Columbia University

March 14, 2005:
The students at Columbia are away on Spring Break, and I'm off to the next chapter of this project. It always takes me awhile to get used to a new school, and I am always sad to start over again. It is especially difficult when I am leaving a place as welcoming as Columbia.

A few weeks ago, I would have been surprised to hear someone describe Columbia as "welcoming," but that is exactly what it was. The administration was gracious and inviting. The city treated me fairly. And, most importantly, the students were friendly, open, and bright. At every school, I've met some good people; but at Columbia, I met people with whom I could be friends. It was a pleasure to meet the people at Columbia.

The bottom line about Columbia, though, is that it is all about the city. There are many schools that people are drawn to because of how great they are, and they happen to be in acceptable places to live. People are drawn to Columbia because it is an acceptable school in a great place to live. The school has a real campus and its own identity apart from the city—in fact, several students told me that they rarely venture out of the neighborhood of Morningside Heights—but New York is the big draw for the school. A person who loves city life will love life at Columbia.

March 9, 2005:
At each school that I have visited, the students seem to have a catch phrase that they recite to describe life there. At Columbia, the catch phrase is that the students are exceptionally independent and mature.

The City is partially responsible for these attributes, or perhaps the City only attracts people with these attributes. It isn't a place for the weak or timid. It takes a certain amount of confidence to jump on a new subway line, and not everyone can fend for themselves among the horde of inhabitants and visitors in New York. Entrepreneurs and leaders are developed in such environments.

But students have also told me that Columbia brings the independence out of students. Some say that the university encourages independent thought; others say that the university doesn't care about individuals, so students are forced to become independent to survive.

At any rate, I have noticed the maturity and independence of the students during my time on campus. The campus crowd is young and fun, but there is an underlying maturity that is missing at the other campuses I visited.

In fact, this might be a good time to mention something odd that I discovered in my journey across campuses this year. Students refer to themselves as "kids," as in, "Yeah, I know a kid in that class." As an 18 year-old Marine, I would have been horrified if someone referred to me as a kid. I had always assumed that college students thought of themselves as adults. I wonder where the line to adulthood sits among the traditionally educated.

March 3, 2005:
I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying Columbia. I was afraid that the City would distract and occupy the students so much that they wouldn't have time to speak with me about the project. As it stands, several students have already volunteered their time to show me around and introduce me to life at Columbia. Besides, I'm distracted and occupied by the City, too, so I'm okay.

One aspect of Columbia that is growing on me is the campus itself. Let's face it: Columbia is not exactly a breathtaking campus. But I'm starting to appreciate it.

The Columbia Spectator published an article about the project today, and I hope that will prompt more students to contact me. I've been to a few classes, I visited the gym, and I checked out Koronet and Café 212. I plan on going to the Columbia basketball game this Saturday, but I'd like to check out more student organizations and events.

February 26, 2005:
I'm not sure what to expect from Columbia. One of the things that I like about rural schools is that the social life and the community is the school. At a school set in Manhattan, students don't need to bond with each other and create their own entertainment. The whole world is waiting just outside the gates, and students can lose or find themselves in New York City.

And, I have to admit, I have a sordid history with the school. I started a graduate program here once. My program was pretty bad. Okay, it sucked. But I am currently a prospective student at the Teachers College at Columbia, and there is a very real chance that I will be a student at the school next fall. I'm hoping that the students will show me the best parts of Columbia so that I like it enough to attend.

The students that have already contacted me seem very enthusiastic and willing to show me around. I have hope that this may actually turn out to be an unexpected high point in my travels.

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