Illustration by Tomiris Tatisheva
Year:
Sophomore. CC
Major/College:
English and Public Health.
I’ve always known I would do English, it was just a matter of what I would do along with it. Public Health because I’m interested in HIV and AIDS policy. There’s also a lack of queerness within that space, specifically among healthcare providers.
Hometown:
Bangalore, India. I was born and raised there – lived there my whole life and came to the U.S. for college.
What you love about Quarto (you can also share a favorite memory):
I’ll share a memory! Lia had a Quarto party at her place and someone started to play “Believe” by Cher on the speakers. There were these pipes in the corner and Dariya just really started working the pipes. I came and joined her, then Fatima and Alia came and it was a big group of us dancing together and singing “DO YOU BELIEVE IN LIFE AFTER LOVE???”
What else are you involved in/hobbies & interests:
I’m trying to get more involved in theatre this year. One of my friends is involved in Barnard theatre production and I would love to do something like that and get involved behind the scenes.
I don’t know if you’ve seen this report that came out recently which talked about the lack of spaces for artistic people on campus. I’m interested in how we can create more spaces for creatives at Columbia. I think Quarto – especially in that we only publish undergraduate writing and hold writing workshops for the community – is trying to create more spaces for artists on campus.
Favorite author/work:
My favorite work right now is a book called Gay Bar: Why We Went Out by Jeremy Atherton Lin. I read it over the summer and it’s one of those books I feel like I’ve always been waiting for. The author is Asian-American and it's about the lack of access to queer spaces and how the gay bar is a relic of a past generation and how it seems to be dying even though it’s still really important to the queer scene. The writing is also one of the reasons I love it so much. It’s beautifully written, exactly the kind of prose I go for, tight and electric. You can tell that the writer has put a lot of care into it. I think being at Quarto has made me hyper-aware of the kinds of writing I’m looking for. This book is definitely up there for me. Each sentence takes you to a new place you never expected to be.
My favorite artist is Kylie Minogue and my favorite song by her is “Fine Wine.” Kylie Minogue is important to me because (a) disco revival and (b) I think she’s a very seminal queer artist. Honestly, she’s made me more at peace with being basic. I don’t feel a need to be unique or esoteric, I’m so happy having the same interests as everyone else like me – and everyone else is so cool!
I think everything is about dance, especially Kylie. Listening to her feels like envisioning movement or feeling like movement is possible, which feels really exciting.
What’s in your tote bag/essential items (5-10):
Sunscreen: You need to have it! I reapply once every hour. After I leave this interview I will be applying another coat.
Heart-Shaped Sunglasses: These are here for obvious reasons, to block out the sun.
Burts Bees Healing Body Lotion: This is for extremely dry skin, which I don’t have. I use products meant for extremely dry skin because they work the best and do exactly what they need to do.
Book: I have a book by Jack Parlett called The Poetics of Cruising: Queer Visual Culture from Whitman to Grindr. This, kind of in the same vein as Gay Bar, explores queer sex as social mobility.
Clinique 100-Hour Moisture Surge: This is to replenish my hydrations every 100 hours! It was free so it’s even sweeter.
Notebook: I keep a notebook in my bag because I’m just so esoteric. I’ll show you the notes, so you know I’m not faking it.
Pen: A pen to take notes in my notebook, of course, because this is real and not fake.
Earphones: To listen to Kylie Minogue.
Kimchi Chic Lipgloss: Mango scented, for delicious reasons.
Perfume: This is my Pistachio Brulee perfume, which is so delicious. Hopefully, it’s my signature scent. Time will tell.