Emma Gordon at
Barnard!
We asked some of our former students to report back about their college experience so far. Emma is our highlight for May! Here's what she has to say about her campus.
What do you like about Barnard?
"Some things I’m currently really enjoying is exploring and finding new ways to get involved on campus. Even with Barnard/Columbia being relatively small campuses compared to other institutions, there’s so many fun events and clubs you can join. We also have a decent amount of libraries (∼18) which range from being super old and covered in gorgeous paintings and stained glass to modern libraries with hundreds of large windows looking out on campus, so you can never get bored with study locations. I really love taking advantage of the different opportunities and resources Barnard provides and making connections with the advisors/professors here. The professors and advisors are extremely friendly and are always willing to provide a variety of academic opportunities and ways for you to succeed. Furthermore, I've loved making new friends and exploring NYC with them. Something really amazing about Barnard is how you can treat the city as your campus as well. The public transportation (i.e. metro/subway) makes it really easy to get around and explore new places! You can also get into almost any major art museum (i.e. MET, MoMA, etc.) for free just by showing your student I.D. card. Although attending college in New York City was really intimidating at first, after getting comfortable on campus and finding my group of friends, I’ve really fallen in love with Barnard and all of the opportunities they provide as a college in the city. "
What are you majoring in?
" I recently just declared my major in biochemistry while also being on the pre-med track with a goal of becoming an OB/GYN. This past year and a half I’ve mainly been attending a variety of different club meetings and attending any events hosted by the chemistry department. I mostly took the time these last few semesters to enroll in a variety of classes and figure out the major I wanted to pursue. This semester I got a job as an info desk attendant and events management assistant at The Diana Center on campus. My job mainly consists of helping visitors and students navigate the campus and ensuring the events being hosted are set-up and running smoothly. Although I’ve mainly been focusing on deciding my major, next semester I plan on getting more involved in the different pre-med clubs on campus and potentially joining a research lab!"
What are you doing on the weekends?
"I will admit that with my major and career goals, my weekends are pretty busy with school work, but I found it’s really important to find a balance between my social life and academics. My friends and I usually try exploring different museums based on the different exhibits they’re featuring or if there’s a new artist. There’s also a board game store, Hex & Co., where we play a variety of board games for only $10 a person or even $5 for students depending on the day. I’m also a really big foodie and New York City is probably one of the best places to try new foods! Those are just some of the things I love doing on an average weekend, but, during the holiday season and finals, the school hosts a lot of fun events like the Columbia Tree Lighting event, the giant sub event, and a ton of cultural performances by the clubs on campus. There’s so many places to explore and ways to spend your weekend, so you truly can never be bored!"
What is something that surprised you
about Barnard?
"Something that surprised me specifically about attending Barnard is how closely connected we are with Columbia University. The partnership these two schools have is nothing like I’ve ever heard of before with other colleges. Almost every single class that is offered at Columbia is accessible to all Barnard students and vice versa. You also have access to all of the dining halls, libraries, dorms, school clubs, and more. It truly is like getting two colleges in one! However, something I was excited about in general for college was finding the major I was interested in and how I was going to get involved with my department. I’m already finding other students in my major and getting familiar with the professors. Creating a community while I'm away from home was really important to me while also studying something that I'm interested in. Another resource that Barnard provides is called Beyond Barnard. It’s a department that helps students find internships and shadowing opportunities, provide career advice, and even a space to talk to peers with similar interests. Something I find really amazing about Beyond Barnard is how after graduating, even after 20 years, they still help alumnae with job opportunities and guidance. It truly is one the most unique programs that Barnard offers and why I chose it as my college!"
What did UniVarsity Help You With?
"UniVarsity helped me so much with reducing the stress I had with my applications and choosing the best fit college for me. I remember when doing the college application process, I was super stressed out with what to include and how to format my essays. UniVarsity still allowed me to stay true to myself and original, while also guiding me toward the proper application format and material to include which helped a lot. They also provided me with a variety of schools tailored to my interests and goals, which made me feel like I was choosing from a unique pool of colleges I could see myself at. I’m extremely grateful for the support they provided in helping me with my application and choosing my dream college!"
Fun fact you’ve learned about Barnard?
"Something fun about my college is the event they host right before finals called Midnight Breakfast. It’s a school event they have every semester where the main dining hall serves a huge variety of breakfast foods around midnight to start off finals week. As a way to further show support for their students, some of the deans and professors also help serve the breakfast to everyone. Not only do the professors feed us with knowledge at Barnard, but also breakfast! This is just one way Barnard supports their students and tries to provide an environment where we can have fun and create memories even during a stressful time."
