This semester’s first senior wisdom comes from Cameron Danesh-Pajou, Pennsylvanian, roof expert, and last drum major of the CUMB to conduct in Butler 209 (for now).

Name, School, Major, Hometown:
Cameron Danesh-Pajou, SEAS, Chemical Engineering and Economics, Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania

Claim to fame:
3x New York Times quotee; 2x Carnegie Hall saxophonist; 1x Orgo Night Drum Major in Butler 209

Where are you going?
Nowhere – we’re in quarantine, baby!

What are 3 things you learned at Columbia and would like to share with the Class of 2024?

  1. Talk to your TAs and professors! Having served as a TA for four semesters now, if you ask us enough questions, you’re bound to get the right answer. We’ve all been in your shoes and truly want to help, so ask away.
  2. Get involved the second you arrive on campus (even if this means virtually)! College is a major adjustment, and it will be overbearing at times, but creating connections with your peers through campus groups help you get through it all. It doesn’t matter what, and you can always switch it up, but it’ll be the people, organizations, and communities that you become a part of that will truly shape your college experience.
  3. Start building a support network! I know that right now all of our lives have been turned upside down, but now more than ever it’s important for you to follow up on all those ignored messages, calls, and DMs. Even if the next semester is online, social distancing won’t stop you from using the Facebook group and online programming to meet your new classmates. This is slowly becoming the new normal, so be sure to rekindle old connections and formulate some new ones so you are ready to go before you enter Morningside Heights.

“Back in my day…”
East Campus and Mudd Roofs were the place to be (R.I.P. EC Pipe Boy).

Favorite Columbia controversy?
Ken Hechtman. I don’t condone a single thing that he did, but that kid was wildin’ (re: Pupin Hall’s 1987 Uranium Heist).

What was your favorite class at Columbia?
Tie between “Economics of New York City” with Donald Davis and “Synthetic Human Organogenesis” with Mijo Simunovic.

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese?
While one is a quintessential ingredient of the New York slice, the other is a quintessential experience of the college years. What do you think?

Whom would you like to thank?
To my parents, family, and friends go all my thanks. College years are indeed some of the most formative and exciting ones, but they also come with their slew of difficulties, so thank you so incredibly much for helping me along this journey. To my professors and TAs, I’ll never forgive those of you who ruined my GPA, but I suppose I did learn a thing or two in the process. Special thanks of course goes out to the CUMB, continue to g(tb)^2 forever, and my fellow ChemEs for providing the necessary levity, diversion, and all-out chaos required to graduate in one piece. And finally, of course, one last toast goes out to Dean Mary C. Boyce. She truly is an icon, and none of us deserve her.

One thing to do before graduating:
Since graduation photos and celebrations with Alma will have to wait, I’ve begun compiling a list of book recommendations from my favorite professors over the past four years. You can tell the quarantine has gone on too long when SEAS boys like myself have resorted to reading.

Any regrets?
Nope. It’s been a blast. See you all at Homecoming 2020 (well, maybe 2021)!

image via Cameron