Regan says take walks!

Name, School, Major, Hometown: Regan, Columbia College, Political Science and German, Minnesota  

Claim to fame: Might have given you your admissions interview, one of just three German majors on this campus, somehow wrote 55 Bwog articles over the past eight semesters  

Where are you going? Back home for some rest, then to the Baltic Coast for some classes, then back to NYC in the fall for a real adult job  

What are 3 things you learned at Columbia and would like to share with the Class of 2026?  

1. Try to plan things to look forward to every week/month/semester. It can be tough to find a balance between school, clubs, friends, internships, work, and on and on. Block off time for a game night at Hex, a Saturday downtown, a new museum exhibition, a dinner get-together, a coffee chat, a run through Central Park, a movie or show, etc.  

2. Take the classes you think are intimidating, take classes because they sound fun, take the classes you’d never expect yourself to take, ask upperclassmen what their favorite classes have been and take those. Don’t get stuck taking classes that aren’t exciting, challenging, or inspiring for you. 

3. College seems long, but it is actually short.  

“Back in my day…” Zoom meant nothing more than to move quickly :(  

Favorite Columbia controversy? The ticket chaos for Bacchanal and all the senior events this spring 

What was your favorite class at Columbia?  

• Literary Nonfiction Workshop with Julie Peters  

• Buddenbrooks Senior Seminar with Mark Anderson  

• Literary Translation with Katrine Jensen  

• Approaches to the Short Story with Julia Pierpont  

• Narrative and Human Rights with Joseph Slaughter  

• Freedom of Speech and Press with Lee Bollinger  

• Culture at the Margins: German Lit and Film with Alexander Holt  

• Ethical Dimensions of International Politics with Rajan Menon  

• Origins and Meaning with Brian Greene  

The more I think about all the classes I’ve taken, the more favorites I remember. Anything the German department offers is great, and I think everyone should take at least one creative writing seminar or workshop during their time here! I will also admit that I loved my Lit Hum, UWriting, Art Hum, and Music Hum classes.  

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese? Let me take some time to think about this one, and I’ll get back to you.  

Whom would you like to thank? My family and my friends and my professors and my classmates <3  The people in my life are so incredible! Thank you all very much!  

One thing to do before graduating: Go on a long walk or run down Riverside Park right on the Hudson, either early in the morning or during sunny midday or golden hour, with a friend or your thoughts or a really good audiobook—very cathartic. 

Any regrets? My roommates and I did not prioritize sunlight in our most recent apartment search, but our lease is over at the end of the month, so all is well. 

Portrait via Regan