Reflections on My Amazing First Year at Barnard

I cannot fathom that my first year of college is coming to an end. It seems like just yesterday that I was stuffing my car with all my belongings and moving into my dorm room on a very hot day back in August. I still vividly remember myself as an anxious high school senior. I was afraid that I wasn’t prepared to undertake the challenges of college. But looking back now, I can’t imagine myself at any other college and I couldn’t have asked for a better first year. I now realize that Barnard was everything I ever wanted in a college: a small, tight-knit community, surrounded by the greatest city, and a place that can challenge me both in and outside of the classroom. But the ease and assurance I feel now did not come to me immediately.

All through my life, the unpredictability of the future was my greatest fear, and I had no idea what to expect from college. I did not know whether I would be prepared for the academics, what type of person my roommate would be, what kinds of friends I’d make, what to expect from living in a big city (especially as a person from the suburbs of New Jersey), or if I was capable of being away from my family and friends for such a long time. I have to admit that my first month of college was a bit rocky; I had to adjust to a new routine in a new environment with new people. However, I eventually found my worries and insecurities being washed away as the months passed. I was participating in my classes way more than I ever had in high school, forming close relationships with people whom I had just met, getting very involved with campus life, and becoming truly happy about where I was in my life.

With my incredible peers in the Emerging Leaders Program at City Hall.

Most importantly, I was beginning to find the person I really was. It was like the flower within me was finally blooming. I was more outgoing, more courageous, more daring, and more positive than I had ever been in my life. I believe college doesn't change you, but rather it brings out the person you always were. This is one of the first times you’ll be away from home for a long time, without childhood friends to define the person you are and parents to make decisions for you. Although this seems a bit daunting at first, you will have the most rewarding feeling when you realize you’re far more capable of than you give yourself credit for.

A year ago, I never thought I’d be the class vice president, be a part of the student advisory board of an agency that helps more young women to be dominant in computer science, be a member of a program that teaches women to be leaders, and create friendships that will last many years to come. In fact, tonight I will be a recipient of an award at the SGA Leadership Awards Dinner. Reflecting on this year, I will always remember my humble beginnings and be grateful of the many doors of opportunity that have opened in front of me because of Barnard.

Some of you will choose to attend other schools, but I’m hoping that most of you will see that Barnard is the right place for you. However, no matter where you end up, remember not to worry about what lies ahead. You will be at the school you chose because you belong there and are ready to take on the challenge. Although I am sad that my journey with you through this blog has come to an end, it has been a rewarding experience and I hope you can take away something from reading about my first-year experiences. I wish you the best of luck, and I hope to see many of you on campus this fall!

Cheers,
Sarah

Adventures at Spirit Week 2014

What’s better than free food? Free food on Lehman Lawn, in beautiful spring weather, under the blooming magnolia tree, complete with a mechanical surfboard.

This past week was Spirit Week at Barnard, and it entailed all of these things. Spirit Week is a celebration of Barnard-ness organized by Student Government Association (SGA) and McIntosh Activities Council (McAC). It is comprised of a number of different events (often with free food!) around Barnard’s campus, and always seems to coincide with the blooming of the magnolia tree. This year’s Spirit Week theme was "road trip," so each day had a different mini-theme like a stop at the beach or stop at the park.

The first event was on Sunday night on the top floor of Sulzberger Tower. I wasn’t able to go to the event, but I heard they had the terraces open, and now am forever mad that I couldn’t go. Reason number 1298493 to go to Spirit Week events: cool things happen, like Sulz Tower being open.

Here's a photo that I took from Sulz Tower last year, which gives you an idea of the view that I missed on Sunday!

On Tuesday, there was flower pot painting and s’mores on the roof of the Diana Center. And on Wednesday, there were free drinks in coconuts and a mechanical surfboard on Lehman Lawn.
 

A stop at the beach: Meghan with her piña colada and someone “surfing” in the background!

Thursday came with free donuts in the morning, a BBQ lunch on Lehman Lawn, and ice cream in the afternoon.
 

BBQ on Lehman Lawn

Lina (in this year’s Spirit Week t-shirt) and me enjoying sunshine and BBQ.

Spirit Week and seeing all the Barnard students out on campus enjoying the beginning of spring always reminds me about why I chose Barnard in the first place.

Margeaux

 

A "Typical" Monday

Mondays are, by far, the busiest day of the week for me.  I walk out of my room at 9:45 in the morning and don’t come back until midnight. When reflecting back on my day before I go to sleep, I wonder how in the world I accomplished everything in my day planner, but feel really proud of crossing out each task one by one. So here’s an outline of a typical Monday for me:

At 9 o’clock, my phone blasts Beyoncé’s “Run the World (Girls),” which is an awesomely motivating song, to wake me up. I put my phone on the desk at night, which requires me to physically get up to turn the alarm off, and not hit the snooze button repeatedly. I quickly get dressed and brew myself a cup of coffee, and then I am ready to start my day!

 

Hewitt Dining Hall. Photo courtesy of www.theninewaysofknowing.com

For my physical education requirement, I take yoga. It is a great way to fully wake up in the morning and relax your mind and body for the rest of the day. On the days I do yoga, I am definitely able to tackle the stresses of the day with more ease.

 

In my New World Encounters First Year Seminar class, we explore texts and paintings of the Spanish conquest in the New World. We engage in deep discussions about colonization and take stances of both the Spaniard and Aztec people’s sides. One of my favorite things we did in class was having a debate on whether or not the conquest was just, while taking the persona of either a Spaniard or native. Since I’m an economics major and most of my classes are very quantitative and theoretical, I really appreciate the opportunity to be creative and imaginative in my seminar.

 

I eat a delicious lunch in Hewitt dining hall.  On select days, they serve tomato basil thin crust pizza, which is my favorite! I usually run into a friend and we eat together and update each other on our busy lives. Lunch is a great time for a break and some socializing.

The magnolia tree on Lehman Lawn

 

On sunny springs days, I sit outside on the Lehman Lawn and get some vitamin D from the sun. I either work on class work or prepare for the class council meeting I’ll have the next day.  Also, during this time of the year, the beautiful magnolia tree is starting to bloom, which is a sight you don’t want to miss!

 

I go to my last class of the day, Latin, which is on Columbia’s campus. I always love seeing children playing on College Walk on my way to class. At that time of the day, most of them just got out of school and they play outside for a bit before dinner or homework time. I look forward to watching the sunset after learning about declensions and indirect questions in Latin.

 

After class, I eat dinner at Ferris Booth (commonly known as just Ferris) in Lerner Hall. One of the reasons that I love being affiliated with Columbia is that there are various dining halls to choose from.  At Ferris, there are a variety of foods: the main buffet, pasta bar, pizza station, stir fry, sandwiches, salad, and most importantly, the dessert bar! You will never be disappointed after eating at Ferris.

 

After having a fulfilling dinner, I go to the Barnard weight room to work out. There are cardio and weight machines, free weights, jump ropes, and much more equipment to utilize. For me, going to the gym really helps me deal with my stress and allows me to have time to myself after a long day.

 

After a quick shower, I attend SGA’s Representative Council meeting. We have guest speakers, such as administrators from various departments and other student groups, to talk to us about policies and events happening on campus. Also, representatives give an update on what their committee has been doing. The external part of the meeting is open for anyone to come and participate in the discussion. It is always important to be aware of what is happening on campus! 

Liz's Place

Depending on how much work I have left, I grab a cup of coffee at Liz’s Place, which is a café in the Diana Center, and then head up to the 3^rd floor reading room or walk over to Butler Library to do homework and study.

I manage to get sleep into my busy schedule, as it is extremely important. Before I go to bed, I check off everything I accomplished that day in my planner and I feel, as Beyoncé says in one of her songs, like superwoman “with a S on my chest.” Clearly, I am obsessed with Beyoncé, as I start and end my day with her!

Sarah

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

An International Student's Self-Discovery at Barnard

Name: Fangdai Chen
Year: 2015 (Junior)
Hometown: Shanghai, China
Major: Comparative Literature (Chinese, English & French)
Clubs/Organizations/Jobs: International Admissions Intern, Housing Advisory Board, Barnard Student Government Association (SGA)

I thought that coming to the U.S. on my own at the age of 15 was the biggest challenge that I could ever have in my life. I thought that after having attended a boarding school in a surburb of Boston for three years, going to college wouldn't be so different from attending another boarding school. I thought that I would just write a few more papers and meet a few more people. But I was wrong. Barnard has surprised me and gone beyond all of my expectations for this stage of life called college.

In high school, I was always the student answering questions and expressing my opinions in class. I thought that it would all be the same in college. However, on the first of class at Barnard, I walked into my first-year English seminar and realized that everyone else in the class was just as confident as I was. The professor was not there to walk us step by step through reading the text, but to inspire us to discuss and study the text with each other. This was a competely different academic dynamic from my high school experience and yet an exciting challenge and adventure. I pushed myself to work harder, to learn from my classmates and to make them learn from me. I also made full use of the professor's office hours whenever I need extra help. By the end of the semester, the professor invited us to tea time in her appartment and we were all happy that we had struggled and learned together.

This leads to another reason why I love Barnard. Having attended a small boarding school with only 300 students, I was worried that I would never have the same kind of close relationships with teachers in college. But not only did my first-year English professor invite us to have tea in her apartment, we continue to stay in touch. She introduced me to the Comparative Literature program and various academic opportunities outside Barnard. We meet regularly to discuss my progress. We even went to an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts together!

Throughout my time at Barnard, I have been well challenged and supported at the same time. I never expected myself to grow so much. But this is Barnard: it challenges you to take adventures that you would not be able to take elsewhere, it inspires you to discover what you did not know about yourself, and it helps you to become a better you.

Discovering Barnard

Name: Sarah Kim
Class Year: 2017 (First-Year)
Hometown: Manalapan, NJ
Major: Economics and Social History
Jobs/Clubs/Organizations: BSAR, SGA (First-Year Class VP), Emerging Leaders Program

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Congratulations on your acceptance to Barnard College! This is such an incredible achievement and you should all be very proud of yourselves. You can breathe now… no more SATs/ACT, applications, supplements, etc. You can do your happy dance; come on, I know you all have one!

 

Now, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sarah Kim, a first-year student and the class vice president. I always describe my discovery of Barnard as one of those things that is highly unexpected but you can’t imagine life without it now. During the summer before my junior year, I was granted the opportunity to attend a summer enrichment program for high school students at Columbia. There, I befriended a Barnard professor who introduced me to the College. As I walked through the black iron gates for the first time, I immediately fell in love with the school and I could vividly picture myself as a Barnard woman. I visited dozens of colleges afterwards, but none of them gave me the warm, fuzzy feeling inside that I had when I set my feet on Barnard’s campus.

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That summer, I developed a tangible goal, and I cannot be happier to have the honor to say that I achieved it. December 14, 2012 was definitely one of my greatest days of my life; it was the day when I realized dreams really do come true and the acceptance letter was a testimony of it.

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Looking back at my first year at Barnard, I honestly could not have asked for anything more. Sure, I have had my fair share of hard times, like pulling an all-nighter at Butler Library and completing what seemed like an impossible amount of work. But those can’t measure up to the amazing friends I have made, important lessons I have learned (both in and outside of class), and doors that have opened before me. I cannot wait to see you all embark on this incredible journey and be with you through this blog for the next couple of weeks. Please, feel free to ask me anything in the comment section below!

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Cheers,
Sarah