Answering Common Questions -- From an Orientation Leader
I always say that the most meaningful thing I have done in my time as a Barnard student is being an Orientation Leader for new students during Barnard’s NSOP (New Student Orientation Program). Leading a group of new students is a fun way to give back to the Barnard community while enjoying campus before classes start. As an Orientation Leader for two years, here are five of the most common questions I get asked:
“What are you involved in on campus?”
Here at Barnard, I am on the Operations Team of Columbia Economics Review and am a member of Greek Life. I am also a part of the student-faculty Committee on Instruction as an SGA student representative. As well as my extracurriculars, I work two jobs: one for the Admissions Office and one as a Technological Assistant (Preceptor) for a professor. It’s definitely a lot, so I encourage people not to take on extracurriculars that they aren’t passionate about, and to find a job they enjoy (like this one)!
“How much time do Barnard students spend at Columbia?”
It depends! I personally prefer to take my classes and spend time at Barnard. I do this because I love the small community here and like to know I’ll always run into friends as I go about my day. Now that I live off-campus, I mostly eat in the Barnard dining halls with friends, but when I was a first-year, I ate most meals in the Columbia dining halls since they have more options. While I spend most of my time at Barnard, it’s all a matter of personal preference! There is no wrong way to do the Barnard-Columbia relationship, only what works for you.
“What was your favorite class you have taken at Barnard?”
My favorite “fun” class at Barnard was probably Introduction to Urban Studies, which was an overview of many of the key factors of cities and city planning. I took it my first semester, and I really enjoyed thinking about the connections between my home city of Washington D.C. and New York City. Almost three years later, I still recognize many of the concepts from that class in the world around me.
On the other hand, I am currently taking Econometrics (think applied statistics for Economics) for my Economics major. The class is super challenging and definitely the opposite of a lighthearted intro, but I’m really enjoying getting to see the real-world applications of the concepts I have been learning over the past few years.
One thing I love about the Barnard-Columbia relationship is the ability to take fun, somewhat random classes at Columbia. There, I have taken some of my favorite non-major classes, such as Hindi, History of Architecture, and Arabic Prison Writing, which are more niche subjects that would not have been available to me at Barnard.
“What kind of advice do you have for making friends after orientation?”
Coming into college, it’s normal to feel an urge to establish your strongest friendships immediately, and I remember wanting to “find my people” on the first day. Now, I always tell new students not to be intimidated by friendships they see forming around them. Even though it can feel like everyone else has made their best friends in just a few days, remember that everyone is meeting each other for the first time. Everyone at Barnard is super friendly, and I have made some of my most meaningful friendships by reaching out to people I met throughout my entire time in college, not just in the first few days.
“What kinds of tips do you have for navigating the first semester?”
My biggest tip is to know that putting time into your friendships is just as important as studying, especially at the beginning. It can be easy to get caught up in the college workload, living in a new city, and trying to decide what to get involved in. Remember that time you spend just hanging out with floormates and friends is just as important as all the other stuff -- the students here are really what makes the school special.
And as a bonus, the most common question I get asked as an OL is “where is ____ ?”