Hello All!
There are still a few days left until May 1, so I thought I’d do another post to answer a question and share a little bit more about the New Student Orientation Program, as you’ve already gotten a taste of move-in will be like!
Quinn asked whether I worked on campus and if that is the reason I stay at Barnard during the summer. To answer: yes, I do work on campus and that’s why I stay on campus during the summers. I’ve worked at the Pre-College Programs Office since my first year at Barnard and for the past two summers. If any of you are alumnae of our Pre-College Programs, you’ve probably gotten emails or phone calls from me reminding you to turn in all your forms! Working on campus is a great experience. You can find a variety of jobs on campus through the Office of Career Development (OCD). I have friends that work all over campus, from the Dance Department to the College Activities Office to Tompkins Hall, a nursery/day care. OCD is great not only for serving as venue for campus jobs, but also for internships and jobs all over the globe. I know of people interning for artists, Sesame Street, publishing companies, and museums. Not only does OCD post jobs, but they also want to make sure you get the jobs. They hold seminars to introduce students to what kinds of jobs are out there, improve resumes or cover letters, and teach proper interview techniques. They also happen to be some of the most patient people on the planet. I know from experience. As you might know, if you work you must fill out tax forms each year. Well, each year I have problems with it and Won Kang, the Assistant Director for Student Employment, sits at one of the tables in OCD and explains everything I’m supposed to do and fill out. Let’s just say he has to have a lot of patience.
Okay. Tax season is over so let me introduce you to the fine world of NSOP (New Student Orientation Program). Catherine gave you a quick preview of move-in a few posts ago, but I want to tell you about all the other things involved with NSOP. First of all: move-in can be incredibly stressful. I know from experience on both sides of the operation, as a new student and as an Orientation Leader (OL). Your car will arrive on Broadway and will get swarmed by people wearing the same shirt. They’re going to try to hustle all of your things into a square of the sidewalk so your car can move and make way for the other cars. While the entire process from the car swarming to the actual moving in and the anticipation of meeting your roommate(s) for the first time, you can’t help but feel a little bit special—I mean, they’re blocking off an entire lane of BROADWAY just so you can move into your first-year dorm!
I should preface the next portion by saying that the point of NSOP is to acclimate new students to Barnard, Columbia, Morningside Heights, and New York City as a whole. The other (unofficial) point is to bombard you with activities so you don’t have a chance to miss home. You’ll probably get incredibly tired of ice-breakers (OLs are pretty much required to do an ice-breaker with their groups each time they meet) and the questions: “Where are you from?” “What school are you in?” “What are you thinking of studying?” Yes, it gets a bit tedious, but it’s worth it. You’ll meet a ton of people going to various events such as Convocation (light candles and sing “There’s a College on a Hill Top”), the Alumna Book Luncheon (get a free book during the summer, read it, then meet the author during Orientation!), the Security Forum (free rape whistles, fun youtube videos, and safety tips!), Consent Workshops (consent is sexy!), and the NYC Event (past events include Coney Island, Ellis Island, Victorian Gardens, and the Central Park Zoo).
Those are just some of the events that happen during NSOP. This post is already super long and I know you all have decisions to make, if you haven’t made them already! As always feel free to comment on this with any questions you have! (You can also find my email if you click on my name in the sidebar to the right!)
Best of luck to you all (whether or not you choose Barnard)!
--Megan
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