Take Part in a Research Study!

Hey First-Years,

Come help out by taking part in a research study currently being conducted by a PhD student at Northeastern! Check out this flyer for more info... 👀

Best,

The First Year Team

 

Student Worker Walk-ins!

Hey First-Years!

Congratulations on nearly finishing your second week of classes. We are excited to announce that walk-in hours with student workers is back! Feel free to stop by and talk to your fellow classmate about classes, life at Barnard, and more. These walk-ins will take place on: Tuesdays 3-4pm on Zoom and Fridays 10-11am in Milbank 105. These hours will be held by Riya (me). I've already had the pleasure of meeting so many of you over the summer, but here is a quick introduction to get to know a little more about me. 

 

That's me! My name is Riya and I'm a junior at Barnard. I was born in India but grew up in Hong Kong (yes, I'm a fellow international student). Currently, I'm studying Neuroscience and Economics. You'll also find me doing neuroscience research at the Romeo Lab at Barnard and planning events like Holi and Diwali with the Hindu Student's Organization. In my free time I love painting and eating lots of good food with my friends. If you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to come by my walk-ins or approach me if you see me around. I would love to meet you all if I could :)

Best,

The First Year Team

Moving with the Voice (DNCE-BC2456) open for Fall 2025!

Hello First-Years!

We wanted to send out a message from the Dance department about an open Dance course available to First-Year students if you are interested in taking this course and fulfill your PE requirement (this course is worth 2 credits.) Please see the following information down below:

Moving with the Voice (DNCE-BC2456) is a voice-movement-theater improvisation and composition class  inspired by the work of MacArthur Genius grant recipient, Meredith Monk. Allison Easter is teaching the course and has worked with Meredith Monk since 1985.

The class is open to all interested students. No experience  necessary, just a willingness to sing and move! 

Broaden your horizons. Explore your creativity. Get PE credit. 

Days/Times: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:40-3:55PM 

Location: Streng Studio, Barnard Hall, first floor (opposite the fitness center) 

Instructor: Allison Easter

Link to the course listing on the CU Course Directory and on Vergil if you would like more information.

If you have any further questions, please reach out to Allison Easter at aeaster@barnard.edu

First-Year Class Dean 2025-2026 Walk-In Hours!

Got a quick question?

Need to talk to a dean ASAP?

If you have something complicated or want to be sure you can talk at length, please make an appointment via Dean Siegel's online scheduler.

Mondays 3:30-4:30pm Eastern Time

• Enter waiting room via this Walk-In Hours Zoom Link or visit 105 Milbank,
  
• We will see students on a first-come, first-served basis. 
• If we run out of time and can't see you, we apologize for the inconvenience and encourage you to schedule an appointment, to try walk-ins on a different day, or for time-sensitive matters, to call the office at 212-854-2024 during business hours.

Fridays 3:30-4:30pm Eastern Time

• Enter waiting room via this Friday Afternoon Walk-In Hours Zoom Link or visit 105 Milbank.
  
• We will see students on a first-come, first-served basis. 
• If we run out of time and can't see you, we apologize for the inconvenience and encourage you to schedule an appointment, to try walk-ins on a different day, or for time-sensitive matters, to call the office at 212-854-2024 during business hours.

UPCOMING DEADLINE REMINDERS!

Hey First-Years,

We hope the first week of classes (aka, FWOC😍) went well for everyone! Although we're sure you're all caught up in the excitement of the semester starting, we wouldn't want you to forget about some very important reminders. Please make sure you've done the following things by the end of this week:

1. You must be registered in a minimum of 12 credits by Friday, September 12. If this is the case, your Fall 2025 Course Plan in Vergil must be green (i.e. fully registered), for all courses that you are taking this semester. This includes your First-Year Seminar/Writing and PE, or any Dance technique, Varsity sport, or rehearsal/performance course for which you will earn credit this semester. 
2. You must meet with your pre-major adviser. Your adviser must approve your course schedule in Vergil by Friday, September 12th. Make sure to reach out to them ASAP, if you haven't already. If you're unsure how to find your who your pre-major adviser is, check out this link. Need advice or approval and can't reach your adviser?  Visit us in the Deans' office!

If you've already done the action items mentioned above, congratulations! Although, there's more. Please also make sure you're aware of the following reminders and deadlines:

• Friday, Sept 12 is the last day you may officially add a course to your schedule. If you need to add a course to your schedule after that date, you may need to petition the Committee on Programs and Academic Standing for permission to do so (contact your class dean if you need info about this), and a late fee may be charged.
• You may still drop courses until the Drop Deadline, which is October 7.  However, to drop a course after this Friday you will need to meet with your adviser for approval. 
• It is a good practice to check Vergil in the third week of term to confirm that your enrollment is accurate.  You should be signed up for all the classes you intend to take, and you shouldn't see any on your schedule that you might have forgotten to drop or that you ended up in after you were enrolled off a waitlist you forgot you were on.  

If you are having any issues with adding or dropping courses and waitlists, please visit or contact the Registrar's Office at registrar@barnard.edu! The First Year Team's email is also always open to your queries and concerns at first-year@barnard.edu :) 

We hope you have an amazing second week of class!

Best,

The First Year Team

PE Last Call!

Hello First-Years!

We just wanted to send you a quick update and reminder from the PE Department! There are currently 41 spots available in OPEN PE classes. Students will be allowed to join Monday and Tuesday ONLY (potentially with one or two absences.) Students with more than two absences will NOT be added even in an open class. Switches into OPEN classes can be accommodated if students attended another PE class last week

Students should sign up for the waitlist for an OPEN class and show up for the class Monday/Tuesday

Students should NOT be getting on a waitlist for a closed class.

As a reminder, students can also take a studio dance class for PE credit.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please reach out to the PE Department Chair, Lisa Northrop at lnorthro@barnard.edu.

Best,

The First-Year Team

American Studies courses open for First-Year Students!

Hello First-Years!

We hope your first week of classes is going well! We wanted to share two American Studies courses that still currently have available seats for students who are interested: AMST BC2001: Third World Studies and AMST BC1030: Everything for Everyone: Social Movement. You can find more information on these courses down below!

AMST BC2001: Third World Studies 

Meets: MW 2:40PM- 3:55PM

Location: 302 Barnard Hall

Instructor: Manu Karuka

Link to course on CU Course Directory

Course description: Between 1967 and 1969, groups of American Indian, Black, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Mexican, and Puerto Rican college students began to articulate demands for a transformed university, touching everything from admissions, relations to community, and curriculum. Their proposals contributed to the Third World Liberation Front strike at San Francisco State University, the longest student strike in US history. Drawing inspiration from Gary Okihiro, founding director of Columbia’s Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race, this course takes student activists’ proposals for Third World Studies seriously. Our readings will draw on the traditions of anti-racist and anti-colonial struggle in North America, alongside perspectives from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

AMST BC1030: Everything for Everyone: Social Movement

Meets: MW 8:40AM - 9:55AM

Location: 302 Barnard Hall

Instructor: Dani Joslyn

Link to course on CU Course Directory

Course description: Over the past months, social movements have captured the nation’s attention: from protests against immigration enforcement to Zohran Mamdani’s campaign for mayor of New York City. From the Haitian and American Revolutions to the campaign for an eight-hour day, the Civil Rights movement, indigenous demands for land back, and Black Lives Matter, this course will explore the long history of movements for economic and social justice across North America. Questions that we will explore together include: how have different groups demanded economic justice over the past two hundred years? What lineages and breaks can we trace in these efforts? What divisions emerged among and within various movements over time? How did groups debate and disagree over the concept of “socialism” and what their ideal visions of liberated society would be? What role have race and gender played as dividing lines and as sites of new liberatory forms of struggle?

Hey First-Years,

Interested in taking an English course or becoming an English Major? We have the perfect opportunity for you! Get a chance to talk directly with the English Department Faculty on Tuesday September 9th, 5-6pm. Bonus: they have free cookies and hot chocolate!! Check out the details in the poster below.                           

Best,

The First Year Team

Barnard's Lab Science Requirement

 Hey First-Years!

One of the many experiences, or rites of passage even, that all Barnard students must go through includes the Lab + Lecture Foundational Science requirement. Maybe you're wondering: "but what combination of classes fulfill this requirement?"... Well, lucky for you we have an excellent resource that lists all the possible options for this specific requirement! Check out this link, located on Slate. 

As always, if you have any questions don't hesitate to reach out to us at first-year@barnard.edu!

Best,

The First Year Team

New sections of COMS BC1016 and COMS BC1017!

Hello First-Years!

Computer Science has recently added an additional section of COMS BC1016 (Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science), along with two new sections of its co-requisite lab COMS BC1017. 

This course and lab introduces students to the methods and tools used in data science to obtain insights from data. Students learn how to analyze data arising from real-world phenomena while mastering critical concepts and skills in computer programming and statistical inference. The course involves hands-on analysis of real-world datasets, including economic data, document collections, geographical data, and social networks. The course is ideal for students looking to increase their digital literacy and expand their use and understanding of computation and data analysis across disciplines. No prior programming or college-level math background is required.

The new COMS BC1016 section is MW 1:10PM - 2:25PM, and there are four lab sections that still have space. Students in any lecture section can sign up for any lab section.

The class counts as a science (lecture, not lab), for the Thinking Digitally and Technologically requirement, and for the Thinking Quantitatively and Empirically.  It does not count for the Computer Science major, but prospective Computer Science majors can take the course as a pre-intro class before they take COMS W1004 Introduction to Computer Programming if they wish.

If you have any further questions, please be in touch with Professor Rebecca Wright at rwright@barnard.edu

Milbank 105 Update! -- In-person visits begin September 10th!

Hello First-Years!

We are writing a brief update regarding our official opening day for students to come by our office in Milbank 105 for in-person visits. Throughout this summer, our office has been undergoing construction, which had us spread out into different temporary working spaces across Milbank Hall.

Originally, this date for in-person visits was intended to start on Monday, September 8th as mentioned at the end of Volume 7 of the First-Year Guide. However, due to construction delays, our move-in date has been pushed back by a couple days, thus the new date for students to visit our office in Milbank 105 has now been pushed to Wednesday, September 10th! 

(This date has also been updated in the guide and signs will be posted on our door informing of this date!)

For now, you may continue to email us at first-year@barnard.edu (or be in touch with your class dean, Erica Siegel, at esiegel@barnard.edu) if you have any questions and/or can speak to an admin staff member located in Milbank 115 if you have any quick questions as you are beginning to navigate across campus during your first couple weeks into the semester!

Best,

The First-Year Team

Open Psychology Course for Fall 2025! ~~ PSYC BC1088: The Science of Living Well

Hello First-Years!

The Psychology Department is offering a popular course that has not been offered recently and wanted to let you know there are still seats available! Please see the following course information down below:

PSYC BC1088: The Science of Living Well (4 points), taught by Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, and includes a lecture (TR 11:40AM-12:55PM) and discussion section each week (F 11:40AM-12:55PM).

The course is part science, part self-discovery, and part "revolution" against emotional numbness. You'll walk away with practical tools for personal development, as well as a deeper understanding of yourself and others. You do not have to be a psych major to take this course. This is an interdisciplinary class and is often best experienced when attended by a mix of all majors.  ome topics and questions explored in the course are:

• Why so many of us feel stuck, and how to break through
• The science behind purpose, meaning, and joy
• How to face hard emotions without totally shutting down
• What it means to actually live well in a messy world

If interested, enroll in PSYC BC1088, Call Number: 00102

If you have any questions, you can reach out to Professor Kaufman at skaufman@barnard.edu

Best,

The First-Year Team

Life at Barnard: Be Like State Farm (AKA Be a Good Neighbor)

Hey First-Years,

Today's post is all about being a floor-mate in the quad! Beyond your room, you’ll also be living on a floor with other people. You’ll share bathrooms, a floor lounge, and a laundry room with your floor mates. Let’s talk about proper etiquette and how to be respectful of these shared spaces:

NSOP Course Registration Advising Support!

Hello First-Years!

Are you looking for additional course registration advising support to prepare for your second round of registration coming up this Friday during NSOP? Here is the schedule for registration support with Orientation advisers for First-Year students, which will be taking place Thursday, August 28th and Friday, August 29th. You can find the available advisers, times for both dates, and locations down below! Everyone will be ready to support all students regardless of major or interests, so if you feel that you may need extra support, this will be a great opportunity for you to seek that extra help!

You can also find these details in your NSOP Guidebooks! If you did not receive your NSOP schedule or have any further NSOP-related questions, you may reach the NSOP team directly at Orientation@barnard.edu

Best,

The First-Year Team

Thursday, August 28 | 3:00PM – 3:45 PM

• JJ Miranda – Milbank 416S
• Pat Denison – 410A Barnard
• Antoni Fernández Perera – 224 Milbank
• Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch – 528 W 120th St., 705
• Pam Cobrin – 216 Barnard
• Christian Rojas – Milbank 402C
• Lisa Edstrom – 702 Milstein
• Karen Santos da Silva – Milbank 309

Friday, August 29 | 9:30AM – 11:15 AM

• Laurie Postlewate – Milbank 311
• JJ Miranda – Milbank 416S
• Pat Denison – 410A Barnard
• Antoni Fernández Perera – 210 Milbank
• Pam Cobrin – 216 Barnard
• Christian Rojas – Milbank 402C
• Lisa Edstrom – 702 Milstein
• Karen Santos da Silva – Milbank 309

Life at Barnard: Being a Good Roommate

Hey First-Years,

Welcome to another installment of the Life at Barnard blog series: Being a Good Roommate! In college, you’ll spend a lot of time in the dorms. It doesn’t matter if you live on campus or not, you’ll most likely be hanging out with friends, studying, and going to events in the dorm buildings. So let’s talk about how to be the friendly roommate, floor-mate, and neighbor that Mr. Rogers always wanted you to be.

(more after the break)

The Student Side: NSOP!

NSOP - What is it? Why is it a thing? Do I have to go?

Oh my young Barnardians, NSOP is a time honored tradition we all experienced. It was your first week on campus, you moved into your dorm, met your roommate(s), and learned that you can’t eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch for every meal without feeling your arteries starting to clot.

So what is NSOP? NSOP stands for New Student Orientation Program and is pronounced "EN-sop." During NSOP you’ll meet fellow classmates, meet with your adviser, attend lectures about all things Barnard-related, get more information about clubs and organizations on campus at the Student Activities Fair, and have a chance to find out more about the different services and offices on campus.

If you haven’t already, you should be getting an email from your Orientation Leader (OL) introducing themself and giving you some initial info about the week.

This person is responsible for making sure you all understand your schedules during NSOP, are going to the correct events on time, answering any questions you have, and being a friendly face for your first few semesters in the city, as they can be a bit daunting. You’ll get to know all the other people in your orientation group very well throughout NSOP and may even find your new best bud.

Here are some of the highlights of NSOP:

Activities Fair

Find out about ALL the available clubs on campus. Sign up for 50 email lists. Get some buttons, candy, and other swag. Probably get a sunburn.

Advising Meetings

FINALLY you’ll get to meet with an adviser about the next registration period and get to sign up for all of the non-FYE classes you’ve been dreaming about. Make sure to have back-ups!! You should receive an email from an adviser during NSOP about how they’d like you to schedule your meeting time.

Bear with Us

It’s a Barnard variety show with skits, performance, and cookies. What more could you want from an evening?

Barnard Reads

Get to have a conversation with the professor or administrator who chose your book(s) about why they chose it and what’s important about that particular piece of literature.

Community Forum

Come together with students from all four undergrad colleges to celebrate being a part of the Columbia community.

Neighborhood Tours

Find out more about different neighborhoods in NYC including some of the boroughs outside of Manhattan!

Outdoor Movie/CU Glow

Go to low library for a late-night outdoor movie followed by CU Glow, an outdoor dance party. Glow sticks will be provided which only ups the game that much more.

Reception/Welcome for marginalized identities

There are receptions for students across many identities throughout NSOP to meet and mingle with one another, ranging from students with disabilities, First Gen, LGBTQIA+, Jewish students, students of color, transfers, native and indigenous students, and more. If any of these apply to you, make sure to get out and meet other folks and find out what resources are available at BC/CU!

Showcase

Get a taste of the different performance-based groups on campus. Sit back and relax and maybe you’ll find a group that sparks your interest to audition for in the fall!

Also look out for a ~big NYC event with students from all 4 schools~ which will be announced early next week!!

Remember that adjusting to college can be a little overwhelming. It’s a lot of change all at once. So here’s a list of Riya and Becca's Pro-tips for NSOP:

- Find a meal buddy to go to meals with so the dining hall doesn’t feel as overwhelming and lonely.

- Reach out to people! Everyone is feeling just as lost and confused as you are. NSOP is one of the few places you can straight up ask someone to be your friend and they’ll be more relieved than creeped out.

- Don’t be afraid to ask your OL or RA for help or for someone to spend time with. They signed up for this job because they want to help you get acclimated. Don’t be embarrassed.

- Nightlife starts at NSOP. Be smart, take care of yourselves and those around you. Being a part of a community means being conscious of people around you. You can make a big difference in people’s lives, and protect yourself, by being aware of your surroundings.

- Bring a reusable water bottle. The days are long, it’s hot, the environment is our friend, climate-change is happening. You’re gonna be sad if you don’t have one. Slap some stickers on it for extra fun personality.

- Explore campus! Columbia’s campus is a little bigger than Barnard’s and some buildings have the same names which can be confusing. Go throughout Barnard and then cross the street to Columbia to get used to where everything is. Make sure you visit the buildings that your classes will be in so you're not lost on the first day of classes!

- Don’t feel like you have to make your best friends for the rest of your life during NSOP. Find people you’re compatible with and get to know each other. Don’t feel bad if after NSOP you still haven’t met your soulmates. Some people find their group right away and some people take a few semesters to really find their people. Be open to possibilities and keep meeting new people, even if you like the few you’ve already met.

- Don’t be too proud! If there are things you DON’T know how to do: laundry, eat a balanced meal, finish registering for classes, etc., find someone who does and bond over them teaching you a new skill if they’re willing. It can be a good way to connect to someone new and maybe you have a skill you can teach them in return! It’s better than being the kid who put too much laundry detergent in and flooded the laundry room.

Fall Semester Timeline!!

 Hey First-Years,

Take a look at this timeline we put together for a quick look at upcoming (and some further away) dates to keep in mind! With that, we hope you have an amazing weekend :) 

Best,

The First Year Team

New Sections of Elementary Italian I and American Sign Language I are now available on Vergil!

New Sections of Elementary Italian I and American Sign Language I!  

Do you still need to sign up for a class that completes the language requirement?  New sections of Elementary Italian I and American Sign Language I have just been added to Vergil.  No prior knowledge of either language is required.  

Registration Round 2: What's new?

We are excited to welcome you to campus, Barnard Class of 2029! 

As you know, registration will re-open for you on Vergil at the end of NSOP, on Friday, August 29th.  During this registration period, certain Columbia classes that were not available for registration in July will be available for registration on Vergil.  If there is space available in a class that appears in the list below, you are welcome to register for it directly.  If the class is full, and running a waitlist, you may certainly join that waitlist and see what happens during the first two weeks of term.  As there are no guarantees that a space will become available in a full course, it would be wise to have a plan B. 

1. A class for a language or level of language not offered at Barnard 

2. Musical instrument instruction

3. Introductory courses in the following majors  

Computer Science:

• COMS W1004 Introduction to Computer Science

• COMS W3134 Data Structures in Java

• COMS W3157 Advanced Programming

Environmental Science:

• EESCUN 2100 Earth’s Environmental Systems: Climate Systems

• EESCUN 2200 Earth’s Environmental Systems: Solid Earth

• SDEV UN2300 Challenges of Sustainable Environment

Mathematics:

• MATH UN1205 Accelerated Multivariable Calculus

• MATH UN1207 Honors Math A

• MATH UN1208 Honors Math B

Statistics:

• STAT UN1101 Introduction to Statistics 

• STAT UN1201 Introduction to Calculus-based Statistics 

Exceptions to this list are unlikely to be approved.  If you have a compelling case for one, please speak with an adviser during NSOP (or with your assigned pre-major adviser after NSOP) about the petition process.  And again – have a back-up plan. 

Life at Barnard: Dorm Sweet Dorm!

Sample Room in Sulz

(All rooms don't look like this.

Look at ResLife's website to see other sample rooms.)

For those living on campus next year, congratulations, You've applied for housing! Whether you picked your own roommate or Barnard will be hand-picking your roommate(s) for you, this marks the beginning of a new phase in your life. Living with a roommate can teach you so much about yourself and make you so much more self-aware. Living in the quad can allow you to forge so many beautiful relationships with people from all over the world! Now that you've applied, here are some tips/things we want to share with you:

Open History lecture courses for Fall 2025!

Hello First-Years!

Please take a look at the following list of open history courses for the Fall 2025 semester provided by the History Department, which satisfy various the Foundations requirements! For more information, you can click on this link here.

South Asian Diasporas, with Prof. Rao (BC2859)

This course focuses on the migration of people originating from the Indian subcontinent into a global horizon, and the multi-dimensional array of economic, political and cultural relationships produced between diasporic communities, their places of origin, and their places of arrival.

 

Check out this course if you: 

• Would like to read fiction in addition to historical scholarship
• Want to learn how to annotate reading materials
• Are excited to learn more about NYC through walks in the city and short ethnographic write-ups

 

Early America to 1763, with Prof. Lipman (BC2549)

This course examines the three critical centuries from 1492 to 1763 that transformed North America from a diverse landscape teeming with hundreds of farming and hunting Native societies into a partly-colonized land under the sway of the Spanish, French, and British empires.

 

Check out this course if you:

• Want to learn more about Indigenous nations, European colonies, and the Atlantic slave trade
• Want to read primary sources on the culture of enslaved peoples, witchcraft, Native politics, and colonial rebellions

 

 

History of Globalization, with Prof. Alacevich (BC2963)

This course explores the history of globalization and its interpretations over the past six centuries. We will discuss constitutive elements of globalization, such as empires, trade and capitalism, slavery, and migratory movements, its environmental and ecological dimensions, and how it intersects with questions related to sovereignty, hegemony, and inequality.

 

Check out this course if you:

• Are interested in mixing historical, economic, and sociological analysis
• Want to get the big picture of global phenomena like trade wars, global inequality, and Migrations, and their historical roots
• Would like to improve your ability to interpret graphs but fear they are too complex and scary (they are not)
• Of interest to students of: history, economic history, economic sociology, international political economy

 

 

Intro to European History from the Renaissance to the French Revolution, with Prof. Valenze (BC1101)

From 1450 to 1789, Europeans pursued their wildest desires for riches, power, truth, and beauty. The legacy of their ideas and actions shape our world today: Renaissance ideals and education; conflicts generated by long-distance trade; religious rebellion and toleration of difference; innovative scientific inquiry; transformative modes of production and consumption; and fearless curiosity associated with the word “enlightenment.”

 

Check out this course if you want to:

• Experience history through art images and music
• Find out how people in earlier centuries lived, worked, what they wore, and what they ate
• Learn how to formulate good historical questions and write better essays

 

 

Introduction to the Global Middle Ages, with Prof. Delvaux (BC1062)

This course introduces students to medieval history and the methods historians use to study the premodern world. Topics include the fall of Rome, the rise of Christianity, the Islamic Conquests, the Polynesian and Viking expansions, the Black Death, and more.

 

Check out this course if you:

• Are interested in big stories that still shape the world around us
• Want to learn how archaeology and artifacts are used by historians
• Think medieval pop culture is cool and want to know more about it

 

 

Global Environmental History, with Prof Cagloti BC2385

This class introduces students to the field of environmental history from a global perspective. Environmental history is the study of the relationship between nature and society over time. It deals with the material environment, cultural and scientific understandings of nature, and the politics of socio-economic use of natural resources. The class welcomes students from the natural and social sciences, as well as the humanities. 

 

Check out this course if you are interested in:

• The origins of climate change
• Global history
• The ways in which the environment shaped human history
• How different societies cared for, managed, and exploited the natural environment in history
• How power relations are shaping the politics of the current climate crisis

 

 

World Migration, with Prof. Moya BC2980

This course explores the role of migration in the evolution and global spread of our species and in the emergence of race, ethnicity, inequalities, and mixing. Sessions on prehistory, ancient Rome & Egypt; the spread of Judaism, Christianity and Islam; Viking, Mongol, and Arab invasions; colonialism and slavery; the European, Chinese and Indian diasporas; and current migrations and debates.

 

Check out this course if you:

• Have an interest in thinking through the deep historical context of an issue of immense contemporary significance in our city, country, and world