If there’s anything we can learn from Nicole Fischbein’s Senior Wisdom, it’s take chances and get up really, really early.

Name, School, Major, Hometown:
Nicole Fischbein, CC, Political Science, Westchester, NY

Claim to fame:
Getting up for a 6 am WBAR slot for a show called “Playlist for My Crush” where Molly and I had planned to tell our crushes we had crushes on them and then air a curated playlist. Sadly, our semester got cut short before it could hit its stride. BUT, we did both tell two people, cold turkey, that we had crushes on them… we just never aired the interviews/playlists because the semester went online. To be clear, I went to my crush’s off-campus apartment just to tell them I had a crush on them…. so forgive me if I bask in my own courage for a moment.

@Molly, I also want to take this opportunity to thank you for encouraging me to do this. I would not get up at 5:40 in the morning on a Monday, read: Monday, for anyone else but you, my dear. You push me out of my comfort zone. You played the lead role in so many of my college memories.

Where are you going?
I aspire to own a professional espresso machine one day… so ideally a job/life that will help me procure this.

What are 3 things you learned at Columbia and would like to share with the Class of 2024?

    1. If you want to do something, do it. There is no better time than the present. It took me too long, I think, to take risks. The stakes are (relatively) low where you are, take advantage of the room you have in college to make mistakes and pursue things that may eventually be harder to pursue, or that will seem harder to pursue.
    2. Each new semester is an adjustment in itself. Embrace each one as an opportunity for growth and change. Keep the good stuff but get rid of what isn’t propelling you forward. I like to say that each semester takes an entire semester to get used to, and once you finally get used to the whole thing, you’re maybe a senior. Appreciate the fleeting nature of what a semester is and be present in each one.
    3. Your people are out there. Do what feels right and comes naturally to you and the relationships will follow.

“Back in my day…”
We would get emails from our Carman RA almost every weekend telling us that a new ceiling tile was broken and that if he didn’t find out who it was, we’d all have to split the cost. I feel like there were not nearly as many Joe Coffee’s. Also, Columbia Dining did not have a bountiful vegan section in both John Jay and Ferris — cherish this, even if not vegan.

I would like to use this as an opportunity to usher in my fourth, and unprompted, piece of advice. When you go into a dining hall, do a full scan. There are some treasures in hiding, they just need to be found.

Favorite Columbia controversy?
This one is tough. On the topic of dining halls, I will have to say the fact that Columbia Dining’s avocado/guacamole is so green is an issue. Can I make this a controversy?

What was your favorite class at Columbia?
Urban Politics with Professor Vargas-Ramos. Just a really fun class and a very engaging professor… even if you aren’t interested in politics, I think it will teach you a lot about the urban landscape in which you live while at Columbia. Very fun participation.

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese?
Pass. But, I will tell you this: almond butter over peanut butter. Unrelated but get it trending.

Whom would you like to thank?
This will be sappy, but my friends are my everything. I would not be where I am without them, truly. Thank you, thank you, thank you, to the wonderful people who I call friends. And my therapist. Family, of course, too. My nanny, my hero <3

One thing to do before graduating:
Eat so many different Brownie’s sandwiches.

Any regrets?
Never making and sleeping in a mega-bed with my roommate. Sam Z, until we roommate again.

image via Nicole Fischbein