Photography by Claire Cenovic
On Wednesday, October 11th, the balloons and banners started going up. On Thursday, people decked in Pantone 280, Barnard’s signature blue color, began to flood campus. On Friday, the festivities for Barnard’s Family Weekend began and many students were officially reunited with their families. With tours of the Greenhouse, open dance classes, and the homecoming game, family weekend was a time of joy and connection. It is also an opportunity for students to take some much-needed time off among a flurry of midterm examinations and due dates.
“For over twenty-five years, Family Weekend each October has been an opportunity for our students to reunite with their loved ones and show off what life is like at Barnard,” a Barnard College Spokesperson said. “We’re always excited to welcome our students’ families to campus, and we hope the time they spend with us gives them a better sense of what it means to be part of Barnard’s close-knit community.”
Riley Stacy (She/Her BC ‘27) at a New York Liberty vs Las Vegas Aces basketball game (Left). Lily Paltrowitz (She/Her BC ‘27) and mother Julie Gollob (She/Her BC ‘96) at Tom’s Diner (Right).
Absolute Bagels, Tom’s Diner, and The Hungarian Pastry Shop are always fan favorites, but no matter where you take your family, family weekend is a time to reconnect with loved ones and for them to get a glimpse into what our everyday lives are like. “It’s lovely to see what life on campus is like today,” says Bernard Pope (CU ’67) after touring the greenhouse with his family.
Bernard (CU ’67) and his wife Wendy Pope in the greenhouse on top of Milbank Hall
Upon arrival, families were given tote bags, pins, and pamphlets with a guide to the neighborhood and an agenda for the weekend. With restaurant recommendations and blurbs for each event, it’s an exciting glimpse into what’s to come: “It’s wonderful to see everyone happy, making friends and working well” says Malina Zakian, the mother of a Barnard student, after meeting all of her daughter’s friends.
Whether you spent your time hanging at a local institution with your family, or cheering the Columbia Lions football team on during the rainy game at Baker Athletic Complex, Family Weekend was a time of rest and rejuvenation, with an atmosphere of community and joyfulness permeating campus.