I <3 Barnard!

Introduction
I've only completed one year so far, but I can honestly say that I adore Barnard. There are so many amazing opportunities waiting for you right from the moment you get here. I love the girls, the classes, the campus, and the connections. Still, Barnard is definitely not for everyone. What it has in knowledge, it lacks in facilities. Our dining hall SUCKS ROYALLY (that includes John Jay, the one for Columbia College), some dorms lack AC, the housing lottery is rigged, and the class registration system is complicated. But to be honest, none of this bothered me enough to even remotely consider transferring. You have to pick and choose what you think is most important, and, to me, those things didn't matter as much. I love the sense of "independent community" here.

Campus Life and Social Life
I've seen both extremes at Barnard – those that party every weekend and those that rarely go out. Most girls will do SOMETHING each weekend, which doesn't always mean binge drinking. There are so many concerts, plays, musicals, club events, galleries, museums, etc. that you can go to, but that doesn't mean that people don't go out clubbing. It's a LOT of fun, especially when you go on a good night, but it's unbelievably expensive. You might not believe me when I say that $6 a drink is cheap, but it is. Sometimes it's as high as $12. There are a bunch of bars on campus that freshmen tend to go to, some of which are trashy (Nacho's, West End, Heights), and some of which are fun (Mona, 1020). There's a pretty strict no-party policy in Barnard dorms, but you can definitely find some in Columbia's dorms. There are so many options for what you'd call a "good" night out that it's guaranteed that something will be going on that you're interested in. However, this school is CHALLENGING, and you won't always feel that you can sacrifice a night of studying to go out and party. Time management is key. Academics
The English dept. at Barnard is one of the best in the country. But, because all classes at the university (Barnard, Columbia College, JTS, SEAS, etc) are open to anyone, the choice for course topics is huge. There's also fabulous psychology, sociology, and anthropology departments. All of the departments are shared, so you can pretty much do whatever you want to academically. The workload is definitely hard, especially depending on what classes you take, but Barnard students are only allowed to take up to 18 credits w/o special permission, which is discouraging. The professors are generally accessible (with the occasional pretentious ones), and the TAs can vary in ability dramatically.

Student Body
There's no way to classify the typical Barnard student. Everyone is extremely intelligent– that was clear to me from the very first day. Don't let yourself be intimidated! But there is a mix of everyone, from the preppy Long Island girls to the birkenstock-wearing hippies. You will most likely find people you feel comfortable with. If you like theatre, you'll DEFINITELY find your crowd. It seems like everyone has memorized the ReNt soundtrack.

In Closing...
Barnard is absolutely amazing if you're willing to take the initiative. I have a friend here that has almost no motivation to get out and immerse herself in the wide range of activities (she says she's "too lazy"), and I know that she feels like she is missing something. I highly recommend finding at least one group that you want to invest time in; there are SO many and it's really quite rewarding. Also, TRY OUT FOR THE BARNARD BARTENDING AGENCY!!! It's a lot of memorization, and you definitely have to study, but it's the best thing I've done economically so far this past year. The money is excellent, and it's a great way to be paid to travel all over the city. My friends are jealous that I'm in it!