings.
Justify your existence in 30 words or fewer: I’m good at carrying heavy things, summarizing novels, and making breakfast. And if you need me to do one of those things for you, I probably will!
Write a CU Admirers post to anyone or anything at Columbia: @myhomies, you know who you are: I love you. You are the reason I have cherished this place so much. You surprise me every day with your wit, your drive, your creativity, and your kindness. I can only hope I’ve returned the favor. Also, thanks for sharing your Hulu Plus and HBO Go accounts with me.
@dianawhitepizza: damn, girl.
Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese? There are acceptable substitutions for oral sex, but the same can’t be said for cheese (nope, don’t get me started on “soy cheese”).
One thing to do before graduating: Go over to a professor’s house/apartment/brownstone for a chat and a snack! I mean, don’t just show up like a creepy stalker, get to know them and then wait for an invitation like a polite human being. But if you get the chance, take it — it’ll remind you that your teachers are real people, too, which is always a good thing. Also, take a class with any of the following people: Kassanoff, Gordis, Prettyman, Gordon, Basker. They will blow your mind *and* make you lol.
Any regrets? One time, this girl in ADP brought home a horseshoe crab shell from the beach (?). It was huge and terrifying, and my friend Kate and I named it Lorraine. We thought it would be the funniest thing ever if we stuck her in the corner of a John Jay elevator to freak people out, and it totally would have been. Whatever.
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13 Comments
@anon Some people in college face “real” issues too. Some of us are homeless, other’s parents have no job and they have to juggle trying to take care of a parent who is hopeless, the stress of becoming homeless, their 7 classes, two jobs, and multiple commitments. You should probably check your assumptions. Not all of us just hop around complaining about our classes and hookups. Take all of those problems you mention, add wanting to survive school here and the worry that you’ll waste your opportunity if you can’t do it all and you’ve got what a lot of students face today.
@cc13 Just got to know you this year and am so glad I did. You rock, congrats, etc. ADP won’t be the same without you gurl. xo
@njr SYLVIE U ARE THE BEST
RIP Lorraine
@curious Why do so many Columbia/Barnard students seem to be having “a hard time in life?” And why are all these references to CPS and struggling so prevalent in senior wisdom?
Not to be all snarky – but what kind of problems does an 18-22 year old have, still living under mom and dad’s roof, not paying taxes, not being forced to work to survive, and having been accepted at one of the nation’s most renowned schools of higher education – schools which offer tremendous financial assistance if necessary? Nobody forced anyone to be here.
Problems are when you get laid off from your 35k a year job and you can’t provide for your family, and need to move out of your home and go on food stamps.
Problems are when your son/husband needs surgery for brain cancer, and you don’t have catastrophic health insurance.
Problems are when your elderly mother breaks her hip – and you have to choose between putting her in a home or staying with you, knowing that either one is not a great solution.
Having a term paper due after you broke up with a boyfriend/girlfriend is not a problem. Never was.
@curious the only reason I say this (before it gets downvoted) is because to call all these college issues “problems” is to minimize the major issues affecting millions of people in the US and around the world. If you are so narcissistic to believe that your “challenging” exam schedule poses a problem (as opposed to having clean water, a roof over your head, a job, your health) then you are going to struggle in life.
@cat ok seriously i don’t like you. i hope this comment thread is deleted. i can’t believe you would call people narcissistic for reaching out for help and support. how is it not narcissistic to dismiss other people’s sadness in a snarky manner on the internet. what’s your problem, for real. lots of people in CPS may have had difficult childhoods and their own struggles that may register on your narcissistic and inhuman “struggle scale.” they may have been the grandchildren of mother with the broken hip. get over yourself.
@Anonymous There isn’t a finite, limited amount of suffering in the world. Claiming some of it for yourself doesn’t make there any less to go around.
@cat true, context and comfort are entirely black and white concepts and you’re a knight of life for picking on people who are depressed or alone. lol. i’m being facetious and so were the experiences that crafted your frivolous personality and lack of empathy.
@cat by the way, saying “not to sound snarky” and then doing exactly that is so asinine, i think. hahaha. it should read: “not to sound snarky… so, later.”
@Milk It’s not their fault if they are depressed. It is your fault if you are being laid off from a $35,000 per year job. You should have worked harder when you had the opportunity. Even Mitt Romney was able to become a billionaire, and he was just an English major.
See, I can be rude and minimize the importance of your problems too.
@Counselor As a former Nightline counselor, I have spoken to many many students over the past three years. These students had very real problems. Some of them had been sexually assaulted by people they trusted, some were in abusive relationships, some were unable to come out to their parents or friends. The Columbia administration and student body has recently made significant strides to improve the mental health environment on campus. Your comment stating “what kind of problems do 18-22 year olds have” only serves to reinforce the notion that mental health should not be discussed or treated. I sincerely hope you realize that the students who arrive at Columbia face challenges and difficulties that deserve to be heard.
@Blaine from MPGIS What the fuck’s a growler?
@horse shoe crabs scare the shit out of me. congrats sylv!