What does NSOP stand for?

Good very, very early morning, everyone! I just got up to squeeze in a trip to the gym before getting down to work, so this will be short and sweet. (No point in getting up at 6am after only 5 hours of sleep if I don’t get work done, right?)

Today, we’re going to talk about NSOP, the New Student Orientation Program. Two things: 

1) You pronounce it “Enn-Sahp.” I don’t know whose idea this was, but so it goes :) 

2) You may be thinking that you’re not going to choose a school based on its orientation program. And I think you’ve got a pretty solid point there. But do remember that little things like this—how schools run big, non-academic programs—say a lot about the atmosphere of the school. I’m sure that by now you all grasp how important that is.

So about this NSOP. How about a list? Those are good, right? Quick to write, quick to read, so you can get back to studying for looming APs? Yes? Ok, onwards!

1. NSOP is a University-wide program, so you get your first taste of the oft-discussed Barnard-Columbia relationship. In general, it is a little more separated than real life, but it does offer a decent approximation: we have our own groups, but they are analogous to those of the CC (Columbia College) students, and we meet up for lots of events on the other side of the street.
2. You will be busy! Everyone’s big fear, once it finally comes down to moving in, is that you will find yourself lonely and homesick, suddenly not quite the grown-up you felt yourself to be. Don’t worry: you are very, very unlikely to have the kind of time necessary to cultivate those unpleasant feelings. NSOP is a whirlwind of mandatory meetings—this is how program filing (class registration) works! this is how you reach Public Safety!—and super fun outings and events, ranging from group dinners to book discussions to Broadway plays.
3. You will be assigned to a couple of groups (led by Orientation Leaders, your RA, etc.), so you will have plenty of organized opportunities to bond. Go forth and make friends! They come in handy later.
4. There are outings. Go on them. These are trips to various cool places/ neighborhoods around New York, and they are an amazing opportunity. Not only are they tons of fun—friends, food, your last days of sun!—but they are a fabulous chance to actually get to learn about NYC. It gets very difficult, after the semester is under way, to make time to venture downtown, so now is your chance! The leader will give you lots of information about the history/ current reputation, but you will also have a lot of time to explore on your own. Also, this way, when family comes to visit and you panic, thinking the only neighborhood you know is Butler Library, you can draw on these outings for inspiration.

NSOP seems long, but it flies by. Before you know it, you will have learned the Barnard basics, and you will be free to join my giant pile of unread books and me in the library. I’ll be in the Reference Room, 301.

Ok, gym. Latin. History…I must go now, but please be in touch!

Chloe

How Student Government Association Found Me

Before even setting foot at Barnard in late August of last summer, I knew I wanted to become involved on campus immediately. In high school, I made the mistake of waiting until my junior year to really get engaged in extracurricular activities. I realized during my senior year, when I was on the executive board of the National Honor Society, that I really liked having a leadership role, which allowed me to discover my potential to have an impact on the student body. This was one of the most memorable aspects of my senior year and I really want to have the opportunity of engaging in campus life from the very beginning in college. So, I found myself looking through every inch of Barnard’s Student Life website and reading the description of every club. However, I had no idea which club to start with.

I got the answer to my question during New Student Orientation Program (NSOP) when I found myself in the wrong place at the right time, and that made all the difference. NSOP, in the simplest terms, can be described as the week before classes when the first-years attend various events, meet many new faces, and learn as much about Barnard and Columbia as possible. It helps you get adjusted in the new environment and meet many people.

My campaign poster!

Now, to my point. I was one of those people who thought you had to attend every event on the NSOP schedule (some events are mandatory, others are optional). That being said, I was very confused when I noticed that I was the only residential student at a commuter students’ event. However, had I never gone to that event, I would have never have met the Vice President of Student Government Association (SGA), who convinced me to run for a position on the first-year class council. I ran for Vice President and won, and now I cannot imagine my first year without being a part of SGA.

Being the first-year class VP has definitely been an incredible honor and invaluable learning experience. I have developed leadership skills from working with different types of people and undertaking large responsibilities, such as planning an event with a budget, advertising an event, and contacting important administrators. I have grown as a leader and made everlasting friendships with other representatives of SGA. I have learned so much from others who inspire me in unbelievable ways. For me, SGA is not just a space-filler on my resume, but it is an honorable opportunity to make Barnard a place which students can call their home and to become a voice for my fellow students.

You might feel like you don’t have to have a game plan for which clubs to join, or which leadership roles to undertake. Trust me, it all falls into place, just like you will know if Barnard is the right place for you within the coming weeks. I am so glad that SGA found me.

Sarah

With other members of SGA