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Welcome to the Jungle
Your student council presidents would like to say hello and impart a few words of wisdom. Listen to them!
Lara Avsar, SGA President
Welcome (back) to Barnard!
I hope you had a wonderful summer! Whether this is your first time on campus or the first week of your last year, get ready for a great 2010-2011! I honestly hope that y’all are as excited as I am for events like CU Homecoming, Spirit Day, Big Sub, and Midnight Breakfast! (First-years, you will figure out the awesomeness of these events soon enough!)
Also for the first-years, the best advice that I can give you is to get involved and enjoy every minute of your time here. I think the seniors will agree with me when I say that it goes by way too fast. One opportunity to get involved is through SGA First-Year Elections. They will be held at the beginning of the semester and I really hope you will consider using this opportunity to become leaders on campus. If you have any questions or concerns about this (or really anything), feel free to email me (la2257@barnard.edu) or stop by the SGA Office (304 Diana).
Learned Foote, CCSC President
Welcome to Columbia College! You’ll soon learn that this is a decentralized university. And when you’re walking to 3 different buildings to accomplish 1 task, you’ll be happy that we enjoy a dense city campus.
As you choose between hundreds of different organizations to join, both on- and off-campus, I recommend you check out student government. Whether you care about academics, pre-professional advising, or even vending machine selections, chances are that the Columbia College Student Council is involved somehow. We write and pass policies that impact student life, carry on College traditions, and more.
Every year, a number of first-years get involved in our projects, and– with a bit of hard work– gain access to the top administrators at Columbia. You can absolutely do the same. Come to a meeting, join a committee, run for election, or just e-mail ccsc@columbia.edu to vent a bit. Cheers!
Jacqueline Thong, GSSC President
Welcome to orientation! This is said to be the best part of a GS student’s experience here at Columbia. So, embrace it!
If there is one piece of advice I can give you, it is to make the most of your relatively short time here. Beyond learning as much as you can while at Columbia, you should get to know as many people as possible. In other words, I don’t want to see you for the second time on Graduation Day. It’s about whom you know as much as what you know.
Historically, GS students have not been the most active participants of on-campus activities. This year, as president of GSSC, my goal is to devote 100% of our energy to improving student life and encouraging GS students’ participation around campus. Let me give you a list of big, not-to-be-missed events:
- Right after Orientation, we will have a Kick-off Rooftop Party at Hudson Terrace, exclusively for GS students. So, be sure to come out and mingle.
- Then, you might want to start making a stack of official Columbia business cards in time for the alumni networking luncheon.
- Around spring time, you might want to start looking for a date to bring to the fabulous GS Gala.
- Finally, start polishing up those hidden talents of yours for the 2nd Annual Talent Showcase, and join us to be wow-ed by your fellow GS students.
These are some highlights of the many activities we have in store for you this year. So, remember to pick a GSSC September-October event calendar postcard, and watch out for the oh-so-useful weekly reminder emails. Be sure to say ‘hi’ when you are around campus, I would love to know what you are up to and how you are!
I wish you all a great semester ahead.
Chris Elizondo, ESC President
The next four years of your life will cover every adjective in every dictionary of every known language in the universe. Columbia is an incredible institution and has an array of opportunities, but never forget that it was your drive and ambition that got you here and they are sure to get you through and beyond the Gates of 116th. Welcome to the family and attack the City of New York with every ounce of energy in your body, make sure you enjoy your classmates and rip through any conceptions of social normalcy you came to college bearing. Let the madness ensue…
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10 Comments
@Not representative of GS “Historically, GS students have not been the most active participants of [sic] on-campus activities…”
Well, Miss Thong, why might that be the case? Consider for a minute the possibility that maybe dedication to the only truly relevant “on-campus activity” – study – might be a higher priority to the average, older GS student. How amazingly parochial of you to imply “apathy,” when in fact “disgust” and “disinterest” better characterize the typical GSer disdain for “Student Council” activity. Please, let this be a year of GSSC invisibility.
@And how is this a problem? “Historically, GS students have not been the most active participants of [sic] on-campus activities…”
Well, Miss Thong, why might that be the case? Consider for a minute the possibility that maybe dedication to the only truly relevant “on-campus activity” – study – might be a higher priority to the average, older GS student. How amazingly parochial of you to imply “apathy,” when in fact “disgust” and “disinterest” better characterize the typical GSer disdain for “Student Council” activity. Please, let this be a year of GSSC invisibility.
@Anonymous former gs’er here; will point out that the gs president wins the award for most long-winded orientation letter.
@Anonymous chris elizondo, though your piece was the shortest, it was also verbal diarrhea. a little sincerity in your letter would have been nice.
@i think you... like boring people, because you sound pretty fucking boring. Chris had the best intro of them all. new students get advice from wayyy too many sources, it nice to just hear someone say take risks, get out of your comfort zone and make the most of this.
@Anonymous Full of hyperbole and cliches and generic affirmations of Columbianess. Seriously? “Let the madness ensue”? This was as useful as a speech from a dean.
@GSer Too Just because the last senior class president made an asshat out of himself doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with our new class president. Show a little support for someone who works hard to improve your student experience. All she’s saying it get out there and enjoy it.
@GSerThree Your point is well taken, and Jacqueline is really great and well-meaning, but… every year since I have been here the GSSC has some sort of scandal or embarrassment: they impeach their President; they spend $7000 of our money on a retreat for themselves; they void the election of new members; mass resignations; the plagiarism thing on class day, and on and on. Oh and what about Latin diplomas? I will be surprised –happily so– if this year’s body does anything good. All I am saying is exercise caution when hooking up with a group that seems to accomplish nothing and spend too much money.
@Erm... Your last bit describes elected officials in general.
@GSer Who is going to be the first person to point out that the GS valedictorian who plagiarized material for his speech was the GSSC Senior Class President? Thanks, but I think I will stick to studying and creating my own “student life”.