Karim Pirbay ’16

It doesn’t matter whether he’s seducing women with delicious Spice takeout and French wines whose names he can actually pronounce, or hiding the Ivy League Football trophy in his bathroom–

(with over 600 Facebook likes to boot)

— Karim Pirbay is and always will be the most authentic Renaissance man that Harvard has to offer. Read more to find out about Karim’s “fire” Spotify playlist, his best Harvard moment, and his amazing language reportoire (the seventh one is my favorite).

Who: Karim A. Pirbay

House: Lowell

Hometown: Antananarivo, Madagascar

Concentration: Philosophy with the Mind, Brain, and Behavior Track

Describe yourself in 3 words:

Dark. Sweet. Rich. Oh wait, that’s chocolate…

Favorite HUDS meal:

Hot chocolate with whipped Karim.

What are you involved in on campus?

The Wireless Club.

What is your favorite Harvard memory thus far?

Being nominated 16th hottest freshman!

What do you look for in a significant other?

Eye crinkles.

What is your best physical trait?

My butt. It is exceptionally small but deceptively firm.

Who do you consider to be your celebrity look alike?

Tiffany, the waitress at Grafton, always tells me I look like Adam Levine, but I think she just does it for the tip.

Who’s your celebrity crush?

Kate Middleton. The Royal Divorce is only a matter of time at this point.

Describe your ideal date.

I whisk you away to Madagascar, then whisper sweet nothings into your ear on an endless, sandy beach. My roommate Matthew pours champagne into our glasses and strums the ukulele. He looks great in a tuxedo.

Favorite song:

As much as I hate to admit it, I think Selena Gomez’s “Come and Get It” is vastly underrated. The introduction is ethereal, the chorus infectious. The song is a piece of musical genius. The two songs that speak to me the most, however, are Jay-Z’s “Forever Young” and Kid Cudi’s “Cudderisback.” Some of my best memories from Madagascar happened with these tracks playing in the background.

Favorite movie:

Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige. I have seen the movie 18 times, even in languages that I do not speak, and every time I was enthralled. The storyline, acting, score, Scarlett Johansson, directing, and visual effects are all extraordinary.

Favorite Quote:

“ATALLAH, ATALLAH!”

Surprising fact about you:

I speak six languages, seven if you count bull shit.

Most exciting moment of your life:

The day my older sister got into Harvard. I knew it’d be smooth sailing after that.

Most embarrassing moment of your life:

French Guiana. June 26, 2013. I push my way to get to the front of the crowd in order to best capture the rocket launch with my camera at Kourou’s Space Center. The countdown begins, the people behind me erupt in cheer after hearing the long-awaited “…Launch!”, but somehow I am not seeing the rocket launch into space through my father’s DSLR. I turn around, and realize that I was in front of the whole crowd facing 90 degrees to the right of the rocket’s trajectory. I missed a rocket launch that happened right in front of me.

What is your quirkiest trait?

I take immense care of my music library, and my my latest playlist on Soundcloud shows that. It is 4 hours of music that perfectly matches this season. The flow of songs is spot on.

At any given moment, you are most likely to be found where on campus?

The Bike Room.

• Madagascar