Hamilton basement bathroom >>>

Name, School, Major, Hometown:  Julian Pecht, CC, Classics, Leonia NJ

Claim to fame: Spending freshman year Bacchanal in Butler 310 reading Primo Levi.

Where are you going? Oxford’s MSt in Greek and Latin Languages and Literature.

What are 3 things you learned at Columbia and would like to share with the Class of 2025?

1) Any day can easily be improved by an unsweetened iced black tea.

2) The Blue Javas in Butler and Lerner have slightly different prices, or at least Butler’s blueberry muffins were a few cents more as of a year ago.

3) Hamilton has a big bathroom (4 stalls, 5 urinals?) in the basement, so don’t bother waiting in line on the 3rd floor.

“Back in my day…” Hall Council President Matthew Esche ruled over Furnald with an iron fist.

Favorite Columbia controversy? The cryptid known as Chef Mike.

What was your favorite class at Columbia?  Probably either Lit Hum with Molly Murray (and Matthew Esche), Intro to East Asian Civilizations: Vietnam with John Phan, or Latin Survey II with Gareth Williams.

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese? I can’t remember the last day I went without eating cheese, and I don’t intend to.

Whom would you like to thank? Prettier Little Liars, Ruby, Isobel, my family, Athena, Lerner Ramp tables, the Hamilton basement bathroom (seriously, check it out), and chicken sandwich curatives.

One thing to do before graduating: Find your way to the Bone Lab…

Any regrets? I should’ve spent more time in NYC’s various parks. It took me four years to learn you can see upwards of 30 turtles in Morningside whenever the sun’s out, and I don’t think I’ll get around to finding the screech owls in Inwood Hill before I graduate. Bummer! 

Portrait via Julian