Tag yourself. We’re the Pocky

Our next senior to be featured is Sofia Geck, who’s been to the side of the stage, leading pit orchestras in more shows than we can count. She shares theater stories, ox ball stories, and more in this witty Wisdom.

Name, School, Major, Hometown: Sofia Geck, Barnard College, English/creative writing & Psychology, Takoma Park, MD/Nairobi, Kenya

Claim to fame: 122nd Annual Varsity Show and XMAS!10 composer/lyricist, Barnard Writing Fellow, occasional acting roles as Sassy Pianist in Top Hat, shy geek who will drown you in puns and dry existential humor if you let your guard down.

Where are you going? Probably across campus carrying a keyboard and wearing a green bucket hat.

What are 3 things you learned at Columbia and would like to share with the Class of 2021?

1) Strike out into the unknown and risk failing at something risky and meaningful rather than playing it safe. As a first year with zero theatre experience, I bombed a CMTS production interview and nearly gave up on theatre altogether. I tried one more and unwittingly got my foot in the door to the community by assisting on some weird little production called the 120th Annual Varsity Show – the rest is history. You just never know what you might find yourself drawn to, so grab every opportunity to do something new and unexpected – it’s crazy to think how many opportunities and relationships we now take for granted happened largely due to whim or chance (shoutout to my NSOP buddies <3). College doesn’t grant you the luxury of making steady progress on one project for ten years (unless you’re really behind on those graduation requirements), it gives you just enough time to throw a bunch of ideas and versions of yourself at a wall to see what sticks. And since nothing you make or participate in will be perfect, learn from what others have done in the past and in the surprisingly short time you have here, make sure to make something that only you could have.

2)  Look to the next generation. I never would have created what I did or gotten to where I am now without people who were willing to take time and encourage something they saw in me, even when I didn’t recognize it myself. Look around you and appreciate the people that do a lot of unseen work in order to make things run smoothly or even just run at all, and consider how you can help them. One day you might look back and see someone standing in your old position, and you can be proud to see what they’ve accomplished and to have helped them grow and get there.

3) Don’t be too afraid/proud to ask for help. Imposter syndrome is so, so real and you may convince yourself you’re not worth the time or trouble, but whether it’s from Furman/CPS, professors, friends, the writing center, or anything else, don’t let yourself ride that college rollercoaster alone. I can’t guarantee any of these interactions will truly help you, but few feelings are worse than struggling with a massive problem – creative, emotional, academic, or otherwise – by yourself.

“Back in my day…” The Barnard theatre department hadn’t put on a musical since last century, you could walk from one end of Barnard to the other without going outside via the tunnels, printing was a pain in the butt and didn’t have a punny name, and Maggie was the benevolent pink presence watching over campus instead of the unsettling mural on Diana 6.

Justify your existence in 30 words or fewer. I once ate ox balls at a Nairobi restaurant because I was curious and thought it’d make a good story later, which sums up my life philosophy in every possible interpretation of that anecdote except one. (They tasted like tofu)

What was your favorite class at Columbia? Estrangement & Exile in Global Literature, Hisham Matar

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese? I can enjoy cheese perfectly well on my own without worrying about the pesky awkwardness of social interaction.

One thing to do before graduating Look at something cool in the Rare Books & Manuscript Library in Butler – the staff are super friendly, and it still kind of blows my mind that they let random college students casually mess around with several hundred year old books.…And see the Varsity Show.

Any regrets? Mostly small things, like not buying a keyboard case with wheels when I had the chance. More notably, forgetting to respond to various friendly invitations for coffee/dinner/etc over the years. Be social, dammit! *shakes fist at past self*

Green time in the Writing Center via Yasmina Milord