“Continue until the end is going to be,” was the potent, commanding message Maya Angelou brought to the Schottenstein Center on Tuesday night. The poet, historian, author, actress, playwright, producer, director and civil rights activist conveyed her message through her own poetry and personal stories, as well as poetry from prominent figures in literary history such as Langston Hughes and William Shakespeare. From song to story to poem and back again, she reminded the audience why they were at Ohio State. “You are at this exquisite institution of higher education to lay down the burden of ignorance,” Angelou said. “A good student can make a mediocre teacher great,” she said. Marveling at the size of the university, she chuckled, “Good Lord, have you seen how big this place is? How do you ever meet anybody at a place like this?” Angelou is passionate about every human being becoming intimately knowledgeable about poetry. “Poetry puts starch in your backbone. You need to have Shakespearean sonnets, Ann Spencer, Langston Hughes, Nikki Giovanni and Gwendolyn Brooks inside your body,” she saidShe strongly encouraged the audience to frequent the library more often in order to be exposed to the wide array of poetry available. “It was written for you – you must know that,” she said. “Find yourself in poetry and see who you are.”Angelou recited some of her works including the light-hearted “Health Food Diner” and “Seven Women’s Blessed Assurance,” which she once read on the Arsenio Hall Show. She also read a comical poem titled “A Negro Love Song,” by Paul Lawrence Dunbar. Angelou embraces laughter in poetry. “I don’t trust people who don’t laugh,” she said. After gracing the stage for over an hour, Angelou gave a courteous bow and left the audience with some of her exceptional wisdom.Becky Corzin, a biological sciences major, was in awe of the performance. “When she was talking, it was like you were the only person in the room. She was challenging every person to find meaning in what she was saying,” Corzin said.”It was emotional and inspiring,” said Alison Kahn, a senior communication major. “Everyone could relate what she said to something in their lives,” she said.Angelou’s appearance was long-awaited by many anxious ticket holders. “I didn’t know what to expect tonight. She was awesome, just awesome,” said Columbus resident Cherrie Bridges-Craig. “I hope everyone focused on what she said.””This is stuff that will stay with you for a long time,” said Carmen Ambrosio, a Columbus resident. Originally, Angelou was scheduled to appear at OSU in May; however, out of respect for the members of the Communications Workers of America union who were on strike at the time, she canceled her visit to the campus. Bridges-Craig and Ambrosio held on to their tickets from May and felt Angelou made the right choice by postponing her visit.