Jessica Chi

Up next for Senior Wisdoms, we bring you V119 alum and current CA for East Campus, Jess Chi.

Name, School, Major, Hometown: Jessica (Jess) Chi, Columbia College, Sociology and English, Closter, New Jersey

Claim to fame: Former Panhellenic Council President, current East Campus Community Adviser, and “that Asian girl” from The 119^thAnnual Varsity Show. You’ve probably bumped into me while I was squatting by an outlet in some random corner of a campus building/Morningside Heights restaurant to charge my phone and grumbling, either to myself or to someone else, about the fact that my phone is ALWAYS dying. Also, my friends love to bring up that one time when, in April of my junior year, I finally realized I’d accidentally been using fabric softener as laundry detergent throughout my time in college. A lot of people still make fun of me for that…

Where are you going? I’m very excited to say that I’ll be staying in New York and working in L’Oréal USA’s Marketing Management Development Program! But before the rest of my life begins, I’m hoping to Eurotrip. Any and all itinerary suggestions are welcome!

What are 3 things you learned at Columbia and would like to share with the Class of 2019?

1. Hewitt >>>>>> John Jay! In fact, Barnard food >>>>>> Columbia food most of the time. Those pizzas at the Diana Center are da bomb dot com.

2. In spite of all of this place’s faults – and believe me, I know there are many – always remain grateful for the ability to call this school your own. Columbia is a world-class university with brilliant, passionate, and talented individuals everywhere you turn. Allow yourself to feel inspired by the people around you, and take advantage of the many different opportunities that the sheer presence of your CUID has to offer.

3. Don’t date people you meet at 1020. You’ll thank me later.

“Back in my day…” LionMail was CubMail, JJ’s Place was an eyesore, Card-O-Mat existed (though nobody knew what it was), Mel’s was still fun, Columbia Admirers was still a thing, and Robert and Kristine’s short-lived romance was the talk of the town. Someone’s definitely going to yell at me about that Mel’s comment, by the way.

Justify your existence in 30 words or fewer: I once procured a Nintendo GameCube, with three games and three controllers, in a game of Trade-Up. Additionally, I genuinely believe “Uptown Funk” is *the* musical masterpiece of our generation.

 What was your favorite class at Columbia? Probably Sociology of Gender with Elizabeth Bernstein. The course was my first real foray into the realm of women’s and gender studies, and it changed the way I think about the world!

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese? Oral sex. My entire diet consists of different combinations of cheese and pasta, bread, and/or potatoes (seriously!), so I quite literally would not be able to survive without cheese.

One thing to do before graduating: Try to spend at least one summer in the city! New York is a really magical place during the summertime. It can get super hot here, though, so invest in a good fan if you won’t have air conditioning. (Shout-out to Ally Engelberg, who asked me to keep her massive fan in my Nussbaum suite during the summer of 2013 and thus inadvertently became responsible for keeping me alive and sane throughout the season.)

Any regrets? Things I kind of wish I’d done (or not done)? Sure. But regrets?! Never! The RENT fan in me wants to quote some “Another Day” here, but I’ll refrain…