Staff Writers Erika Avallone and Avery Baumel bemoan the lack of spirit displayed by BC and CC students during their respective Spirit Weeks.

Dear Students of Columbia and Barnard Colleges,*

HAVE YOU LOST YOUR SPIRIT?! DID YOU EVER HAVE ANY?!

This past week, we, new transfer students to BC and CC respectively, were curious and excited to experience our first Columbia Homecoming. When we found out that the preceding week was a spirit week for CC students, we (naively) jumped for joy, of course. Then we found out there was ALSO one for Barnard! What better way to showcase spirit and style than by sporting themed outfits across both campuses?

And then Monday came. Hollywood Icon Day at BC and Pajama Day at CC.

First of all, the mere fact that we found out about this so-called “spirit week” on Sunday night should have been enough of a warning. The Barnard email, outlining the theme for each day, was sent on the Monday OF SPIRIT WEEK. How could all the Marilyn Monroes and Elvis Presleys possibly get ready in time? With such late notice and poor cross-campus communication, we quickly realized that Monday was going to be uneventful. Why were there two different themes? Was anyone going to alert the masses of this opportunity to dress in dinosaur-patterned pajamas? Guess not. 

To say the least, while we were disappointed, we were not surprised. But we were optimistic for the future!

Text messages read "have u seen anyone in pajamas" responded to by "NO" and then "Some people look vaguely more comfortable than normal maybe??"
Ah, back when we still had innocence.

Tuesday. Pajama Day for BC and Adam Sandler Day for CC.

If anyone has ever simply passed the Barnard Gates, you know that no one would dare to wear pajamas to class. Barnard students sleep in their maxi skirts and combat boots. Pajama Day at Barnard is simply insulting. 

At Columbia, Adam Sandler Day was somehow also a bust. You would think, the easiest costume to put together, someone has to participate, right? You would be so, so wrong. Not a pair of atrociously long basketball shorts in sight. The backwards baseball cap was a myth that day. Maybe it was the rain (because that’s all it ever seems to do these days)? Everyone traded hats for umbrellas? Who knows. 

Text messages read "these people r very faint of spirit" which is responded to with "I have not seen a single spirited outfit."
Our texts reveal clear distress.

Wednesday came. On Wednesdays We Wear Pink for Columbia College, obviously, and Wacky Wednesday for Barnard. We crossed our fingers:

A text message reads, "If no one wears pink tomorrow I will riot."
Bwog cares very deeply about Mean Girls.

And lo and behold! A Spotting of Pink! From across the street and a block away, we saw two friends, both in pink. Finally! Was this a coincidence? Feel free to ponder. We take it as a sign that not all hope is lost (at least at Columbia).

A zoomed-in, and thus fuzzy, image shows the 116th and Amsterdam crosswalk with two female-presenting individuals with pink sweaters side by side.
This week was like Where’s Waldo, but with no Waldo.

Thursday was Barbie Day for BC and Zoom Professional for CC. 

We have many thoughts about this day, too many to list and some too judgmental to share. Maybe we saw Barbie-themed outfits at Barnard? But that’s kind of every day. For Columbia College, we don’t know what we were expecting, but we know that we didn’t see it. 

Friday finished the week with Barnard Pride Day for BC and Pantone 292 Day for CC.

Okay, so sure, we did see many shades of blue. However, the color “blue” is not a theme! We could wear blue any day of the week, any time of the year, and no one bats an eye. To everyone who showed in full Columbia glam to the actual football game on Saturday, your efforts did not go unnoticed. Every face tattoo, sparkle of glitter, scarf, and Pantone 292 umbrella was taken into consideration, but that’s the easiest theme! Based on the lack of Barnumbia creative spirit, the Quakers had already won.  

To recap this week at Barnumbia, which we refuse to designate as the week of “spirit,” we are not impressed. We know you have wacky outfits hidden in your closets! Pajama day could have been sooooo easy. You did not even have to plan. The point is to not wear real clothes. Anything counts. (Did we wear pajamas? No comment. But we recognize that even Bwog Staffers misstep, and we pledge to do better in the future.)

We hope that in the future you take these concerns to heart. We are Columbia students! Roar Lion Roar! Go Pantone 292! 

Sincerely,

Bwog


*GS, SEAS, and graduate students are on THIN ICE. Just because you didn’t have an official spirit week does NOT mean you can’t be spirited. We will be back for 2024 and this time WE WANT TO SEE SPIRIT!!!!!!!!

A distinctly unspirited Low Steps via Avery Baumel

All images via Authors