Street: There are two types of people at Penn... Jeremy Pincus: Those who did PennQuest and those who wish they did.
Street: What’s your favorite PennQuest memory from freshman year? JP: Definitely my tandem poop.
Street: Sorry, what? JP: You shit with somebody else. We were in the woods, and you know the way people like...[hold] each other up when they’re both on the ground? We were like, leaning backwards, and both of our pants were [at our ankles] and making eye contact and pooping. It’s wild.
Street: What made you want to become a PennQuest leader? JP: I just had such an incredible experience. Those three days defined my freshman year, and I didn’t want the feeling to go away. And it also made me super comfortable with myself and my body and my being. And, like, my shit.
Street: What’s one thing you need to survive in the wilderness? JP: Short shorts. I really like to hike in short shorts. Rain or shine.
Street: How did you get involved with One in Four? JP: I came into Penn not being an activist. And then I met some people that encouraged me to interview for One in Four. I had never known that I had known someone that had been affected by sexual violence. My time as president of One in Four was great. I got to interface with a lot of really wonderful administrators. It was weird being the only guy in the Women’s Center lounge for a few months, but then I kind of got over that. I’m one of the girls now.
Street: For the uninitiated, what’s One in Four’s mission? JP: We are Penn’s all–male sexual assault awareness and rape prevention group. We’re in a visible position to make change. We’re doing something that is against traditional fraternity culture and re–defining what healthy masculinity is. There’s always a little inertia to overcome the first time you say to a friend, “Don’t say that test just ‘raped’ you, it’s not cool.” But after that, there’s no real, rational argument to be against what we do...you know, appealing to people’s inner soul.
Street: What are some things you wish you knew about Penn before you applied? JP: The Women’s Center is awesome, and you don’t have to identify as a woman to be welcome there. They have free condoms on the tables. Also, the a cappella scene is huge.
Street: You’re in Shabbatones, right? Do you speak Hebrew? JP: I’m actually baptized. I was brought up Presbyterian, but I now self–identify as Jewish and I’m going to start my conversion process.
Street: Did the Shabbatones help you come to that decision? JP: Absolutely.
Street: If you are what you eat, what would you be? JP: I’m vegetarian so I’d be a vegetable!
Street: What’s your spirit animal? JP: Well I’m kind of hairy...so a bear. A baby brown bear.
Street: Tell us about your first kiss. JP: Classic 13 year–old relationship, it was like three weeks into us “dating,” and we’d never kissed. Just like the awkward hug at the end of the school day and then texting furiously all night. We were on the couch. She just made a move. I was like, alright. She just went for it. Oh, she went for it.
Street: What’s your favorite Disney movie? JP: Hands down Aladdin. I sang the big one for my PennQuest interview.
Street: As in "A Whole New World"? JP: That one! We make kids do weird shit in the interview.
Street: What was your first AIM screenname? JP: TheJester46. Capital T, capital J.
Street: My PennCard looks like… JP: My PennCard looks like “what PennCard?” because I’m on number six, I’ve lost so many of them and broken most of them.
Street: What will you be doing on this day in 10 years? JP: In 10 years? I’ll be thirty—holy...I’ll be 32. I’ll be going to work, like a shmuck.
