The Living Learning CenterNEWSLETTER Volume I, Issue II: October 4, 2012ToC to the LLC

News: Wally the Robot ofWallach 8 ....Page 1Feature: Interview withthe Artist—Roz Watson ....Page 2LLC RAs of the Week:Naomi & Dongni....Page 3What You Don't Want toMiss:Upcoming Events....Page 4Recap:September's Photos....Page 5Beat on the [LLC] Street....Page 5Guess the Suite ....Page 5

Calling for residentsubmissions! Are you awriter, artist, or just likedoodling on the side of yournotebook? We'd love tofeature you in the LLCNewsletter! Contact your RAfor more information.

Today'sWords of Wisdom:...from Wallach CA, Lindsay WhiteWhen midterms or stress have medown, I look around and find onething that makes me happy. I writeit on a Post­it and make sure I cansee that Post­it while I work.Things like "I can see trees frommy window" will make me smile...

Wally: The Wobbly Robot of Wallach 8

Story and Photos of Wally by Lindsay White

If you would like to help Wallyspread his message and volunteerfor Robogals, they'd love to have youon their team! Just emailsrishti@usa.robogals.org and she'lltell you more about how you can getinvolved and hang out with Wally.

Say hello to Wally, the Robot of Wallach 8.Wally is not just any kind of robot—no,Wally is a working robot in the field ofeducation. When he isn’t hanging aroundthe LLC, Wally is off teaching children ofthe Tri­State area the wonders of being anengineer.Indeed, Wally is a robot with heart—orrather a CPU that functions like a brain inhis chest, complete with a variety ofprograms that can tell Wally to walk, talk,listen, and even respond. He has eightports: one USB port, three around hisshoulders that connect to the main motors,and four at the small of his back whichconnect to his UV and sonic sensors.That’s right, Wally can not only seesomething in front of him, but he can alsoavoid running into it!Additionally, our electronic friend, from aLego NXT 2.0 kit, also features ball­in­socket shoulder joints that allow him tomove much like us. He can also graspsmall objects with his operational hands.While he is light on programs now due tomidterms—much like the rest of us—Wallycertainly has some impressive capabilities.According to his roommate and creator,Srishti Goel of Wallach 8, Wally is aproduct of Robogals, a nonprofit thatstarted abroad and just recently jumpedthe oceans to the Western Hemisphere. Infact, the Columbia chapter of Robogals,which is currently an unofficial club in theeyes of CU and run by six female ColumbiaEngineering students, is one of about threein North America, as Goel, a boardmember, reported during Wally’sinterview.The Columbia Robogals work primarilywith organizations like the Boys & GirlsClub of the Bronx to get children ages 10­13 excited about robotics as well asengineering in a more general sense.Robogals representatives and volunteersvisit sites, like the Boys & Girls Club andthe New Jersey Science Fair (Oct. 13­14),to host special robotics workshops. Theseworkshops include four stations whichfollow the creation of the ‘bots fromphysical construction and programming to

exploring the full functionality.The fourth station—Wally’s post—isperhaps the most important. At this stop,children learn about the different projectsand career paths of an engineer and cansee firsthand the consequence of thoseskills in Wally, who, equipped with anaudience, “dances” on his table andwobbles from end to end.Goel explained, as someone who grew ­upwith both parents being engineers, that“some kids don’t have that influence intheir lives.” She said, “It’s completelyfascinating to have a bunch of pieces youcan put together that will then dosomething on its own—it is incrediblyrewarding. It’s great to teach [the children]what I love about engineering.”Building robots like Wally and conductingthese amazing workshops comes at a cost,however. The Columbia chapter ofRobogals will be hosting a fundraisingevent at Il Cibreo tomorrow, October 5th­­$5 to enter, 21 to drink. The proceeds willbe going towards robot kits, volunteertransportation to workshop sites, as wellas the group’s ultimate goal of having clublaptops preloaded with programs andalways available for travel.If you see Wally in the halls, say hello! He’sa friendly robot.

Congratulations toEmilio Fajardo,Winner of Last

Issue'sGuess The Suite:

Hartley 5C

LLC Feature of the Week: Interview with the ArtistInvestigating Last Issue's "Guess the Suite" Photo of Hartley 5C

What's your name?Rosalind Bazett Watson, or RozWhat School are you in andwhat year?Sophomore, Columbia CollegeWhat's your potential major?Economics, Pre­medWhen did you startdrawing/creating art?Since before I can remember.Most kids love making art or atleast creating a mess of some

sort, I just never stopped.Why did you start drawing?I grew up in a very artistichousehold, with three creative oldersisters and a mother who was anartist. My art has never been aboutcopying them or trying to impressthem or follow in someone'sfootsteps, but the importance of artwas always impressed upon me.What do you hope to do aftercollege?I want to be a doctor, and if thatdoesn’t work I’m sure I can use theeconomics major to some advantage.I will always love art and continue tocreate, but I don’t see it directlyfactoring into a career in the future,and that’s ok.

What's your favorite piece?My favorite pieces aredefinitely the abstractpaintings pictured here, thefigure with orange hair isdefinitely a favorite of mine.I’ve always had a kind of weirdand whirlwind style to mypieces – I like the beautiful­ugly tint that is so much moreinteresting than the pretty.

This is a charcoal figure drawingfrom class, Fall 2012. I alwaysthought it was kind of badlyexecuted, but interesting to look at.Markmaking has always been moreof my thing anyways, so I put it up.At the end of the day, no matter howmuch I dislike a piece, when it comesto the LLC its better than a blankwall. : )

Titled “Rower” Spring2012. This is a paintingof a figure alone in arowboat with a purplesky. Again, I don’t reallyknow how to explainthis one, except for thefact that on some daysthis is a sad paintingand some days it’s ahappy one.

Fall 2011: This was animage I was sort offorced to make in adrawing class:drawing from real lifeis something that isvery helpful and usefulto any artist, but itnever felt very creativeto me.

Spring 2012. This painting wasalso an exercise from class, andyou can’t really tell its mine untilyou look really close at the paintand the colors on the skin. Thehuman skin is one of the hardestthings to paint, but I alwaysloved whenever we had a modelin class because the challengewas pretty rad. This was one ofmy favorite results from this.

Fall 2011. This piece ispretty dark, not theeasiest to explain inwords, though itssupposed to be a kind ofpicture of the artist'sbrain from inside,looking out the eye.

Spring 2012. I love this painting. It’s taken meuntil recently to realize what its really about,but I think the best description is the feeling ofbeing on the verge of your 20s with so muchexcitement and anxiety and thrills and the wholeworld in front of you. The figure’s hair looks likefire, and his/her head is floating above the body,as if it’s too full of information to stay in oneplace. I guess I would title it “On the Verge.” Ialways hate titling things, but that’s as close as Iwould put it.

Interview and art tour byLindsay White, WallachCA, with Roz Watson,Hartley 5—the artistbehind some of theHartley 5C artwork.Photos by Lindsay White.

Naomi Senbet:Wallach RA of the Week Dongni Zhang:Hartley RA of the Week

LLC RAs of the Week:Thanks for the Great Study Breaks!

Check it Out:Photo and Testimonials from Dongni and Naomi's Trip to theNew York C i ty Ba l l e t

Have an AWESOME idea for a Study Break, but not sure how to implement it—ask your RA or CA!"I feel very fortunate to have hadthe opportunity to live in the LLCbecause of activities like the NewYork City Ballet outing. Not onlywas I able to have a new andexciting experience in New YorkCity, but I was also able to sharethat experience with the freshman,sophomores, and juniors that Ilive with."­Loxley Bennett, Wallach 3

The NYC Ballet Group Strikes a Pose, photo provided byHartley 3 RA, Dongni and Wallach 3 RA, Naomi.

“I loved the ballet and thought itwas an excellent (andcheap)introduction into the kindof events Manhattan has to offerfor us.”­ Diego Paris, Hartley 3

The ballet was not onlyenriching in and of itself, butalso the program enabledinteraction of residents acrossthe entire LLC that may nothave been feasible otherwise.­Naomi Senbet, RA Wallach 3

"It was a wonderful way to spenda Saturday night by exploring theperforming arts scene in the city."­Dongni Zhang, RA Hartley 3

Floor: Hartley 3School & Year: CC 2014Most “Columbia”Moment: Bonding withother students in randomplaces such as by theelevator or on the way toclass over shared interestsor core classes.Favourite CampusSpot: Clichéd butdefinitely Low StepsFavourite Movie: TheSocial Network

NYC Getaway: Maybeweird, but I love sitting onthe red steps at TimesSquare. Rather than feelingstressed out by the hordesand masses of tourists, Ilove the bustling energy andwatching the bright flashinglights.Dongni is a biology majorhailing from a not­so­distant country calledCanada. She loves dancing,socializing and reading inher spare time. In her otherspare time, she is involvedin Columbia’s premedicalsociety, CU­AMSA, danceteams and volunteerorganizations. She is excitedto return to the LLCcommunity as a RA andlook forward to having theopportunity to know all ofyou better! Feel free to sayhi anytime!

Photo provided by Dongni Zhang

Floor: Wallach 3School & Year: CC '14Most "Columbia"Moment:Crashing the annualsummer alumni party onthe steps leads tosurprisingly insightfuldiscourse on the merits anddrawbacks of the Core...Favorite campus spot:Cliché, but the steps!Postcard perfect!NYC Getaway place:Sheep Meadow, the smallgrass enclosure aboveLincoln Restaurant inLincoln Center and/orWashington Square Park(Can you tell I love cityparks?)Favorite TV show/movie:Film: Being There,TV Show: ArrestedDevelopmentSo my superiors charged

me with the almostimpossible task to describemyself. Here goes nothing...Iam an Ethiopian­Americanecon major/psych minor andonly child originally hailingfrom Washington, DC. Ismile a lot, but don't confusethat for perpetual happiness.I love clothes, but don'tconfuse that for superficiality.I like turn of phrases, butdon't confuse that forarticulateness.

Photo provided by Naomi Senbet

Featured Event:Tomorrow, Oct. 5th!What Not To Miss

Looking Ahead

Coming Soon

Come join us October 25 from 7pm to 9pm in theHartley Sky Lounge for the LLC's first Pizza withProfessors event of the year!It's pretty self­explanatory.There will be pizza.And a professor.In particular, Economics Professor Anna Musatti will bejoining us for a few slices of Koronets. This will be aninformal event; feel free to come hang out, bring somefriends, talk to Musatti, and eat some pizza.See you there!Questions? Email Denise, RA of Hartley 9 atdmm2186@columbia.edu.October 27, 2012:LLC Halloween Celebration

October 25, 2012:Pizza & Professor Event

October 19, 2012:Diversity Dinner Potluck

Coin Wars Fundraiser: October 7th to October 20thSponsored by Unite for SightSouthfield and LLC Dorms ParticipatingWe want you to show your dorm pride while helpingprevent and treat blindness! Coin Wars will last fromSunday, October 7th, at 9pm to Saturday, October 20that 9pm. Money collection buckets will be located near thesecurity guards desk in participating dorms­­coins countfor positive points and dollar bills count for negativepoints. 100% of our proceeds support eye­care serviceslocally and in Ghana, India, and Honduras. The winningdorm receives a free ice cream party at the end!

Community Announcements:

Dear Students,Don't know how to ask out that cute classmate inBiology? Is your mom calling every Friday night to askyou about your grades? Having trouble in class but notsure how to ask your professor for help? As students ofColumbia University, most of you naturally excelacademically; however, time spent in a classroom is onlypart of the college experience. Over the next year, Alice!Health Promotion will be developing a new initiative,Rel@te, which will address a variety of relationshipsexperienced by students ranging from relationships withparents, friends, roommates, partners, teachers andmore.Do you have something to say about relationships? Weare looking for student volunteers to participate in hour­long discussions about relationships on campus. Theseconversations will directly inform the development of theRel@te program and you'll get a $15 Barnes & Noblegiftcard! To participate, please take two minutes tocomplete this short survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/relate.You can also email us at al2758@columbia.edu to findout more information!Thanks for your help!Alice!

The LLC CAs invite you to an evening of intrigue inWallach Sky Lounge from 7­9:30pm on October 19th.Here's the pitch:1) Grab a couple of your friends and form a team of 3to 4 people. This can be a floor team, a suite team, oryour good old dream team.2) Come to dinner with a dish that represents someaspect of either your identity or an identity to whichyou can relate.Maybe this is your grandma's super secret meatballrecipe? Or perhaps this is your favorite dish thatsomehow perfectly reflects your bubbly personality?You could even present a dish that represents youridol or favorite personality of history. It's up to you!Be creative, because you'll be asked to explainyour dish and its history or meaning to the group!The team with the most compelling story will win aspecial prize... RSVP to a night of fun by emailingHartley CA Victoria Nneji: vcn2101@columbia.edu.

What: Cooking at Home with the LLC and theCulinary SocietyWhen: Tomorrow @ 9:00pm!Where: Wallach 8th floor loungeWhy: What's not to like about a home­cooked meal?Please RSVP on the facebook event!Note: depending on the attendance, we may not haveenough food for everyone to eat comfortably so eat a littlebit before hand. This can be a late night snack!

October 8, 2012:LLC Town Hall Meetings for Upperclassmen

The first LLC Resident to email the correctanswer to law2141@columbia.edu will win a

plate of cookies.

Guess The Suite:Win Cookies from Wallach CA

September in Review: Cardboard Canoes & The Medievel Festival

All photos in this section are provided by Hogan

CAAudry Padgett and Hartley CA Victoria Nneji .

Top Left: The winningteam paddles to victory.Top Right: The winningteam tests out creationbefore the main event.Bottom Left: WallachGHD Sarah Marsh sinks,coming in second.

Left: Wallach CALindsay White andWallach 4 RA TimChen befriendMedieval enthusiasts.Right: The grouppauses in front of thescenic Hudson River.

"I clean my room. I find it clensing."—Jean LaFontant, Hartley 5 RA

"I watch Dr. Who until I can't feelanything..."

—David Benedetto, Wallach 9 RA

"I grow out my beard."—Jonah Smith, Wallach 9 "I study."

—Kaitlin Huben, Wallach 5

"I switch my minors."—Muneep Alam, Wallach 5

"I wake up on time for class."—John Timoney­Gomez,

Wallach 5

?"I shower 4x a day. It keeps myenergy up"

—Andrew Pinelli, Wallach 5 RA

??"Cookie runs to Westside.Lots of cookies."

—Anonymous

Found in Wallach Sky Lounge:Black Earbud­Headphones.

Email law2141@columbia.edu.

Photos by Wallach CA Lindsay White