Hello, my name is Jotautas (YO-taw-thus) Jokubas Baronas. Ango (webmaster) asked me to be the face of the month and now I don’t know why I’d agreed. Probably to get some attention (especially from girls). But seriously, I’m really honored and thankful for this opportunity. By the way, it’s my first “essay” in this university (one can tell, I guess)! I’m a freshman Chemistry major… Yep, very boring! Anyway, let’s get on with it. My grandparents met in the summer of year... 200 B.C maybe. Ok, seriously I was born in Vilnius, Lithuania (awesome country, look it up) and lived there all my life before coming to Jacobs. Quite a contrast to most of the other people here in Jacobs (some have 4 nationalities and have lived in all continents except Antarctica!)

As small and at first sight undistinguished as my homeland may appear, it features many places of incredible beauty and tranquility. From capital Vilnius with its huge and green old town, packing an incredible variety of architectural styles, to the blissful Curonian spit – one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever been to. They both are included in the UNESCO world heritage list, by the way. If you ever get the chance to visit, don’t hesitate. I’ll gladly be your tour guide (in case I’m there myself of course).

At the age of 3 I got myself a brother, which I proudly invited my friends to look at. I couldn’t imagine then, how much harder he would make my life… When I was 7, my dad lost the fight to cancer. Unfortunately, I understood everything and those were the saddest days of my life. Later, as my mom had to work most of the time to keep us fed, I learned to take care of myself and my My bro n Ibrother. Being a pretty naughty child, I still did very well in school and without any effort, luckily, because I am lazy. That’s why JUB was a kind of a shock to me – I actually have to study to get decent grades! Crazy place… But I still have the love for not studying rooted in me and I try to do that as much as possible (without getting expelled).

Ever since first grade, after school I would go and pick my brother up from the kindergarten, teach him things nobody had taught me and so on. I believe this is also why I have SOME sense of responsibility, don’t fear almost anything in this life and always keen to try out new things. One of them was studying abroad. Jacobs wasn’t my initial destination but I’m very happy I ended up here - ESPECIALLY in Mercator!

Atmosphere-wise this place is incredible. From the true HEALTHY spirit at the Olympix to the gossip at the dinner tables to the always original and interesting cheer-ups… Where else could I’ve found such cool window-mates (try to open your blinds once in a while, you might get pleasantly surprised). I honestly believe that we have the friendliest college masters and RAs. The ONLY thing I don’t like about this place right now (gasp!) is the Fussball table! It’s pre-war and probably even dangerous to use! But it’s a minor annoyance which should be fixed sometime soon, I hope.

Tribute paid, so I’ll write something more about myself. I love music. Yeah, nothing too exceptional… But I love it so much I was close to becoming a musician at one point. I started out on clarinet but was forced to stop after a couple of years because my little finger was too short to properly play (at least that was the official reason; truth is, I didn’t enjoy it enough). Three or four years later I returned with my patched up ego to become a drummer. And I did! Well, sort of. I had the best teacher in the world: always cracking (inappropriate) jokes, he never seemed fully adult to me. He also was the one who made the biggest influence on my musical taste and understanding. Coming years, I’ve played many many gigs all over Europe (actually, just Germany and the Baltics) with many various bands – from jazz to metal - and even made some records (none released though). Now JUB has taken all that away!.. Yes, I’m kidding. I still do play here (as you may have witnessed) but by far not as often as I’d like to. Hopefully you’ll get to enjoy my genius more over the coming years.

The insane amount and variety of clubs on this small campus of ours really appeals to my broad range of interests and I try to get involved in as much as I can which later backlashes at my grades and sleeping time. Well, maybe more so does all the partying and random chatting… I’m very happy to have found a lot of people with similar attitudes to me; that is. partying or watching movies or playing games until the wee hours of the morning, no matter whether there’s an 8.15 the next day. I’m always fascinated to walk through campus at 3 or 4 am and see light in most of the college windows (and sometimes labs – now that’s crazy!).

My party loving nature led me to the coolest place in this university – The Otherside. I successfully went through an extremely rigorous selection process and now am officially employed there. Sadly, I got only one semester of bartending to do before it got closed. But we’re seriously working on the renovation now, and when it reopens, it’s going to be MAJESTIC.

Some more random info about me: I love football (which some of you may know as soccer), sadly I’m not good enough to get into the main team. I also enjoy ice skating very much, so if you ever feel like it and have nobody to go with – give me a call. I might even teach you something, if you’re bad enough at it. Reading books is another “hobby” of mine which Jacobs has basically taken away… I even barely find the time to read the letters my friends send me – I think old-fashioned letters are so much cooler than e-mails or Facebook (or anything internet) to communicate with friends far away.

All in all, I love this place and the people. Despite the lack of “international experience” and never having lived abroad, Jacobs University has become my second home, Mercator being in the heart of it. Wherever my road may lead next, I’m sure I’ll never forget all the good times that happened (and will happen) here.