Google calendar warriors checking in…

Name, School, Major, Hometown: KHS; Barnard College; Medical Anthropology; Sweet Home Alabama

Claim to fame: Girl that won’t shut up about a cappella (or Pitch Perfect LIVE #iykyk). Also known for: joining CUEMS my first-year fall, “Featured Jump Roper” in CMTS’s Legally Blonde, Barnard Admissions, and having and maintaining a gcal from hell (see below).

Where are you going? Hold on, let me check my gcal…

What are three things you learned at Columbia and would like to share with the Class of 2030?

1. Stop with the generative AI. No, you don’t need AI to write your email. No, you don’t need AI to summarize your readings. And no, you don’t need AI to write your damn essay. You are a human being!! With a brain!! Act like it!!
2. Take time for yourself! Being a student in NYC and at Columbia University is a lot. Remind yourself to breathe, take a nap, journal, call a friend, or do literally anything just for yourself. A moment of stillness can work wonders.
3. Fight for what you believe in. Caring is cool, and every action is important. Call your representatives, go to protests, support mutual aid programs, and work towards the changes you want to see. They’re possible.
4. (Bonus because you can’t stop me) Tell the people you love that you love them. Every day is a journey, and you’ll never fully know where you’re going. But the best part
   is that you’re not alone! The community that surrounds you is fundamental, so don’t
   take them for granted.

“Back in my day…” There were grassy steps between Futter and Milbank. Also the main gates were open, NYPD/ICE wasn’t welcome on campus, and free speech was allowed.

Favorite Columbia lore? Spring 2024. Chastity gates. The Uranium Heist.

What was your favorite class at Columbia? Anything with Gina Jae. Disability (Mara Green). Living, Dying, and the Meaning of Life (Lydia Dugdale, Ian Rottenberg, Katja Vogt). Unsettling Science (Madi Whitman). Desire and Metamorphosis (Jennifer Boylan). Absent Mothers, Wicked Stepmothers (Wendy Schor-Haim). Truly ANYTHING with Gina Jae.

Whom would you like to thank? First and foremost, thank you to my moms April and Chris for their love, support, courage, and decision to have another child. Also for answering soooo many phone calls over the years, when the closest thing to a physical hug was their voice.

To the Columbia Metrotones, thank you for genuinely being the best part of my college experience. Our weekly rehearsals, study groups, dinners, parties, and overall community will always hold a dear place in my heart.

To the Barnard Anthropology Department, thank you for teaching me that there’s so much more to the world we live in, and encouraging me to research what I care about (YAY queer Alabamians! We exist, I promise!). Thanks especially to Gina for being the best major/thesis advisor I could’ve asked for!

To Mirna Lekić, my piano instructor from the Columbia Music Performance, thank you for helping me grow not only as a pianist, but also in resilience. Thank you for pushing me beyond my comfort zone and reminding me to play boldly.

Other shoutouts: the Sulzberger piano practice rooms, naps in the Milstein green chairs, Diana breakfast sandwiches, and the Diana steps (we’ve really missed you).

And finally, thank you to all the lovely and amazing people that have made this place feel like a home! My time at Barnard would not be complete without the incredible community I’ve found here, and I would not be the same without each and every one of you. Love y’all so much! <3

One thing to do before graduating? Just Dance in a Milstein first-floor seminar room during finals. Trust me, it’s life-changing.

Any regrets? As an anxious person, yes probably. In reality, nothing that matters in the long run. Most things ended up fine, even when I was convinced they wouldn’t.

KHS via KHS