The sun sets over another semester

So much happened this semester, from protests of CUCR speakers to sexual assault scandals to marching band victories. As you head home for winter break (or finish up your last final paper), take a moment to relive it all with our bi-annual semester in review.

To start the new semester, we decided to change up our Bwoglines format so that it now includes national and international news. The dirty Carman that we remember got an unexpected upgrade (or at least, some of it did). Spec was forced to leave their 111th street office, and later moved to Riverside Church. Suzanne Goldberg and Barnard’s new president, Sian Beilock, ensured the protection of undocumented students’ physical safety and personal information.

Bwog does videos now! Barnard students are only allowed in JJ’s until 1 am. We tried to brainstorm ways to handle being trapped in a hurricane during one of the worst seasons in history. We investigated the new Halloween pop-up store on Broadway and found some pretty creepy things. Before Columbia Crushes, there was Barnard/Columbia Missed Connections. Law and Order: SVU also decided that 1020 was worth having on their show.  We tested Columbia students to see how much they really know about their university. Ferris started cracking down with a new bouncer. Apparently there was a gorilla in the package center?

But that’s just September…

Three times the Bridgette for three times the wisdom

This Senior Wisdom is from Bridgette Tolbert, WBAR star and one of the finest photographers on Bwog’s Social Media Team.

Name, School, Major, Hometown: Bridgette Tolbert. Columbia College. Economics. Los Angeles, California!

Claim to fame: Starbucks addict and host of “Bridgette” on WBAR!

Where are you going? I’m taking a much needed vacay and then coming back to New York to work on some passion projects.

What are 3 things you learned at Columbia and would like to share with the Class of 2021?

1. Whatever happens to you happens for you. Learn from the highs and the lows and know that you can handle anything that comes your way.

2. Try out anything and everything and don’t be afraid to step away from something if it doesn’t make you happy.

3. You have a lot more power in this community than you may think. If you think that could be changed or improved, don’t just complain about it. Set up a meeting with the appropriate person and share your ideas! You’ll never know where that could take you.

“Back in my day…” KDR parties were always packed and Cannon’s existed/was the best campus bar.

Justify your existence in 30 words or fewer: Before we filmed this segment, Wendy Williams (one of my faves) told me that if she had a daughter she’d want her to be just like me.

What was your favorite class at Columbia? I have so many! Drugs and Behavior with Dr. Carl Hart, Economics of Life with Professor Daniel Hamermesh, Inequalities of U.S. Law and Society with Professor John Salyer, Principles of Econ/Sports Economics with Professor Sunil Gulati, Introduction to African-American Studies with Professor Josef Sorett and the Modern Caribbean with Professor Natasha Lightfoot.

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese? What would Rihanna do?

One thing to do before graduating: Drink a Smirnoff Ice in PrezBo’s mansion.

Any regrets? The times I stopped fighting for myself, any time I did not shoot my shot, and definitely that time I won a Columbia crewneck from CSSC my freshman year and forgot to pick it up ☹

Also, I didn’t know what a Canada Goose was before I arrived on campus in 2014 which I definitely regret because they used to sell a pink version of the Kensington Parka which I totally would have purchased because pink is my favorite color and it honestly would have changed my life.

Photo via Bridgette Tolbert

You’re at the holiday/end of the semester party for a club that you’ve been at least tangentially a part of all semester. You’ve showed up to at least a couple meetings and you can definitely name at least half the people in this room…at least a quarter of the people in this room. Before you can think about that for too long, your friend drags you over to the drinks and starts handing you one right after the other.

The calm before the storm.

Before the hour’s out, you’re down five shots of peppermint vodka in the name of being “festive” and you can barely stand. With your friend’s help, you stumble over to an unoccupied chair shoved in a corner. You don’t know it at the time, but this will be your home for the rest of the night. The rest of the party plays out before you like a holiday play; even in your drunken stupor, you know exactly how it will end, but you have no idea how you’re going to get there.

“All I Want For Christmas Is You” starts playing. You aren’t sure this is the type of song you’re supposed to twerk to, but some people who definitely shouldn’t be testing that hypothesis are. You try to look away, but it’s like watching a train wreck (or someone trying to consume an entire bowl of Ferris pasta). Luckily, it looks like there’s a small crowd taking a video in the corner, so others will be forced to feel your pain via Snapchat story.

It gets weirder…

Hannah, on the natural wind machine of the Amsterdam bridge

Hannah Lindsey’s Senior Wisdom has some worthy advice, but the bulk of it is devoted to oral sex v. cheese in one of the most involved analyses we’ve ever seen.

Name, School, Major, Hometown: Hannah Lindsey; Columbia College; English; Houston, TX.

Claim to fame: Only spending 2.5 years on Columbia campus, almost all of it in the Writers House lounge. Also, editing sex novels.

Where are you going? Home! For a couple years, anyway.

What are 3 things you learned at Columbia and would like to share with the Class of 2021?

1. Find a place to take a bath.

2. Study abroad.

3. Write it down.

“Back in my day…” Cannons, Bacchanal, no fried macaroni and cheese at JJ’s.

Justify your existence in 30 words or fewer: Someone out there in the world has probably masturbated to a novel I helped shape. You’re welcome.

Hannah’s favorite Columbia class and more…

Hanukkah’s already over and it’s fewer than 100 hours until Christmas, but some poor, unfortunate souls are still taking finals. If this applies to you, stay strong. This is the end. 

Who would win: 300 thread count or 2000 page count?

Bwogline: A car has rammed into pedestrians in Melbourne, in what police are calling a deliberate, but not terror-related, attack. So far, several injuries but no deaths have been reported. (CNN)

Study Tip: Go old-school and sleep on your dictionary, which is probably more comfortable than your mattress after the topper slid off and you were too lazy to fix it. For STEM majors, use a literal, physical hard drive.

Procrastination Tip: Watch all the stuff leaving Netflix in 2018, including Mean Girls and Pulp Fiction. Also ponder whose brilliant idea it was to remove Love, Actually in November and put it back on in January.

Music: An astro final is today, so take in some tunes from the Starman.

Overseen: A look of pure awe on a kid’s face at The Nutcracker as the tree grew. Extremely cute and nostalgia inducing.

Happy Holidays!