I'm curious about the campus life at Barnard College. How does it blend with the surrounding neighborhood in New York City, and what are some of the social activities available for students?
Barnard College offers a unique blend of a small liberal arts college experience within the backdrop of a vibrant city. Being part of both Barnard and Columbia University, students have a wide variety of social activities and resources at their fingertips.
The campus itself is small, fostering a strong sense of community among students. The dorms are close together and many of them have communal lounges where students gather to study, socialize, or participate in dorm-sponsored events. Students can dine at The Diana Center which hosts a variety of food options and often serves as a meeting place for students to eat, chat, or work on group projects.
The social scene at Barnard is quite diverse, with more than 80 clubs based at Barnard alone. Additionally, students have access to Columbia's extracurriculars, boosting the total number of clubs and organizations to over 500. This means there's something for everyone, whether you're interested in theater, political activism, public service, dance, or photography.
Columbia University is just across the street from Barnard, and students at both schools often participate in events and activities together. This enhances the Barnard social experience by providing a larger pool of students to interact with and more events to attend.
Barnard's location in Manhattan provides countless opportunities to explore New York City. The neighborhood surrounding Barnard, Morningside Heights, has a university town vibe with various bookstores, cafes, and parks. Students are also just a subway ride away from all the cultural activities, internships, and experiences in downtown New York, including Broadway shows, museums, and galleries.
It's also important to note that NYC is integral to the academic experience at Barnard. Many professors incorporate the city into their coursework through city-based assignments and exploration.
As with any college, the social life at Barnard will largely depend on what you want to make of it. But rest assured, there are a lot of opportunities to get involved and enjoy all that both the college and the city have to offer.
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