In college, housing is undoubtedly amongst the most important decisions that you will make, and in most cases is a decision that you will have to make each year. There is so much to consider when thinking about what exactly you need in a living space. Luckily, if you go to Barnard College of Columbia University, the options are plentiful and versatile. As with any choice in life, though, there are lots of pros, and of course, some cons, to each possibility.
When you are a rising first-year, Barnard takes some of the pressure off and places you in a room in the Quad (comprised of Brooks, Hewitt, Reid and Sulzberger Halls), based on space and placing students with compatible living styles together. However, once you finish your first year, (congrats, superstar!) the choice is yours on which housing option best suits you. Remember, there is a list of endless factors that go into where and how you should live--friends that want to form housing groups, proximity to Chipotle, and hearsay about the best spots to live on campus, but always remember--when considering housing, above all else should go your needs.
The housing styles are categorized into three types of potential options:
Traditional Corridor Style
Traditional corridor style includes these buildings on campus:
Brooks Hall, Hewitt Hall, Reid Hall & Sulzberger Hall
A.k.a. the buildings that comprise one large "Quad" and are situated directly on Barnard's campus.
Popular housing for: most first-years excepting commuters, as well as sophomores, juniors, and seniors looking to live alone in singles which are usually in Hewitt Hall.
Pros: It simply does not get any closer to Barnard's and even Columbia's campuses than living on Barnard. For those who already know mornings are not for them, this housing provides the shortest commute possible. Especially if you'd rather sleep than feign any appearance that you wake up anything more than seven minutes before class (like me, no judgment here). If you're lucky enough to live in Sulz as a first-year, you'll have AC seasonally, TV service with Time Warner Cable for a fee, and TV lounges throughout the building.
Considerations: While being so close to Barnard's food options is awesome, keep in mind that living in the quad requires that you be on one of the more extensive meal plans, so consider what your first-year eating habits were like thoughtfully before deciding if it is cost efficient.
These buildings are described as spaces that are set up as "Single or Multiple rooms with shared hallway bathrooms."
Suite Style
Suite style locations on campus include the following:
600 West 116th Street, 616 West 116th, & 620 West 116th
Popular housing for: Upperclassmen comfortable with suite-style living and/or living suite style with their own room in the suite space.
Pros: Apartment-style living combined with a conveniently short walk (a crosswalk!) to campus. Fully equipped kitchens, bathrooms in each suite, and laundry in the building provide access to everything you'll need throughout daily life. TV service with Time Warner Cable for a fee.
Considerations: The building is not equipped with AC of its own, and your own installation is prohibited.
601 West 110th Street
Popular housing for: Upperclassmen comfortable with suite-style living and/or living suite style with their own room in the suite space.
Pros: TV service with Time Warner Cable for a fee. 110 truly feels like an apartment building because Barnard leases apartments for students, and thus other apartments are occupied by non-student tenants. The location is great because of your proximity to not only the subway, but restaurants, pharmacies, and grocery stores.
Considerations: The walk from 110 to campus takes at least 10 minutes at a moderate pace, so be prepared to leave yourself time to get to class and find study spots to hang out in between classes--especially as winter approaches.
Cathedral Gardens
Popular housing for: Upperclassmen comfortable with suite-style living and/or living suite style with their own room in the suite space.
Pros: Non-seasonal AC, TV service with Time Warner Cable for a fee.
Considerations: Space is limited in Cathedral Gardens, so it definitely does not house a large number of Barnard students. It is also a considerable walking distance from campus, so consider if you would want to spend subway, bus, or even cab fare during a harsh winter, or on occasions when you're running late.
Plimpton Hall
Popular housing for: Upperclassmen comfortable with suite-style living and/or living suite style with their own room in the suite space.
Pros: Seasonal AC, TV service with Time Warner Cable for a fee.
Considerations: Living in Plimpton is fun, just once again consider how long you want your commute to be, as the building is located on Amsterdam Avenue.
These buildings are described as spaces that are set up as "2-9 students in Single or Multiple rooms with kitchen and bathroom."
Modified Corridor Style
A cross between suite-style amenities and traditional corridor hall living includes the following:
Elliott Hall
Popular housing for: Upperclassmen comfortable with suite-style living and/or living suite style with their own room in the suite space.
Pros: It is directly behind Barnard's campus on Claremont, so this is another housing option where the commute is a breeze. TV service with Time Warner Cable for a fee.
Considerations: Each floor shares two kitchens, so think about whether you're more inclined to use the shared cooking space, or get a versatile meal plan since campus is close.
Sulzberger Tower
Popular housing for: seniors who want both the privacy and freedom of a single coupled with proximity to campus.
Pros: AC seasonally!
Considerations: Because Sulz Tower is a combination of several amenities, space is limited and preference is reserved for seniors and/or those with the necessary lottery numbers.
These buildings are described as spaces that are set up as "8-12 students per side of floor in Single or Multiple rooms with shared kitchen and bathroom."
Please note: this article is in no way a completely comprehensive examination of Barnard's housing options, and furthermore, does not provide information on other important options such as the Jewish Theological Seminary Residence Halls or the Barnard/Columbia housing exchange. Please visit barnard.edu for complete information. Also, visit the website for information on the Housing Lottery system that is designed to organize how students pursue their preferred housing.
