Fashion icon Christine Piazza presents wisdom on community, Clio, and bubbles!

Name, School, Major, Hometown: Christine Piazza, Columbia College, American Studies and Philosophy, Litchfield, Connecticut

Claim to fame: Making absurdly archaic fashion choices

Where are you going? Cody, Wyoming for a gap year of volunteering with Episcopal Service Corps

What are 3 things you learned at Columbia and would like to share with the Class of 2027?

1. Community is essential. A friend is someone with whom you can honestly share your emotions, your fears, and your ups and downs. We need people to laugh with, chat with, eat with, study with, cry with, sing with and grow with. I swear, I’m actually an introvert—I like peace and quiet, I hate small talk or mingling in groups—but I learned that being an introvert isn’t the same as being a loner. I found some of my community through clubs on campus and some through totally random interactions (including chatting with a stranger in the Furnald laundry room!) that developed into close friendships.

2. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Whether it’s a small thing like eating a new food or a big thing like starting a new relationship, I’ve found so much joy and so much confidence by stepping out of my comfort zone. And, I’ve learned that, when I’m nervous, my fears are usually way out of proportion—the anticipation is almost always worse than the reality! 

3. If you’re looking for a book in Clio, and it says it is in “Milstein,” that means it is in a reading room in Butler.  Because the library room named “Milstein” inside Butler must not be confused with Barnard library, which is inside a building named Milstein. It makes perfect sense.

“Back in my day…” You could, if you wanted to, easily leave your phone in your room because Duo two-factor authentication was not required to sign into anything CU-related.

Favorite Columbia controversy? The marching band being banned and disbanded.

What was your favorite class at Columbia? So many amazing ones, but honestly I still love Lit Hum! I actually did all the reading (except for a few chapters of the Aeneid which I skipped)—I swear, it’s worth it!—and my Lit Hum prof was amazing. She could draw out amazing discussion even among the shyest students, she was passionate about the texts and cared deeply about her students, and she would even hold weekly optional craft sessions! 

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese? I’ll just say, most of my family doesn’t eat dairy, so I’m confident in my ability to cook without cheese! 

Whom would you like to thank? My family, including my mom for homeschooling me 1st grade-12th grade, my dad for making innumerable trips to NYC while listening to the Beatles, my brother for always making me laugh, and my grandmother for reading pretty much every essay I’ve written. Anna, Amber, Meghan, Bertina, and Isabel for being my squad and teaching me the importance of friendship. The Canterbury Episcopalian Society for being my spiritual home on campus. All of my incredible professors, especially Jennifer Rhodes, the Lit Hum goddess described above.  

One thing to do before graduating: Find a piece of grass that isn’t occupied by a tent, sit on it, and blow bubbles.  

Any regrets? As my favorite philosopher Henry David Thoreau said, “If I repent of anything, it is very likely to be my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well?” 

Christine Piazza via Christine Piazza