The Bwog
Senior Wisdom: Maxim Pinkovskiy

The latest in our continuing Senior Wisdom series: CC valedictorian Maxim Pinkovskiy

Name, School:

Maxim Pinkovskiy, CC

Claim to fame:

I was the 2004 M&M Peanut Minute Student of the Year in Xavier Sala-i-Martin's Intermediate Macro class!

Post-grad plans:

Ph.D. in economics at MIT, then — I hope — professor at Columbia University.

Preferred swim test stroke?


Walk three lengths on the bottom of the swimming pool on my hands.

What are three things you learned at Columbia?


1. How to reconcile Thucydides' interpretation of history as guided by characteristics of people as a whole — desire, hope, pride — with his deep interest in individual leaders.
2. How to prove the Central Limit Theorem.
3. "Everything has an economic intuition." — Xavier Sala-i-Martin

Justify your existence in 30 words or less.

Cogito ergo sum (1/10th of 30 words)

What was your favorite controversy in your time at Columbia?

Once, a Spectator editorial criticized the way economics is taught at Columbia...my friends and I had a fun time talking about how to respond.

What Columbia memory best exemplifies your college experience?


Falling off my chair in Econ Forum while arguing about the New Deal.

Which prof do you think would be the best kisser?

Sophia Kovalevskaya (1850-1891)

What percentage of seniors do you think are virgins?

That must be an imaginary number.

Would you rather permanently give up oral sex or cheese?


In the dictionary, the word "turophile" has my picture next to it — I vacuum-clean all the cheese at formal events. I hope this answers it.

Days on Campus memory?

I stayed up having a philosophical conversation with some people until midnight — this was the first time I had done this, and would prove not to be the last.

Regrets?


Columbia has been a blessing to me all four years, and I am sorry that this phase of my life is coming to a close. I also regret that Professor Seidel moved to California before I could take more of his classes.


Posted by ugh: #1 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 12:04 PM (from campus)
just ugh
Posted by ugh: #2 (in reply to #1) · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 12:06 PM (from campus)
ugh to you.
Posted by NERD: #3 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 12:09 PM (from campus)
ALERT.
Posted by omg: #4 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 12:11 PM (from campus)
i love this guy
Posted by shut up haters!: #5 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 12:13 PM (from campus)
this guy is absolutely adorable.
Posted by He : #6 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 12:24 PM
is light blue
Posted by Nerd, but: #7 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 12:31 PM (from campus)
Nerd, but I give him props for not being afraid to show it.
Posted by perhaps: #8 (in reply to #5) · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 12:40 PM (from campus)
but by my count he used at least 7 words to justify his existence. Fallible after all?
Posted by well: #9 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 12:44 PM (from campus)
now we know at least one senior that's still a virgin...
Posted by it makes me : #10 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 12:57 PM (from campus)
so sad that people feel the need to be mean to this dude.

Maxim, you're all right in my book.
Posted by Mercutio: #11 (in reply to #2) · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:00 PM (from campus)
Ugh on both your houses!
Posted by alexw: #12 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:02 PM (from campus)
Fuck anybody who does not think this guy is awesome.
Posted by agreed: #13 (in reply to #12) · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:12 PM
he seems like a great guy
Posted by this was: #14 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:13 PM (from campus)
by far the best senior wisdom yet. well, maybe becky abrams is a close second. but this one was great.

as per usual, lots of dbag bwog commentors
Posted by soo: #15 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:19 PM
forcing socialism into every answer makes david judd reprehensible, but forcing economics into every answer makes maxim adorable.
Posted by amazing and true: #16 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:20 PM (from campus)
What percentage of seniors do you think are virgins?

That must be an imaginary number.
Posted by Cute: #17 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:21 PM (from campus)
hehe i like him.
Posted by not bad: #18 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:22 PM (from campus)
but get laura klienbaum to do one. that chicks is hilarious.
Posted by the implications: #19 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:23 PM (from campus)
of the percentage of virgin seniors being imaginary are profound! that means the square of the percentage of virgin seniors is negative...perhaps implying that no senior is a virgin and the overflow extends to a portion of the junior class?? someone help me with this
Posted by maxim!: #20 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:33 PM (from campus)
marry me!
Posted by his: #21 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:39 PM
choice of a women dead for over a century as best kisser wins me over. nothing wrong with having a crush on a dead person. perfectly normal.
Posted by mathematician: #22 (in reply to #19) · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:39 PM (from campus)
Well, if each virgin senior coupled with each other virgin senior (and once with his or herself) there would actually be a negative amount of some being got... that's kind of a surprising corollary
Posted by @his: #23 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:40 PM
maybe i'm sounding sarcastic, but i'm actually serious.

also, i have never heard the word turophile and had to look it up. he wins.
Posted by Refreshing: #24 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:42 PM (from campus)
While I can't say this Senior Wisdom leaves me wishing I got to know the guy, it was nice to read answers that were clearly genuine. Congrats, Maxim.
Posted by i want to read: #25 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:43 PM (from campus)
your lithum essay, maxim! e-mail it to us
Posted by 3>3>: #26 (in reply to #15) · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 1:48 PM (from campus)
there's a difference

judd the socialist is a whining douchebag

maxim the econ nerd is like a cute puppy

evidence:

Judd: "There is no demonstration so innocuous that it will not be controversial at Columbia, nor is there any statement so shamelessly callous that some "liberal" Columbia student will not take proud ownership of it."

vs.

Maxim: "Once, a Spectator editorial criticized the way economics is taught at Columbia...my friends and I had a fun time talking about how to respond."

Maxim: "I stayed up having a philosophical conversation with some people until midnight — this was the first time I had done this"

lol
Posted by yeah: #27 (in reply to #26) · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 2:01 PM (from campus)
you're right, Judd might look on libertarian radical with pity and disgust, while maxim would look on any other flavor of nerd with understanding and respect
Posted by yay: #28 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 2:03 PM (from campus)
Maxim is awesome. And I love the answer to the Columbia memory question.
Posted by ...: #29 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 2:05 PM (from campus)
Aww... makes me wish that i could be this genuine(ly nerdy)
Posted by love: #30 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 2:14 PM
I have a crush on him
Posted by fed up: #31 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 2:19 PM (from campus)
can people please stop hating on David Judd? Is it really so threatening to all of you that someone might have political convictions that you do not share and that these convictions might be an important part of that person's life? And Maxim, you seem like a cool guy. Congratz on being Valedictorian. Honestly, I think all the haters on Bwog simply can't stand the idea that anyone could care passionately about anything besides being snarky on the internet.
Posted by hating on Judd: #32 (in reply to #31) · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 2:36 PM (from campus)
has less to do with his political convictions and more to do with how he expresses himself.
Posted by Maxim is adorkable: #33 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 2:37 PM (from campus)
awww.

get George Olive to do Senior Wisdom!
Posted by nothing would: #34 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 2:38 PM
inflate david judd's ego more than to know that haters are hating on him on the valedictorian's bwog comments...

that is if he had an ego, which he doesn't

your hateraton simply proves how relevant judd is compared to all other mofos in the 2008 w/ exceptions of maybe christein tompkins, michelle diamond, chris kulawik, and jon siegel.
Posted by omg!: #35 (in reply to #34) · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 3:08 PM (from campus)
more jon siegel!!!!!
Posted by agreement: #36 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 3:37 PM (from campus)
His answers were great. I love someone not jaded and cynical, a rare breed at Columbia.
Posted by : #37 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 3:57 PM (from campus)
Jason Bello for the Senior Wisdom! Go Bwog, go.
Posted by haha: #38 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 4:04 PM (from campus)
i have great respect for him because he didn't simply say "I'm the motherfuckin' valedictorian" for "Claim to Fame"...because that's what I would've done.
Posted by adorable: #39 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 4:12 PM (from campus)
So refreshing to hear some honesty!! Maxim, I love your unrelentless nerdiness and the fact that you admitted you'd rather give up oral sex than cheese (I'm totally with you). Best senior wisdom yet!!
Posted by yes!: #40 (in reply to #37) · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 4:13 PM (from campus)
agreed!!
Posted by hahaha: #41 (in reply to #38) · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 4:14 PM (from campus)
i'm with you man.
Posted by unfortunately...: #42 (in reply to #10) · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 4:40 PM
your book happens to be "A Child Called It"
Posted by me too: #43 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 4:53 PM (from campus)
i join the i love maxim bandwagon.

cheese rules.
Posted by Little Liverbird: #44 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 5:32 PM
"Columbia has been a blessing to me all four years." Right on. Congratulations, Maxim! You're incredible.
Posted by agreed: #45 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 7:26 PM (from campus)
maxim is truly a remarkable and fascinating guy. Socially terrible, but in a way that makes him socially brilliant. I love talking to him and never tire of his slow, earnest, and overly polite answers to my questions.

also agreed george olive and jason bello need to next in line for senior wisdom...
Posted by random: #46 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 8:05 PM (from campus)
This guy needs a girlfriend.
Posted by random: #47 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 8:07 PM (from campus)
I'll put my 1 in your 0.
Posted by Hmm: #48 · reply · track
April 30, 2008 at 8:55 PM (from campus)
I wonder... was he the guy whose nerdiness/dress style I just couldn't believe in my Probability class last semester?

I do share his joy for the Central Limit Theorem. How amazing and elegant, that any sum of iid random variables with finite variance converges to a normal distribution. This shows up everywhere!
Posted by agree: #49 (in reply to #18) · reply · track
May 1, 2008 at 1:26 PM (from campus)
get Laura to do one
Posted by I give it: #50 · reply · track
May 2, 2008 at 12:00 AM
20 years max before he wins the Nobel prize. Mazel Tov, Maxim. I can think of no one more worthy of being valedictorian. Good luck at MIT.
Posted by anon: #51 · reply · track
May 2, 2008 at 3:16 PM
maxim is a nice guy down to the bottom of his heart. shame on anyone who takes pleasure in trying to denigrate him.

if you spent 2 minutes talking to him and you'd regret ever saying a mean word.
Posted by Not: #52 (in reply to #21) · reply · track
May 4, 2008 at 3:25 AM
Not just any woman, a Russian Mathematician.
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