Natalie Robehmed

Next in the never-ending stream of Senior Wisdoms: Natalie Robehmed, a former WBAR staff member who eats beer for dinner and loves a red lighthouse. 

Name, Hometown, School: Natalie Robehmed, Dubai, U.A.E., Columbia College (not “the” college.)

Claim to fame? WBAR DJ/staff member emeritus; New Poetry person; loud laugher.

Where are you going? Joining the lemming migration to Brooklyn, hopefully making a living spilling ink. (makeitrain.gif)

3 things you learned at Columbia:

• 1. Beer can be both a meal and a drink. Thank you, 1020.

• 2. Surrounding yourself with people who love you will get you through almost anything. Columbia (and the world!) is a difficult place, but you should, can and WILL find communities to make it worthwhile. S/O all my fams #nonewfriends. Also, CPS.

• 3. “All your hours are wings that beat through space from self to self.” That one’s Khalil Gibran, but I think I figured out what the passage means to me in the past four years. It is possible to effect meaningful and tangible change on student bodies and within student groups, even if it feels as though you are grasping at thin air most semesters. As for the self-to-self, people will probably forget what you say in class and do on campus, but they might remember how you make them feel. I learned not to feel obligated to stick to my chosen hours — it’s okay to change activities or majors, just as it’s okay to alter your courseload for a semester and intern, or to take time off. Some of the most important minutes for my own self have been spent skipping class to sleep, bike or read (sorry, Music History). “Life is slow dying,” carpe diem, hold fast to the spirit of youth etc. etc. but really — pour yourself into Columbia; don’t get lost in it. You’ll do just fine.

Back in my day…. Amir’s was gross, Campo was grosser, O’Connells was Cannons, NSOP was dominated by frat parties on 114th, JJs Place had no Jamba Juice, 8.40am class didn’t exist, Cardomat and original Four Loko did. Senior wisdom asked about the “War on Fun” rather than CU Admirers.

(more…)

Once again, you can count on Bwog to deliver your annual housing reviews. Here’s the beginning of our series, so you aren’t such a lost puppy when choosing where you’re going to live. 

Location: 2900 Broadway (actual entrance on 114th, shared with Hogan)

• Nearby dorms: Hogan, Ruggles, Carman, not far from McBain and Watt. Broadway shares an entrance with Hogan.
• Stores and restaurants: Close to Lerner and Butler, across the street from Amir’s, Havana, and importantly International. Morton’s is only a block away across Broadway. Generally one of the most prized locations—it’s close to campus and still provides easy access to the many food and shopping locations on Broadway.

Cost:

• $6,718 (same as Furnald, McBain, Schapiro, Wien)

Amenities:

• Bathrooms: Corridor-style, so shared M/F bathrooms… but there are two of each per floor!
• AC/Heating: AC and heat.
• Kitchen/Lounge: Each floor has a decently-sized kitchen/lounge combo that has two separate stoves, a dishwasher, a microwave, and a large flatscreen TV. The kitchens are getting new countertops and cabinets this year. Broadway’s skylounge is easily the best around. There’s also a large first-floor lounge with ample space for group studying.
• Laundry: In basement.
• Computers/Printers: Computer lab with printer on the third floor. Printer prone to be fussy.
• Gym: No gym.
• Intra-transportation: Three blazing-fast elevators. They have a tendency to malfunction at odd hours of the day… but still, there’s three elevators.
• Hardwood/Carpet: Hardwood/laminate.

Room variety:

• Most floors have three doubles, one of which is pretty spacious (200 sq. ft.)
• Rest of the rooms are singles: exterior (more desirable) and interior (shaft, less desirable). Sizes range from a cozier 95 sq. ft. to an extravagant 120 sq. ft.

Numbers:

• Seniors can get the large singles, with juniors snagging up the less desirable ones.
• Doubles generally go to sophomores.

Bwog recommendation:

If you’re a senior and in General Selection, Broadway pretty much guarantees you decent housing. Juniors in General Selection should look at Broadway before Schapiro or Wien, given the amenities, room sizes, and proximity to campus and shops/restaurants. For sophomores, large doubles in Broadway are a good alternative to Furnald or McBain. Click for resident opinions and some photos.

After surviving last night’s storm/Facebook being down, you’re probably ready to venture outside to assess the damage.  While we were lucky in Morningside Heights, some locations remain closed.  Check back for further updates!

Closed: Amir’s, Starbucks, Uni Cafe, Liz’s Place, Crumbs, Havana Central, Brad’s, Cafe 212, Cafe East, Butler Cafe, Camille’s, Community, Mill, Le Monde, Pinkberry, Nussbaum & Wu, Chipotle, Five Guys, 1020, Bistro 1018

“SEVERE WEATHER UPDATE: Please disregard the “What’s Open Now” sidebar.  John Jay Dining Hall will be the only dining unit open Wednesday, October 31st and Thursday, November 1st from 8am to 8pm, and Friday, November 2nd from 8am to 2pm.  All meal plan and non-meal plan students/staff (pay cash or credit card) are accepted.” – Columbia Dining

Luckily, most places are open!

Name, Hometown, School, Major: Todd Nelson, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  Double Major in Environmental Science and American History

Claim to Fame? Worked with some great friends building the Columbia environmental community (<3<3<3), CUE leader

Where are you going? I’m part of the inaugural Venture for America class (holla at CU fellows Derek Turner and Jim Kahmann!!) so for the next 2 years I’ll be working in renewable energy entrepreneurship.

Three things you learned at Columbia:

1. I learned how to respect others and receive criticism- One of the great things about coming to Columbia is that your big head gets deflated after kicking everybody’s ass in high school with how great you are at everything (amirite?).
2. I learned what I like to do: Turns out it’s what I had already been doing on campus- start and build organizations to solve environmental problems- in the real world, that’s called green start-ups.
3. I’ve learned what loyalty looks like and what betrayal looks like, how good friends treat you when you need it, and how people like to be treated. Advice from me to you- learn what these look like for you, it’s different for everyone.

“Back in my day…” NoNoCo – and Pinnacle baked ziti. Uni Caf*ck that.

Justify your existence in 30 words or less: I think big, therefore I am.

Is the War on Fun over? Who won? Any war stories? The theory on the War on Fun, by my suitemate John Ox, crushes all theories on the War on Fun. Read it and free yourselves.

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese? I haven’t eaten meat in 4 years. Cheese is no biggie. My loyalty remains firmly with oral sex.

Advice for the class of 2016: Build something or work with others to build something – whether it is a community on campus, a student organization, a project, or a cause – is the most useful thing you can ever do for yourself and your future.

Also, Mondel’s chocolate, GO THERE. Bring your mom there. Bring your girl/boy/person-friend there. — 114th right next to Amir’s!

Any regrets: I didn’t go to the Varsity Show until my junior year, and then I did. And I regretted not going the first two years.

Location: 628 W. 114th St.

• Nearby dorms: Not many. Hogan, sorta.
• Stores and restaurants: Amir’s, M2M, Starbucks, International, and basically anything on Broadway.

Amenities:

• Bathrooms: Four bathrooms per floor; each has a tub shower, sink, and toilet.
• AC/Heating: No AC. Plenty of heat though (especially in the smaller rooms).
• Kitchen/Lounge: Each floor has two kitchens/lounges, one per “suite.” Each has a refrigerator, oven/range, dishwasher, microwave, dining table for four, a couch or two with a coffee table, and a bad television.
• Laundry: 4 washers and 4 driers in the basement.
• Computers/Printers: Computers and one printer in the basement.
• Gym: Nope There’s a small “satellite” gym with some cardio equipment.
• Intra-transportation: One elevator and a stairwell. Only the elevator goes to the basement.
• Wi-Fi: Yes.
• Hardwood/Carpet: Carpet.

Room variety:

• Most of the rooms in River are singles of decent size. They range from about 110 sq. ft. to as much as 145 sq. ft.
• There’s one walk-through double on the first floor.

Numbers:

• To grab the bigger singles, you definitely need a point value of 30. The big rooms on the 114th Street-facing side always go first because they’re huge.
• Some juniors are able to squeak in, especially if they’re in a mixed group with seniors. 20-point people, don’t count on River.

Bwog recommendation:

• Seniors in General should definitely look to River after the Watt studio singles go. The rooms are spacious, you have privacy, and the location is just a short walk away from Broadway stores.
• If you’re an all-senior group thinking about dropping to General and have a really good lottery number, consider your options on the day of Suite Selection. River is set up like a suite, but if your group wants to stick together, remember there’s no guarantee that other people didn’t already grab rooms in your “suite.”
• 20-point people should look at Broadway or Schapiro and not count on River being open by the time selection time rolls around.

(more…)

Location: 2900 Broadway (actual entrance on 114th, shared with Hogan)

• Nearby dorms: Hogan, Ruggles, Carman, not far from McBain and Watt. Broadway shares an entrance with Hogan.
• Stores and restaurants: Close to Lerner and Butler, across the street from Amir’s, Havana, and importantly International. Morton’s is only a block away across Broadway. Generally one of the most prized locations—it’s close to campus and still provides easy access to the many food and shopping locations on Broadway.

Cost:

• $6,718 (same as Furnald, McBain, Schapiro, Wien)

Amenities:

• Bathrooms: Corridor-style, so shared M/F bathrooms… but there are two of each per floor!
• AC/Heating: AC and heat.
• Kitchen/Lounge: Each floor has a decently-sized kitchen/lounge combo that has two separate stoves, a dishwasher, a microwave, and a large flatscreen TV. Broadway’s skylounge is easily the best around. There’s also a large first-floor lounge with ample space for group studying.
• Laundry: In basement.
• Computers/Printers: Computer lab with printer on the third floor. Printer prone to be fussy.
• Gym: No gym.
• Intra-transportation: Three blazing-fast elevators. They have a tendency to malfunction at odd hours of the day… but still, there’s three elevators.
• Hardwood/Carpet: Hardwood/laminate.

Room variety:

• Most floors have three doubles, one of which is pretty spacious (200 sq. ft.)
• Rest of the rooms are singles: exterior (more desirable) and interior (shaft, less desirable). Sizes range from a cozier 95 sq. ft. to an extravagant 120 sq. ft.

Numbers:

• Seniors can get the large singles, with juniors and occasionally lucky sophomores snagging up the less desirable ones.
• Doubles generally go to sophomores.

Bwog recommendation:

If you’re a senior and in General Selection, Broadway pretty much guarantees you decent housing. Juniors in General Selection should look at Broadway before Schapiro or Wien, given the amenities, room sizes, and proximity to campus and shops/restaurants. For sophomores, large doubles in Broadway are a good alternative to Furnald or McBain. (more…)

At least we didn't make a (cranberry) saucy pun...

As per tradition, we put our heads (see: gmail accounts) together and compiled this long list of the things/people/places/things/snow penises for which we are most thankful. Contest, corroborate, or add your own in the comments.

It’s that time of the year where we’re allowed to get a little corny (<– Thanksgiving pun), so on that note, let us be the first most public to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. See you Monday!

Vegetables or Minerals

• The Onion Horoscopes
• Amir’s Hummus
• Pumpkin Ale
• Pumpkin Tarts
• Pumpkin-everything
• Fresh coconut from Westside
• The last banana
• Whole wheat noodles at Ferris
• Levain Bakery on Frederick Douglass
• Coconut Liberté yoghurt
• Westside cheese samples
• Absolute bagels
• Strawberry cream cheese
• Kitchenette cheese grits
• M2M #5 wrap
• Kim’s Magic Pop at Westside

Libations

• Port
• Woodchuck amber hard apple cider
• NYC water
• Tea and sympathy
• Creamy coffee foam on the top of coffee
• The first sip of cold beer

Those days 

• Little kids laughing on campus
• Sunset in Riverside
• The rare chance of getting into an elevator in Hamilton
• People you don’t know waving back and smiling when you mistake them for someone you do know
• Five-day weekends
• Waking up naturally right on time
• Study spots that achieve that perfect storm of enough space, pleasant lighting, and ambient noise
• Back rubs
• 90′s music playing at Joe
• Thoughtfulness that takes you by surprise
• Becoming “a regular”
• Heights Happy Hour
• How the water in Dodge (Athletics) is always (n)ice cold
• Surprise puppies on the street
• Nussbaum getting an A for sanitation
• The sunrise after an all-nighter

The season

• The perfect snow for snowmen
• The tree-lighting ceremony
• Crisp autumnal days
• Leaves at their prime crunchiness
• Warm weather in November
• Hot apple cider twice a week at the farmers’ market
• Holiday lights

There’s An App For That

• That freshman who invented Self Control
• The FatBooth app
• Twitter
• Professors’ Twitters
• IEEE
• The GingerBooth App
• Free Internet
• Google
• The reply-all button being harder to hit accidentally
• Gifs
• Facebook privacy settings
• MTA maps on your smartphone
• TED talks
• Amusing spam

Professors

• Drinking with professors
• Bumping into professors at Community
• Professors that care
• Good looking professors and TAs
• Flexible due dates

Other People

• Cuddle buddies
• Columbia comedy groups
• Class friends
• Friends who offer bites of their food
• Phil Schaap
• Friends who stress bake
• Roosevelt Montàs
• Friends who give you their laundry card when you don’t have cash
• Don Draper
• Roommates who make you tea
• Boris V.
• Talented freestyle rappers
• Elisabeth at the Hartley Hospitality desk
• Friendly dorm security guards
• Someone like you” by Adele
• StressBusters
• Suites of best friends
• Firm handshakes
• Beyoncé
• Unexpected bromance
• Cooking with friends
• Wrestling with friends

Snow Penises

• Snow penises

Infrastructure

• The cold water fountain on the top floor of Dodge (Music/Art)
• Beds that are bigger than a twin XL
• Fireplaces
• Postcrypt
• Zumba
• Singles
• Paisley Bedsheets
• Inter-library loan
• Extensions
• Sweaters with elbow patches
• Flex at Duane Reade
• Free hugs
• Columbia’s future composter
• Flattering lighting
• The Central Park loop
• Beautiful library ceilings
• Proximity to the Met Opera
• The perfect curvature of the statue on the right side Low steps ledge for sitting
• Milano
• Butler 210
• Great accents
• Good company
• Circulating movies from Butler Media
• ADI course scheduler
• Brad’s Café
• Superfluous pillows
• CrackDel
• Immersion blenders
• Pick-me-up jamz
• Furry hats
• Lululemon Leggings
• Waterproofing spray

Television

• Community
• 30 Rock
• Netflix instant
• Late night How I Met Your Mother reruns

Bwog: Keeping Your Piggy Bank Slightly More Full Since 2006.

In the beginning there was Tenka, the no-fee app that lets students use social media to redeem first come, first served coupons at local eateries. Oh, and how could we forget the ultra-hip CampusFood? Thanks to the latter, we’ve been holed up in our rooms since last September with a continuous stream of flex-funded Kitchenette pancakes.

And then there were three.

UniEats, a food discount service founded last Fall at UPenn as PennEats, has just launched a Columbia branch. The deal is simple: buy a $15 card ($12 during pre-sale) online or through campus representatives at any time during the school year and use it through next May to get between 10 and 20 percent off your bill at participating local markets, coffee shops, and restaurants. Highlights include P&W, Amir’s, and Maoz. Check out the full list (and restrictions) here. According to their site, UniEats will give a portion of all proceeds to local charities.

Image of the thing you hide from your roommate but secretly think is cute via Wikimedia Commons.

Location: 628 W. 114th St.

• Nearby dorms: Not many. Hogan, sorta.
• Stores and restaurants: Amir’s, M2M, Starbucks, International, and basically anything on Broadway.

Amenities:

• Bathrooms: Four bathrooms per floor; each has a tub shower, sink, and toilet.
• AC/Heating: No AC. Plenty of heat though (especially in the smaller rooms).
• Kitchen/Lounge: Each floor has two kitchens/lounges, one per “suite.” Each has a refrigerator, oven/range, dishwasher, microwave, dining table for four, a couch or two with a coffee table, and a bad television.
• Laundry: 4 washers and 4 driers in the basement.
• Computers/Printers: Computers and one printer in the basement.
• Gym: Nope.
• Intra-transportation: One elevator and a stairwell. Only the elevator goes to the basement.
• Wi-Fi: Yes.
• Hardwood/Carpet: Carpet.

Room variety:

• Most of the rooms in River are singles of decent size. They range from about 110 sq. ft. to as much as 145 sq. ft.
• There’s one walk-through double on the first floor.

Numbers:

• To grab the bigger singles, you definitely need a point value of 30. The big rooms on the 114th Street-facing side always go first because they’re huge.
• Some juniors are able to squeak in, especially if they’re in a mixed group with seniors. 20-point people, don’t count on River.

Bwog recommendation:

• Seniors in General should definitely look to River after the Watt studio singles go. The rooms are spacious, you have privacy, and the location is just a short walk away from Broadway stores.
• If you’re an all-senior group thinking about dropping to General and have a really good lottery number, consider your options on the day of Suite Selection. River is set up like a suite, but if your group wants to stick together, remember there’s no guarantee that other people didn’t already grab rooms in your “suite.”
• 20-point people should look at Broadway or Schapiro and not count on River being open by the time selection time rolls around.

(more…)

Lincoln, contemplating history

History Professor Eric Foner strikes gold—for the second time! Yesterday, Columbia University awarded the Bancroft Prize to Foner for his book “The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery.” Thanks to CU, Foner will also receive $10,000 (!) in prize money. Damn, it must feel good to be a Tweedster. (ABC News)

There’s good food in Morningside Heights—who would’ve guessed? Apparently, certain foodies find Veggie Sandwich at Amir’s particularly scrumptious. (Serious Eats)

Columbia University Press, along with its peers at Harvard and Cornell, plans to make its scholarly books available on JSTOR through its Books at JSTOR initiative. Writing research papers just got 34508 times easier. Win! (INFOdocket)

FYI, the Oxford English Dictionary plans to add certain internet initialisms to its lexicon. LOL! (engadget)

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, a disaster in Lower Manhattan that took the lives of 146 mostly female garment workers. Though tragic, this fire is a landmark in the history of the city of New York, for it led to important reform in the realms of workers’ rights and factory safety. (City Room, NYT)

Inspired by the memory of the Triangle Fire, the Sweatshop Free Upper West Side Campaign has planned a news conference and rally to protest Saigon Grill Restaurant’s labor law violations. Protesters will meet outside Saigon Grill on 90th Street and Amsterdam Avenue at 1 pm to call attention to the restaurant’s continued unethical policies.

Thinkin’ Lincoln via Wikimedia Commons

Location: 2900 Broadway (actual entrance on 114th, shared with Hogan)

• Nearby dorms: Hogan, Ruggles, Carman. Worth noting that Broadway shares an entrance with Hogan.
• Stores and restaurants: Close to Lerner and Butler, across the street from Amir’s, Havana, International. Morton’s is only a block away across Broadway.

Cost:

• $6,718 (same as Furnald, McBain, Schapiro, Wien)

Amenities:

• Bathrooms: Corridor-style, so shared M/F bathrooms… but there are two of each per floor!
• AC/Heating: AC and heat.
• Kitchen/Lounge: Each floor has a decently-sized kitchen/lounge combo that has two separate stoves, a dishwasher, a microwave, and a large flatscreen TV. Broadway’s skylounge is easily the best around. There’s also a large first-floor lounge with ample space for group studying.
• Laundry: In basement. Didn’t accept Flex last semester, but now it does.
• Computers/Printers: Computer lab with printer on the third floor. Printer prone to be fussy.
• Gym: No gym.
• Intra-transportation: Three blazing-fast elevators. They have a tendency to malfunction at odd hours of the day… but still, there’s three elevators.
• Hardwood/Carpet: Hardwood/laminate.
• Bike storage: You might be able to squeeze one in the larger singles or doubles.

Room variety:

• Most floors have three doubles, one of which is pretty spacious (200 sq. ft.)
• Rest of the rooms are singles: exterior (more desirable) and interior (shaft, less desirable). Sizes range from 95 sq. ft. to 120 sq. ft.

Numbers:

• Seniors can get the large singles, with juniors and lucky sophomores snagging up the less desirable ones.
• Doubles generally go to sophomores.

Bwog recommendation:

If you’re a senior and in General Selection, Broadway pretty much guarantees you decent housing. Juniors in General Selection should look at Broadway before Schapiro or Wien, given the amenities, room sizes, and proximity to campus and shops/restaurants. For sophomores, large doubles in Broadway are a good alternative to Furnald or McBain. (more…)

(but the real entrance to residence hall is located on 114th)

Location: 566 W. 114th

• Nearby dorms: Broadway, Ruggles, Carman. Worth noting that Hogan shares an entrance with the Broadway residence hall, so occupants get similar amenities to Broadway.
• Stores and restaurants: Close to Lerner and Butler, across the street from Amir’s, Havana, International. Morton’s is only a block away across Broadway.

Cost:

• $8,324 (same as EC, Ruggles, Watt, Woodbridge)

Amenities:

• Bathrooms: One normal-sized bathroom per suite.
• AC/Heating: No AC, but some rooms have two windows for an extra breeze.
• Kitchen/Lounge: Large kitchens that come with a lot of storage space (plenty of cabinets but too few drawers). Each suite has a large lounge as well. Only some lounges have closets, but all bedroom hallways have closets.
• Laundry: Laundry room is always free empty! Seventh floor.
• Computers/Printers: Shared computer lab with the Broadway dorm; on third floor.
• Gym: No gym.
• Intra-transportation: Single elevator is often commandeered by maintenance staff, but there’s only 7 floors so you’ll be fine on the stairs.
• Hardwood/Carpet: Carpeting, meh.
• Bike storage: You get large singles, so you might be able to store one in your room.

Room variety:

• Four- or five-person suites that are comprised of only huge (120-150 sq. ft.) singles. In 2010, there was a new six-person suite on the 7th floor.
• Each suite comes with one kitchen, one bathroom, and a spacious lounge.
• Some rooms have two windows, but if you face Broadway, be prepared for noise.

Numbers:

• All seniors. All suites likely to be gone by the first day of Suite Selection. Often said to be the most desirable place to live as a senior.
• Need at least 30/2000. 30/1200 to feel safe.

Bwog recommendation:

We assume you’re an all-senior group. Groups of four have the most options: if you can’t get EC townhouses, this (and Ruggles) will likely be your fallback; some will likely prefer Hogan for its spaciousness and proximity to Broadway. If you are in a five-person group, see what’s available on your day of Suite Selection. Good EC Highrises should be your fallback, and of course, Senior Regroup is always an option. Remember, a large part of Hogan is going to be renovated! (more…)

TANKS!

The Bwog staff did what we always do and compiled a list of things we are thankful for. Feel free to leave yours in the comments.

Columbia, have an absolutely lovely Thanksgiving. We are so very, truly thankful to you for reading this website and for lots of other things.

Randos

• PDF versions of textbooks
• The idea of going abroad
• Firm handshakes
• Being of the Harry Potter generation
• The mysterious sliding window between RotiRoll and Suite
• Free hot water everywhere sans embittered glances
• Palindromes
• Actually going downtown when you say you will
• The Canon 5D
• Walking about the campus on a sunny day and feeling fresh
• Riding the lion outside Dodge
• Having just enough pencil lead to finish an exam
• Having exactly $0.00 left on a Metrocard
• Things overheard through Wien’s thin walls
• Clothespins
• Overly abbreviated text messages from my parents
• The beautiful beautiful architecture strewn across (most of) campus
• NBA League Pass
• Watching the sun rise for non work-related reason
• Getting there just in time
• Those moments when you stop procrastinating
• Bananagrams
• Adhesive lint rollers
• The cute guys who work at Book Culture
• Bikes
• The car rental age in New York being 18

Places

• Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
• New Jersey
• The commuter lounge in the Diana
• The Lehman 2nd floor printer- it has never been broken when I needed it. Ever.
• New Hampshire
• The Notary Public at Citibank
• The ATM in Lerner

Facts

• Planning to read on Low Steps, never actually reading on Low Steps
• This year not being Sophomore year
• Realizing that a career isn’t the only thing in life
• Free New York Times
• Magenta suede in the Diana
• Having a three-day weekend every weekend
• Exchanging awkward, enduring smiles with people I sort of know from class
• Wearing other people’s sweaters and thinking about them
• The crosswalk light to cross Broadway turning green (white) just as you reach ir
• No credit card minimum at Morton Williams
• Fridays at Potluck
• The banter at Milano
• The fact that things are open past 9PM (a true city luxury)
• Solid high-fives
• Seeing movies with old people at Lincoln Plaza
• The fact that Fayerweather smells like condensed soup
• Realizing you know almost everyone in your prospective major

Loved Ones

• Parents
• My Dad for offering to call to wake me up for my 6:00 AM flight home (Oh Dad, don’t you know I just won’t sleep?)
• People on the subway who are so thoroughly engaged in the music on their iPod that they sing and dance to it as if no one else was around
• Friends whose parents send them great care packages (with peanut butter fudge)
• Anthony Randolph + our raggedy New York Knicks
• Everyone who works at Housing for dancing with me during Room Selection and being generally lovely people
• Friends who live off-campus
• My friends’ signature dance moves
• Friends that straight live in Butler Cafe
• The other kid in Butler at 3am
• Seeing your friends from home and talking about the same old useless things
• Raj’s smiles (Butler Cafe)
• Kia’s sass (Cafe 212)
• Ricky Martin
• Hunter Parrish
• Sir Mike of Carman
• The guy who always presses the open and close elevator buttons to make crowded Mudd elevator rides faster
• Suitemates
• My neurotic dog
• My corporate finance problem set team all of whom are awesome
• The Westside Staff – props to Andrew and Luis!
• My neurotic family
• Asian tourists who treat our campus like a real New York landmark
• Security guards that keep pictures of their girlfriends/wives/families on their desks while they work
• People taking pictures of Columbia
• People taking pictures of people taking pictures of Columbia
• Visitors
• New friends
• The people who go insane at dubstep shows
• The kitchen power couple
• The Hewitt dining staff—the sassier the better!
• Squirrel Man
• Friends with rich parents
• Bella Ayalof (the woman who works at Cafe Nana)’s Israeli accent
• Architecture majors: for perspective
• Freshmen: for perspective
• All of the friends who do more for me than I ever could have asked for, the most amazing people I could ever fathom (more…)

It’s helpful to have a job when you’re a broke college student – preferably one that doesn’t require you to take the subway. To help you out on your quest for employment, we did a little legwork and found out who’s hiring in Morningside.

• Ricky’s (114th & Bway) is looking for all positions, including stylists.

• American Apparel (109th & Bway) wants you. Don your golden onesie!

• Vine (116^th & Bway) is looking for full- and part-time hostesses and servers with experience.

• Pinkberry (112^th & Bway) is also hiring. If you make a good first impression, the manager might hire you on the spot.

• Campo (114^th & Bway) isn’t actively hiring right now, but we’re told that they will be within the next couple of weeks.

• Amsterdam Restaurant (119^th & Amsterdam) will be hiring within the next two months.

• Book Culture (112^th b/w Bway and Amsterdam) is apparently pretty full, but send your resume to david@bookculture.com and you could get lucky.

• Community (113^th & Bway) isn’t hiring right this second, but they tell us that the restaurant business changes from moment to moment, so you should probably drop off your resume and application anyway.

• Amir’s (113th & Broadway) is hiring cashiers. It rhymes!

• Kitchenette (123^rd & Amsterdam), Deluxe (113^th & Bway), Le Monde (112^th & Bway) and Vareli (112^th & Bway) aren’t actively hiring, but applications are welcome.

Amir’s has adjusted to the times; it got a makeover over the weekend and became Maoz. There’s a new green sign, the mirrors are green, the walls and ceilings are green, and there are also some yellow-and-white striped booths, but nevermind those. The falafel also got a little cheaper (from $4.75 for a sandwich to a mere $3.50, now we’re talking Hooda prices) and the store was bustling around 7 PM tonight. Amir’s has survived a Health Department shuttering (eegad, roaches!) in 2008 and many years in Morningside. And the battle rages on! Thanks to John “Shawarma King” Nordin for the photos.