Advice to New Barnard Bears, From a Sophomore
Reflections from a Barnard Sophomore every First-Year should hear.
Photography by Claire Cenovic/The Barnard Bulletin
September 12, 2024
Ever since I toured campus, Barnard has been my dream school. I became fixated on the empowering female community, world-renowned professors, and access to the greatest city in the world. I could not imagine myself anywhere else. I created such a romanticized version of the school in my head that I could not imagine my college experience being anything but perfect.
Looking back on my first year, I realize I could not have been more wrong.
My year was full of disappointments: imposter syndrome, days where I never left my dorm, and moments where I wanted to go back home to Texas. But as much as there were difficult moments, there were so many beautiful and happy moments that I never could have expected. I shared many laughs with my new closest friends, explored places and ideas I never knew existed, and grew emotionally.
The point is that your first year will likely not be smooth sailing; it will be a thrilling yet scary rollercoaster, full of new emotions and people. The best you can do is learn from it. I know I have much more to learn as I am only a sophomore, but I have compiled some advice that I wish I knew going into my first year at Barnard.
The first thing I learned is that rejection is inevitable. As you know, Columbia and Barnard are very competitive schools. Some of the brightest minds from all over the globe choose to attend this school. While it is beneficial to be surrounded by motivated students, it can get overwhelming when applying to certain clubs or jobs on campus.
I remember having my mind set on one club in particular. I poured my heart out in my application only to receive a copy-and-paste rejection email. My heart immediately sank. I sulked down Broadway and called my mom, complaining about how I felt I did not belong at this school. Later, I found out that some of my friends, who are intelligent and qualified people, also got rejected by the same club.
You may not get everything you want or try for, especially during your first year, but how you deal with it matters. Wallowing is normal for a short period, but do not take rejection to heart. Sometimes, decisions are made based on factors outside of your control, not based on your capabilities or you as a person. You can always try again the next semester, or the next year.
Instead of having your heart set on one extracurricular activity, apply to others. If I did not have an open mind after rejection, I would not have found many of the communities I am currently involved in. These new opportunities have proved to be just as worthwhile as the club I was rejected from. Thankfully, there is a wide variety of activities to be involved with on and off campus, and if what you want to do is not established yet, the school can provide you with resources to start it yourself.
Secondly, do not let Columbia and Barnard be the only parts of New York City you explore. The ability to live in Manhattan is an opportunity that many people wish they had, so make use of your close access as much as you can. Treat the streets, parks, and museums as your classroom. You learn just as much from experiencing real life as from school.
Once you learn how to navigate the subway, the city is your oyster. Take advantage of your student and NYC resident discounts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Museum of Natural History. Go to an art gallery in the Lower East Side. People-watch in Riverside Park. Eat food you have never tried before at a local restaurant. Enter a Broadway Lottery. Walk down a street you have never walked before. Pop in random boutiques and shops. Observe both the beauty and the reality of the city as much as you can.
Furthermore, if your professor informs you about an off-campus activity or “field trip,” try as hard as you can to attend. Last semester, my First-Year Seminar professor scheduled a time for our class to visit a museum downtown related to topics we were studying. Although I always love a free art tour, I almost decided not to go. I was swamped with work on top of a five-hour-long dance rehearsal that night. At the last minute, I decided to go on the tour and learned more than I could have ever expected. On the subway and walking to the museum, I got to know my professor and classmates on a personal level. We had “real”, interpersonal conversations instead of our usual academic class discussions. We also got to have a private tour of the museum with an amazing guide, tailored to our class topics and completely funded by the school. You rarely have these opportunities post-graduation, so take advantage of them now.
Finally, as much as you can, speak up in class. If you are introverted like me, this tip is more difficult than it sounds. Seminars and discussion sections filled me with anxiety my entire first semester. Everyone in my classes was intimidatingly smart, and I did not want to embarrass myself in comparison. When I went to office hours with my professors (sub-tip: go to office hours), their feedback for me was always, “I wish you spoke up more in class.”
After getting tired of the same comments, I started trying to speak at least once a class period. Some days, if a topic energizes me, I speak several times a class. Most of the time, I have not completely thought through what I am saying, and ideas develop as I speak. I learned that, even if my thoughts are not fully formed, it is important to share them. Other classmates can bounce ideas off your ideas or the professor can develop new questions based on your thoughts. Everyone benefits from participating. You may not get things correct every time, but at least make an effort to try because the classroom is a place to learn and grow, not to be perfect.
Even if you follow my advice, your first year will still be full of many trials and tribulations. College is a time of huge transformation in your life, so go easy on yourself. Know that you are not alone in facing this monumental life change, and your Barnard peers are here to support you. No matter what you are going through, there is probably another student down your hall who is in the same boat. All you can do is take a deep breath and enjoy the first-year experience while you can.