1. "Hey can you sign me in?"
Whether you're heading to a party in Carman or E.C., visiting a friend in McBaine, or borrowing a book from someone in Wallach, everyone has experienced the struggle of being denied ID-access into Columbia dorms. High amounts of Barnard-related traffic can be seen on weekend nights where we wait to get signed in by a friend--but often enough, a random person is always willing to alleviate the crowd in their lobby and sign you in anyway.
2. Explaining to family/friends that there are boys at your school
Every Barnard girl has heard these sentences before from someone who doesn't understand what Barnard exactly is: “I don’t think I could ever handle not being around guys.” “Why would you want to do that to yourself?” “Aren’t you going to miss boys?” We're in direct contact with the opposite sex every day. They are in our classes, sometimes our dorms, and in the streets of New York. Sorry, we're attending this college for an education, not to meet a husband.
(Please refer to Why Women's Colleges Are Still Relevant.)
3. Buildings with no AC
Half of the buildings at Barnard have not been updated with air-conditioning units. This means hot and stuffy rooms in the beginning of the fall semester and sometimes early May. It's hard for a desk fan to get the right amount of ventilation and cool air blowing around your dorm, so it's all right if you opt to sleep in the Sulz hallway or a friend's suite in Plimpton.
4. Knowing people from the Facebook page but not well enough to say hi
Once you're committed to attending Barnard, you're usually added to a class Facebook group. This allows for infamous over-posting by some of your classmates, networking for babysitting jobs, buying used books, and even general conversation. You usually get a notification if a friend posts on these pages (and let's be honest, you're friends with random people just because they go to Barnard). Sometimes you'll cross paths with these fellow Facebookers in the elevator, but won't say hi since you don't want to seem weird by saying "hey I know you from Facebook."
5. The Action Station in Hewitt
It's the closest thing you'll get to a home-cooked meal; the stir-fry and pasta options are some of the best tasting food offered in Hewitt. And who doesn't love the station's chef, Gloria, one of the most friendly staff members on campus? But the two burners allow for only two meals to be made at a time. Try to beat the line by avoiding the rush hours: 1-2 p.m. for lunch, and 6-7 p.m. for dinner.
6. JJ's
Barnard students were allowed into this food-joint up until the 2015 school year. It's a tragedy we can no longer use our IDs to access Jamba Juice, cheeseburgers, and more. Columbia friends are the real MVP when they swipe you in.
7. Using all of your points to buy Starbucks at Liz's Place
It's too easy to blow your points at Liz's or the Diana. Not only do they have Starbucks, but each day in the cafe they offer something new for lunch. You can also get snacks at either of these eateries, and even use your points on some vending machines (like the ones in Sulz basement) that allow you to swipe your ID.
8. The Quad gate closing at 10 p.m.
After a late night out or just a quick run to Morton Williams, the struggle is too real when you have to walk to the main gate just to get back into the Quad. It may not seem like you're going out of your way, but after a long night, or during the winter, it really makes a difference having to walk the extra 200 feet.
9. Laundry machines only taking big bills
When you have to do a load of laundry, not only do you have to pay $1.25 per load (which is especially irritating now that Columbia has free laundry) but if you need to reload your card, you need to have a $5 bill or higher handy. It'd be a lot more convenient if we could use quarters or ones like a real laundromat.
10. Mail Room
Oftentimes if you're tracking your parcels online, you see that even though your package has been delivered to Altschul, you haven't received the email to pick it up yet. Even if you go to the window and say "I know it's there!," you still have to wait until it is fully processed by the mail room team before you can sign for it.
11. Hate from Columbia students and (on rare occasions) faculty
Unfortunately, a big stigma still exists regarding the intentions of Barnard girls. Occasionally it surfaces on Yik Yak, in the snarky comments of Columbia professors, or in the conversations of misinformed Columbia students. The passive-aggressive nature of our peers who murmur "Columbia to wed. Barnard to bed," annoy all of us. (We're sorry Barnard offsets the ratio of 1:5 males per female students. This really doesn't impede your search for true love. Real population statistics show women outnumber men in many cities around the United States.) It's even more insulting when distinguished faculty say things like, "If you aren't in CC, you probably wish you were" (quoted from a spring 2015 class). The reality is, as Barnard students, we are lucky to have tremendous recourses available to us across the street. Barnard "College" is a part of the greater community of Columbia "University" whether some people like it or not. Barnard women are able to participate in D1 sports, clubs and activities sponsored by Columbia, as well as Greek life which is inclusive of all of the colleges. Barnard itself is a prestigious institution with decades of traditions, and women who continue to raise the standard. Stop assuming we're trying to ride the coattails of another institution; we can hold our own.
