Lula witnessed many incredible things while at Barnard, including grass, Diana sandwiches, and Contact Improv with Colleen Thomas (twice).

Name, School, Major, Hometown: Lula, Barnard College, History, Brooklyn

Claim to fame: I hereby disclaim any and all fame! Although some may know me as the person with the key to the NYC subway system.

Where are you going? Who the heck knows. But wherever it is, I am excited for it.

What are three things you learned at Columbia and would like to share with the Class of 2027?

  1. Bring your ideas to life! If there is an idea living in your head, make it happen. All the best clubs on campus are not real clubs anyways. It is really magic to realize that whatever you set your heart on, you can bring into the world, with help from the people around you.
  2. It’s awesome to care a lot about school. For people who are considering it, I really recommend writing a thesis. It was grueling at times, but definitely one of the most rewarding things I experienced here, and it’s also a really unique opportunity to dive into a project and get to talk to people who are experts in whatever niche thing you become interested in. Get into it!!
  3. Organize! Wherever you are and wherever you are going, organize. Columbia is a corporation that really does not give a fuck about us. It is actively doing its best to destroy Harlem and is harming people around the world. But! We have a role in that/against it. Read some radical shit and push yourself beyond what is comfortable politically. Bring joy to the work and generosity to those around you who share your ideas. work together and trust each other! Also, connect with leftist orgs in the city off campus. There is a lot of work to be done and I really believe that we have the power to do it. Join Student-Worker Solidarity :)

“Back in my day…” Barnard had grass and Diana had great sandwiches. The glass door of Butler got smashed during Bacchanal.

Favorite Columbia controversy? My friend who spray painted “CU <3 ICE” on Butler Library. They couldn’t get it off for weeks, it was amazing.

What was your favorite class at Columbia? I had a bunch. Introduction to Historical Theory and Method with Joel Kaye, all film classes with Breixo Viejo, Seeking Asylum with Nara Milanich, Dialectics with Mohammad Amer Meziane, History of the South with Barbara Fields, and Contact Improv with Colleen Thomas (I took this same class twice).

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese? What’s that?

Whom would you like to thank? So many people. Thank you to SWS and the younger kids who are really shaking stuff up on this campus and bringing it all alive. I can’t wait to see what you do. Thank you to Snock for the joy!!! Thank you to WBAR and the beautiful musty basement studio. Thank you to my wonderful professors and mentors. Thank you to my family, especially my grandmas. Thank you to my friends, both on and off campus, who held it down for me over the past years. You all helped me grow in ways that are too big for this webpage to contain. I am full of such love and gratitude for you.

One thing to do before graduating: Get to know the people around campus who aren’t other college students; hang out with Paddy; get ten sandwiches at Hamdel. Throw a party in the giant gender-neutral bathroom in Diana. Get drunk and play basketball in Riverside.

Any regrets? No :)

Lula via Lula