Thanks for reading!

As you know, this week ends our admission season, since May 1 is the deadline by which students must accept our invitation to enroll at Barnard College. With that, our Blog comes to a close. Current students are busy finishing term papers, taking final exams, and getting ready for their next adventure–-be it a summer internship here in the city, a study abroad program, or some time at home with friends and family. Graduating seniors will be starting new jobs soon. We wish them and all our students good luck with whatever comes next!

We must take a moment to acknowledge the efforts of our Barnard Bloggers, who somehow found time within their very busy schedules to share their thoughts and lives with us. Each of them fully lives up to the famous title of “Strong, Beautiful Barnard Woman”! We are proud to have them as members of our community.

And we can’t wait to meet those of you who will be joining us on campus this fall! You are busy these days, too. You’re getting ready for final exams of your own, and looking forward to a well-earned rest before you prepare to start your first year of college. We hope that reading about the experiences and activities of our students has helped give you a sense of real life at Barnard College.

Our Enrolling Students Website will answer many questions about what comes next, including Residence Life, Health Services, New Student Orientation, and much more. It also provides essential forms that need to be submitted throughout the summer (the first of which is due May 30!) and the site gives you a handy timeline to follow. Please visit the site soon and regularly: http://www.barnard.edu/admiss/matric_new/index.html

Good luck with the end of your semester, and have a wonderful summer!

Barnard College Admissions

Plus…Internships!

I previously talked about support systems at Banard, and I’d like to add something about the Internship Program. I’m interested in Education Policy, and I’ve been lucky enough to receive two internship grants, although the average is normally one. The internship grant program is completely funded by alumnae who support the importance of internship experiences during your Barnard career. (This is just one way in which our Alumnae support current students and stay involved). I received a $2,000 grant last summer to do an internship at the Alliance for Quality Education, and I would have received free housing at Barnard too if I had done my internship in New York City. ( I lived at home in Albany instead). My second grant was for $800, and is for the Education Law firm I am interning at once a week this semester.

Both of my internships were unpaid from the organization. The internship grant is a great way for me to be able to dedicate myself fully to my work at my organization, get great experience, and good references. And the organization liked me so much, they asked me to recruit other Barnard students for the organization too! I’ve actually been reaching out to students in my Higher Education Inequities class to see if any of them are interested. I know that the organization would basically take anyone I sent them. Just another proof that Barnard students do support each other.

‘Managing’ it all at Barnard

Recently, I sat on a student panel where I met many of you as prospective students for Barnard. I’m hoping by now that many of you have matriculated as future first years at Barnard. I heard a recurring concern from parents and students alike that I thought I would address here. I had many of you ask me how Barnard students manage it all–from work, to internships, school work, extracurricular activities (that sometimes become your life), to keeping in touch with your family and friends at home. Barnard students have a great support system, and friends to encourage and support them in their endeavors and to tell them when it’s too much. I won’t lie, I have seen some over-committed students who are then not able to keep up with everything they want to do–but that’s just a sign of how enthusiastic and go-getter personalities Barnard women have. To balance this out, I’ve seen many Barnard women organize themselves very well and have the time to commit themselves fully to each activity or class they choose to partake in. They have accomplished amazing things, and they sleep. I usually sleep for 6 hours every night on weeknights although occasionally less or more, and on the weekends, I sleep for as long as I need to. I have many friends get 8 hours every night no matter what. You learn your limits. You spread all of the amazing things you want to do over several semesters.

Final thoughts before Decision Day

Hi everyone!

I thought I would take a moment to offer you all some final thoughts on the Barnard experience. May 1 (Friday) is decision day!

For me, Barnard was the best college decision I could have possibly made. As a women’s college, I have reaped the benefits of Barnard’s strong support of women. The classmates and alumnae that I have met here are truly an inspiration and it’s wonderful to belong to a sisterhood that extends across continents. While being in the city is certainly not for everyone, it made my college experience very unique and exciting. The city really is your playground and your classroom. But I’ve never felt lost in the “big, bad” city because Barnard has such a strong community. The fact that we are only a College (no graduate schools) means that the administration, faculty and staff are all devoted to our growth and development. And they all love Barnard, too!

Today, Dean Denburg – the Dean of the College and class of ‘70 – told me that we have 97 Barnard alumnae who currently work for the college as professors, administrators or staff. Considering that our college is so small, I think that speaks volumes. Women love it here, and many decide to spend their lives helping nurture tomorrow’s lawers, activists, novelists, artists, anthropologists, or neuroscientists. I hope that you all will make the best choice for yourselves, and hopefully that is my beloved Barnard!

Bacchanal Concert Pictures

Hey folks! 

I just wanted to put up a few pictures of last weekend’s concert, which was part of the Bacchanal Spring Festival.  Bacchanal is a weeklong celebration, complete with an awesome free concert, among lots of food, frivolity, and other festivities.

BACCHANAL

I had a fabulous time on the steps watching Vampire Weekend and Talib Kweli get down.  Beautiful weather, fun music, a street fair on Broadway, and good Barnard friends- I couldn’t ask for anything more!

The Little Things that Matter in Life

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite things was to string together beads and make “bracelets” out of them. I put “bracelets” in quotes because they would tear as soon as someone tried to wear one of them. All the beads would then lie on the floor in disarray, waiting for me to string them again. I loved it! It never became boring or repetitive. Of all the childhood memories I have, this is one pretty close to my heart.

              

100 Things to do at Barnard before you graduate

First, I’d like to echo Jen’s last post and say what a pleasure it was meeting so many of you over welcome weekend.  I am thrilled to hear that so many of you have decided to join BC ‘13!  

My suitemates and I recently started discussing all of the things you must do at Barnard before you graduate after seeing a similar list from another school.  I started compiling a list of “100 things to do at Barnard before you graduate” for you all so you can get a taste of many Barnard experiences over 4 years.  Since you may not know about some of the things I reference in the list, feel free to ask questions in the comments or send me an email! 

Note: I have not done all 100.  I can’t study abroad now, but I hope I can squeeze in a few more in my last few weeks!  

 

1. Attend Convocation on your first night at Barnard
2. Buy a class ring
3. Attend Midnight Breakfast and have Anna Quindlen serve you eggs
4. Wake up super early to sign up for free tickets through Urban New York
5. Have Dessert at President Spar’s apartment in your Senior year

Tow Foundation Dinner

Hello all!

Last night was the Tow Foundation Dinner, where students who’ve received generous grants from the Tow family for summer thesis-related study or internships gather together to talk about their experiences.  My internship grant for my work at the Met is from the Tow Foundation.

Last night I sat with Dean Runsdorf, Prof. of Anthropology Leslie Sharp, and two of the Foundation board members.  The function was held at the Terrace in the Sky restaurant, a little-known but highly-rated venue on the roof of one of Columbia’s buildings.  I spoke about my work at the Museum and my plans after graduation, and even got to talk a little bit about Cairo with President Spar.  It was absolutely lovely!

This past weekend:

hey everyone!

As a senior, things are wrapping up and there is no time to feel nostalgic!! This past weekend was full of events! On Sunday evening, I stayed in and had a mellow evening with some old but good friends I had made through the Muslim Student’s Association from Barnard and Columbia in our Sulzberger Tower kitchen. We made breakfast (pancakes) for dinner (walnuts, strawberries, chocolate chips) and hung out at home–although there was a lot going on around campus, we decided to take a break from it all.

(A) Women’s College Experience

Confession: I had no plans of going to a women’s college.

Actually, that might be putting it a little gently. More accurately: I had very explicit plans of NOT attending a women’s college. Two of my older sisters went to Smith, and they frequently tried to convince me of the plus-sides of a women’s college education, but I wouldn’t hear of it. I wanted to go to a co-ed school, have the typical college experience, have male friends, etc. etc.