Finding Community at Barnard

Finding a supportive community was incredibly important to me then I was looking at colleges, and this strongly influenced my choice to apply to Barnard. I visited Barnard’s campus for the first time for a pre-college program the summer before my senior year of high school. On my first day of the program, I was struggling to find Hewitt Dining Hall for lunch. I nervously stopped a Barnard student walking by to ask for directions, and she kindly smiled and explained to me where Hewitt was located. I was immediately flooded with relief and realized how kind and supportive the students at Barnard were—not just on this occasion, but also in general. Although the campus was very quiet for the summer, I loved walking around campus and seeing the few students that were there sitting, talking, and laughing with one another. I noticed students would smile at me even if I didn’t know them. 

The community that inspired me to apply to Barnard grew even stronger once I became a student here. In my first week of college, I walked into my first large lecture on Columbia’s campus, where I found myself feeling nervous and intimidated. I immediately felt relieved when I saw a fellow Barnard student who was in another class with me. Although we didn’t know each other very well at first, we formed our own study and support group along with a few other Barnard students that were in the class. Not only did it make a difficult class a lot easier and more enjoyable, I was able to relate to and find comfort in this group, as we were all going through the transition from high school to college together. 

The sense of community extends even beyond the students themselves. College can be stressful and uncertain at times, but I found in my first year that professors at Barnard were incredibly understanding and supportive. For example, during the hasty transition from in person to remote classes in the spring, my professors made sure to send messages of support, were receptive to our needs, and continued to make themselves available for students to discuss how they were feeling. Finally, from identity-based student organizations to college services like Beyond Barnard and Well-Woman, I found a variety of student organizations and resources available to ensure that students feel like they are a part of and supported by the Barnard community. 

There are countless other examples of support amongst Barnard’s student body and faculty, from specific resources to an overall feeling of welcoming and nurturing. The sense of community that permeates all aspects of Barnard’s student life has a huge impact making the transition to college smoother and easier.