Semester in Review: The Semester That Wasn’t

bwogIt’s New Year’s Eve! But before you go popping the champagne corks, strap in for an announcement and a look back at the last semester of the Aughties/Naughties/Zeroes. First, starting tomorrow, former daily editor and current magazine senior editor Eliza Shapiro, CC ’12, will be taking over as Bwog editor; joining her as deputy will be three-semester (!) daily editing veteran Anish Bramhandkar, SEAS ’11. Once again, it’s been a privilege to edit this blog for y’all this past year – thank you.

- JCD

The year began with improvements: JJ’s got WiFi; the JSchool got shiny. Then 2013 took the 2 train too far uptown and taught us all a thing or two about forced friendship.

After the fresh-people were tucked in to their tiny Carman beds, the hot-button issue of the Fall semester exploded. As the leaves turned, Marky Mark stopped by Happy Hour at 1020. Plus: famous people hung out in Low; PrezBo looked funny. Westboro protested at JTS. The Columbia Bartending Agency re-opened and the War on Fun was pretty much unaffected.

During midterm season, the hot dog saga continued. Everyone went swine-crazy. The Community Food & Juice Inferno ’09 finally stopped raging, 6 months later, and we all guzzled $5 hot chocolates in celebration.

Before Thanksgiving, we saw stars outside Butler. Shock and awe: Columbia beat Princeton, a year after 08 Homecoming. Raphael Graybill made us proud and jealous. And in November’s episode of Damn the Man, Postcrypt (Art Gallery) got evicted, and the concrete jungle where dreams are maaaade of denied us a meteor shower.

Winter started creeping in, and gender-neutral dorms put everyone in a tizzy. Bob Saget performed in Miller and made us all miss Full House. Morningside Books basically re-opened with a new name: Book Culture! Hawkma made the semester’s first appearance, bloodying up a pigeon near John Jay. Lerner celebrated its double-digit birthday, but no one celebrated with it. Barnard’s mandatory meal plan announcement didnt go over so well.

Despite all this we were thankful.

The first week of December, the not-so-arguably most legitimate news story of the entire semester broke: Columbia was denied eminent domain for the Manhattanville expansion project. Finals, running right up to the 23rd, sucked even worse than usual, and Fall 2010′s schedule probably won’t be much better. And if the administration has its way, there might not be a Postcrypt Coffehouse to lighten the mood.

The semester ended with a heartwarming scene of widespread icy violence: hundreds of Columbians pelted each other with snowballs and sledded down the Steps late into the night, and compared bruises the next morning back in Butler.

Panorama by HEH

- ECS


66 °F, Cloudy

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Lost and Found

  • Lost: Ray-Bans (May 21 2012)

    I lost some matte green Ray-Ban sunglasses during the last night of Senior Week revelry outside EC. If anyone finds them, take pity because they were the only thing that fools people into thinking that I’m cool. One delicious burrito dinner reward for their safe return. Email sar2160@columbia.edu if you know anything.

  • Lost: Columbia ID (May 11 2012)

    Name: Emily Selinger, lost 5/10 somewhere at Senior Ball, gaslight, or 1020. ess2168@columbia.edu

  • Found: Blue iPod Nano (May 08 2012)

    Found in one of the couches in the Wallach Sky Lounge. Returned to Hartley Hospitality Desk.

  • Lost: Jacket and Scarf (May 03 2012)

    Dark blue-green plaid Old Navy jacket and green scarf. Misplaced in EC on April 30. If found, please email abc2160@columbia.edu. Thank you!

  • Lost: Phone Charger (Apr 28 2012)

    PointMobl Black Retractable Micro USB AC Phone Charger. Lost it in Hartley lounge. E-mail: nnamdi.nwaezeapu@gmail.com

  • Lost: Black High Sierra Backpack (Apr 26 2012)

    Lost a Black High Sierra backpack containing a white binder and a red pencil bag in Ferris Booth Dining Hall on Wednesday, April 25th, around 7:30 to 8pm. It was left on a chair in the second floor in a table around the middle of the room close to the staircase. If spotted someone taking it or found, please call immediately at 208-964-6780 or email rm2999@columbia.edu

  • Lost: Vis a Vis French Textbook (Apr 23 2012)

    Light blue, hardcover. Beginning Level. Lost last Tuesday in the Barnard 2nd floor women’s bathroom.

    If found, please contact jac2295@columbia.edu

  • Lost: Blackberry (Apr 22 2012)

    Lost a Blackberry Bold from Verizon Wireless at ADP on Saturday night. If found please email rsf2121@columbia.edu or call 601-994-3697. There will be a $$ reward!!

  • Lost: Flower Earrings & Mood Ring (Apr 18 2012)

    These were lost potentially on philosophy lawn on the evening of April 17th. The earrings are large silver flower cutouts and the mood ring is a blue band with small flowers inset. Both are old with a lot of sentimental value attached. Would greatly appreciate their return if found. Please contact on2139@columbia.edu/

    646-496-3613, will reward with home baked goods and eternal gratitude.

  • Lost: Droid Phone (Apr 18 2012)

    Droid II Phone without any particular markings. Possibly left at the street fair or in Math. Contact cw2453.

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