Columbia English Major

We're all Asian or Jewish.

Yes haha but Asian and Jewish people are awesome. I grew up thinking that everyone was Roman Catholic, but now I have maybe two Catholic friends.

Columbia is the Ivy with it all: big city life and a great education. Because of the city, it is not the place for someone who wants a strong sense of school pride. In your first years, it may be more difficult to explore the city, but there is plenty of time for that- and it's always there. Because almost all freshman are in two dorms on campus, you see at least twenty faces you know on any given day walking around campus. Also, the dining plan ensures that you always have a dining hall full of people from your class to eat with. If you want nothing to do with anything political, then Columbia is not for you. Whether it be the arrival of the President of Iran or a student-staged hunger strike in protest of Columbia's expansion into Harlem, we are always stirring up political controversy. Though the first semester can be difficult (adjusting to college life and life in the Big Apple can be pretty unsettling, though awesome), Columbia is an amazing school.

The Core STINKS. If you're not sure want to study or you're only interested in one thing, this is not the school for you. The Core takes up a ridiculous amount of your time and courses. If you're undecided about your major, it is difficult to explore majors your first two years because they encourage you (or require that you) fulfill as many requirements as possible, therefore taking up all your hours. The Core also makes it difficult to study abroad especially if you are a double or triple major, though it can be done. There is almost no AP or high school credit, except for language. Professors are pretty good. Because of the great number of Core classes, there are many TAs, who are often great. On any given day, the top specialist in the world (who is probaly affiliated with Columbia) gives an open speech on campus. It's easy to get good grades. It's difficult to get great grades. Teachers usually place a lot of weight on finals, which is great if you've been slacking off all semester (or bad if you decide to sit on the beautiful quad during the first hot days of summer and still not catch up). Students take their work very seriously at Columbia and are always in the library. There is definitely competition in the air, but it is not overbearing.

Everyone is smart and wants to work hard, even the athletes. The only difference in people is that most of us are nerds who only want to study and a few of us are nerds who want to get drunk too. Though we have people from all backgrounds, the school is pretty segregated, but that's not true with every group. Though some of us are adventurous with our appearance, we do live Uptown and frown upon those who look like NYU hipsters. Most students are from New York, New Jersey, and California, and everybody's pretty wealthy (Columbia isn't cheap). The campus is pretty laid-back especially during the warmer months and people dress casually. Everybody's usually really nice, welcoming and open. Why wouldn't they be? We're all dorks.

Most people don't party. Those who do think that they party really hard but have obviously never visited a state school on a Thursday night. The first two years students have bad fakes, so they stick to campus for horrendous frat parties and the fun local bars. The second two years everybody starts turning 21 (or gets better fakes) and takes advantage of Downtown (or just stays home and studies). Greek organizations are always looking to party and even sometimes go out on Wednesdays (gasp). They also provide for a more "college" atmosphere. There is also a semi-secret society, St. A's, that throws great invite-only parties. People don't date. They usually have a boyfriend or girlfriend that they never part from or they hook up randomly. Dorm life is pretty fun, especially the "party dorms" like Carman and McBain. RAs are chill, but they do break up loud, lame parties in dorms. The problem with being a lowerclassman (and even an upperclassman) in New York City is that no one has their own place, so you have to have a fake ID.

At Columbia, you feel a big push to make a lot of money some day and go into business, law, or medicine. If you're more interested in the arts or know that you don't want to do those things, Columbia may not be the best place for you, though it has great programs in everything. I love Columbia, and I wouldn't want to attend any other school.