14 Comments
Josh Johnson
Name, Hometown, School: Josh Johnson; Uniondale, NY; Columbia College
Claim to fame? Co-chairman of the Black Student’s Group Consortium (shoutouts to my brothers and sisters in the struggle, cuz it’s real), Uris Pool Lifeguard, and Intramural Champion (I go hard in the paint!). Also my partying skills are legendary, I’ve perfected ancient the art of the fist-pump and my turn up is just mean bruh!
Where are you going? I’m heading back to Strong Island for the summer to study for the MCAT, which means I’m going to med school…someway/somehow. After that, I’ll hopefully be recharging my batteries on the crystal clear beaches of my not-so-distant homeland, Jamaica.
Three things you learned at Columbia:
- Speak up. Let’s face it Columbia is far from perfect. When issues arise in academic or social settings we should be vocal about our emotions and demand better from classmates, faculty, admin, etc. There’s no shame in being “that kid” in class who always brings up racism, sexism, classism and whatever other –isms exist. Chances are you are not alone in your experiences here at Columbia and the more you speak up the more encourage others to do the same.
- Make your own path. Being a part of the rat race is just no fun. Take the time out to be an individual and to appreciate your differences. Yeah I’m pre-med but I’ve never set foot in a lab outside the few I was required to take for class and I’m also an Ethnicity & Race major. I managed to find multiple ways in which I could mix my love of medicine with my interests in all those –isms I spoke about before. Basically though, you just gotta do you.
- Appreciate the little things. This is probably something that has been/will be reiterated by most of my fellow seniors. Savor every moment you spend with friends outside of class or Butler. Don’t be afraid to spend that extra hour in the dining hall, take that last minute trip downtown, or skip a few classes to chill on the steps.
Back in my day… $500 dining dollars was a thing. Having an Ethernet cord for Internet access was absolutely necessary. We had at least one minority/female Dean of either CC or SEAS. Courseworks looked like a website straight up out the year 1996. Frat Row actually had fraternities on it. Deantini was teaching us how to use the periodic table.
Justify your existence in 30 words or fewer: I work hard and I party slightly harder. And I’m part of what is possibly the best group of friends to ever set foot on College Walk.
Write a CU Admirers post to anyone or anything at Columbia: To the University maintenance staff: You keep Columbia up and running and there aren’t many avenues for us to show our appreciation for you. So thanks for doing what you do day in and day out.
Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese? Cheese who?
One thing to do before graduating: Go to happy hour during finals week. Trust me.
Any regrets? Can’t say I do. That’s not to say I’ve done all things perfectly here. In fact, I’m more often the opposite of perfect and I make more mistakes than I can count. But I’m here, and I’m graduating and not too many people who look like I do or come from where I come from can say the same. So with that, no I have no regrets.
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14 Comments
@New Friend So he gets hate for not stressing over life and being happy? Oh Columbia. Just because the struggle isn’t mentioned doesn’t mean it isn’t real.
Good luck with everything Josh!! And good luck on the MCAT!
@you guys be drinking dat haterade.
@Anonymous You’re a fucking idiot. Stop trying to relativize and categorize oppression. If you really gave a shit about Mark Carson, or any victim of a hate crime, you would realize that hate can take any form and that you are just arbitrarily considering one form “more serious” than another, when that’s not what oppression is about. All victims of oppression—whether gender-based or ethnicity-based—should stand in solidarity, as different types often work together to keep people down.
@Yes Because utopian ideals and practical experience often align with one another. Clearly I speak out of ignorance, and this is why the Black community has always been supportive of the gay rights movement–especially the rights of LGBT individuals within the Black community–and why political leftists have always spoken in favor of muslims’ rights to religious self-expression.
Oppression as an abstract construct is necessarily objective; given that it’s an experienced phenomenon, it is by necessity relative. I’m not saying the Black community doesn’t have it hard, and if that’s what you read you need to look a little closer. Probably also figure out how to reply to a comment while you’re at it. I’m pointing out that this dude who can afford to spend a summer studying, then hop on a plane to Jamaica, and rest on the laurels of his Ivy League degree has about as much right to claim privy to the “struggle”–a characterization of the suffering endured by those society has truly stomped all over, from my understanding–as I do. And trust me, my life is by no means cushy. Don’t get it twisted.
@Anonymous Who are you haters? And what is wrong with you!
@best one yet i love josh. he is real. HIS STRUGGLE IS REAL TOO DICKBAG ANON. love ya, josh!!! congrats on graduating!
@I'm sure With a reference to partying in almost every answer he gave, his life must be so difficult–god forbid he can’t go out drinking because its so tough out there!!!!
@"The struggle is real" Woe is you, Columbia grad, woe is you who can spend his summer studying for the MCAT then go hang out on the beach in Jamaica without mention of work. Woe is you, cause of isms and shit.
@Seriously. The struggle is real just about everywhere outside of this kid’s bubble.
@you most definitely do not know josh if you are saying this.
and in general, you really aren’t able to accurately judge who knows or does not know ‘the struggle’ based off of a blurb on a campus gossip website. besides, the struggle is not exclusive to being able to take a summer for studying or having the freedom to go to one’s homeland. being a black man in NYC is a struggle in and of itself.
congrats josh! i’ll miss you, though you’d never catch me saying it to your face :)
@Oh Right In the wake of three incredibly public hate crimes against the gay community in NYC–including the most recent fatal attack on Mark Carson–let’s all take a moment to remember how difficult it is to be an apparently wealthy, privileged and Ivy Leagued cisgendered male of any race. Yes, you *really* face the “struggle” buddy.
@Excuse me, but Do you know him? if not who are you to say anything of what his struggle is or may be? Rather than anonymously bash on bwog why not, (here’s a stretch) actually get from in front of your laptop and go and meet the person you so harshly judge. And the my struggle is greater than yours banter is not only old, but tiring. And news flash, you don’t have to be wealthy to attend or graduate from Columbia. So educate before anonymously commenting.
@How do you know? How do you know he isn’t planning to have a part time job? Struggle is not only financial, it takes other forms.
@Anonymous trust him