Introducing the Barnard Beginnings Team: Nina

                                         

Hi First-Years!

Congratulations on graduating and wrapping up gap years, and happy summer! I’m Nina (she/her), and I am a rising junior at Barnard. I am one of the Student Assistants to the First-Year Team, which means you will be hearing and seeing a lot of me for the next few months. This is my second summer in the Deans' Office, and I am so excited to get to know all of you!

I am from Milton, MA, which is right outside of Boston. I am majoring in English and currently toying with the idea of a minor in something to be determined (thinking psych, poli sci, art history, etc). In terms of campus activities, I am the Publicist/Community Chair for Barnard Bookworms. Outside of Barnard, I love reading, shopping, true crime documentaries (law school??), cafe/museum/bookstore hopping, the beach, being a foodie, and hanging out with friends and family!

Two years ago I was in the exact same position as you all, anxiously awaiting emails about course registration, buying tons of items for my dorm, and saying goodbye to my loved ones. The last two years at Barnard have been memorable and I've learned so much not only in an academic sense, but also about myself. Being in college is a huge transition as everyone knows, but it is one that challenges you for the better. At first it is definitely hard to adjust, but time will be your best friend. I am so excited to serve as a helpful guide in navigating your preparation for college, and please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. Barnard is the place for me, and I hope all of you will confidently be able to say the same thing too!

If you have any questions about absolutely anything, please reach out to the First-Year Team. Be sure to shoot us an email at first-year@barnard.edu, or follow our Instagram @barnardfirstyear. If you have any questions about my experience at Barnard thus far, my Barnard email is nto2109@barnard.edu and my Instagram is @ninaoloughlin_, and I also have Walk-In Hours on Zoom on Mondays at 11 AM EST and Wednesdays at 2 PM EST.

I can’t wait to work with you all this summer!! 

First Year Experience (FYE) Explained

Hi first-years! Welcome to the much anticipated "FYE, Explained" blog post! Prepare for all your First-Year Experience questions to be answered.

As part of Barnard's Foundations Curriculum, there are 3 required courses Barnard first-years must take. Two of these courses are First-Year Writing (FYW) and First-Year Seminar (FYS) (the third is a physical education class, but we can talk more about that later). You’ll take an FYW class one semester and an FYS class the other semester during your first year at Barnard. These 2 FY required courses (FYW and FYS) are collectively called "First-Year Experience" (FYE).

Let’s Break These Courses Down:

1) First-Year Writing is a writing-intensive course with two options offered:  First-Year Writing: Critical Conversations and First-Year Writing Workshop. So what’s the difference between these options?

2) First-Year Writing: Critical Conversations are small, discussion-based writing courses that introduce students to academic writing in college. Students read challenging literary texts and critical scholarship, helping to develop fundamental skills in analysis and writing. The critical reading, discussion, and academic writing skills that First-Year Writing focuses on provide a foundation that is useful in every course you will take at Barnard and across disciplines. Each FYW course focuses on a special topic and has a different reading list to reflect the conversations you will have. You can find descriptions of course listings for fall FYW courses here.

3) First-Year Writing Workshop is similar to First-Year Writing: Critical Conversations as they share the same goals and almost the same syllabus, but there are a few differences. First-Year Writing Workshop is designed for students who feel they would benefit from some extra  support with their critical reading and academic writing skills. It provides additional preparation for students to strengthen their writing in their first year before moving on to higher-level courses. First-Year Writing (FYW) and First-Year Writing Workshop (FYWW) are equally rigorous, and both fulfill your First-Year Writing requirement. However, FYWW courses are slightly smaller than FYW courses; they meet 3 times a week instead of twice a week; and they are worth 4 credits instead of 3 (to account for the extra class time required).  FYWW is only offered in the fall semester while FYW is offered both in the fall semester and spring semester. To request one of the limited spots available in FYWW, make sure to fill out your First-Year Experience Preference Form.

A note about reading lists: every course has a fairly extensive reading list and many will require you to have your own copy of the text. The cost of books for courses can be quite high, but don't let this deter you from signing up for a course. The Barnard Library and FLIP Library provide free copies of course books to borrow for the semester, some readings will be available online for free, and older students often sell their old course books at a low-cost. Later this summer we'll have a post about text-book affordability, but if you have any questions or concerns before then, feel free to email first-year@barnard.edu.

4) First-Year Seminars are courses designed to help ease students into academic life at Barnard. These classes tend to be more discussion-based and have fewer writing assignments. First-Year Seminars fall into two categories: Reacting to the Past and Special Topics. Reacting to the Past (RTTP) is a course designed by Barnard’s very own history professor Mark Carnes. In RTTP you’ll reenact historical events using pertinent texts. In RTTP, you may pose as an ancient Greek philosopher arguing about government, participate in the trial of Anne Hutchinson, or give a speech on labor laws as an activist in early 20th century America. Special topic courses are designed by individual professors and often taken an interdisciplinary approach to ideas like justice, ethics, and liberation. FYS courses are designed to help you think critically and articulate your ideas verbally, skills you’ll definitely need for the rest of your life. See a list of the Fall 2021 FYS offerings here.

So Which One Should You Take in the Fall?

Here’s the deal. Before it comes time to register for First-Year Experience classes later this summer, you’ll be notified if you should register for First-Year Writing: Critical Conversations, First-Year Writing Workshop, or First-Year Seminar. This is done so students are evenly distributed across the 3 different courses and people can be in classes that best benefit them. If you are assigned First-Year Writing Critical Conversations for the fall, you MUST register for a First-Year Writing course and you will be unable to register for a First-Year Writing Workshop or First-Year Seminar course. Remember that you will be assigned to a category of a course, not a specific class itself. You will still need to register for a specific class.

(Confused about registration? Don't worry! That will happen later this summer and we'll make sure you have all the information you need to register and explain the whole process in a few weeks.)

If you want to start working on your writing skills right away, then you should request to take First-Year Writing or First-Year Writing Workshop in the fall. Otherwise, you can take either.

What Do You Need To Do Now?

If you would like to request to be placed in a specific category of courses, please fill out this form. If you do not request a placement, we will randomly assign you. The deadline to request placement is June 14th EST. If you have more questions, this FYE FAQ page may be helpful. 

There are a few things to keep in mind when requesting to be placed in FYE:

Requests are not a guarantee that you’ll be placed in that course. We’ll try our best to honor your request, but it's not always possible. Finally, requesting placement in an FYE course is not registering for a course. Registering for First-Year Writing and Seminar will take place later this summer and a ton more info about that process will be posted soon.

If you have any more questions, please email first-year@barnard.edu.

Introducing the Barnard Beginnings Team: Lauren

 

Hello First Years!

Welcome to Barnard! My name is Lauren Quach (pronouns: she/her) and I am the Administrative Assistant to the First-Year and Senior Class Deans in the Deans' Office for Advising and Support as well as a member of the First-Year Team! I have been working at Barnard for over two years. I am looking forward to helping you navigate through the summer as you prepare for your first year at Barnard!

I was born and raised in The Bronx. Prior to my arrival at Barnard, I went to college for my undergraduate at SUNY University at Buffalo from 2015-2019 where I studied and received my B.A. in psychology with a minor in counseling. During my time at UB, I worked in two labs in their psychology department as an Undergraduate Research Assistant during my junior and senior year. After finishing college, I returned back to NYC and went on to pursue my masters at the Fordham University Graduate School of Education from 2019-2021 where I studied and received my M.S.E. in Counseling and Personnel Services (School Counseling). While completing my graduate studies, I did my counseling internship at The High School for Math, Science, and Engineering where I counseled 9th-12th grade students using solution-focused and person-centered approaches to address issues such as academic performance, social-emotional issues, attendance, and college and career readiness. I also provided college counseling where I educated students about graduation requirements, the college application process, scholarships, post-high school options, and served in leadership roles such as SAT and AP Administration Assistant Coordinator and Project Manager for 11th Grade Individual Family College Prep Meetings.

When I am not working, I love to spend my free time reading books and comics, playing video games, exercising (particularly cycling and jogging or taking walks outside), watching TV and movies (especially animation), listening to music, and attending fan conventions such as New York Comic Con!

Please feel free to reach out to us at first-year@barnard.edu if you have any questions and check the blog regularly! We are more than happy to help and make your transition into Barnard as smooth as possible!

A Rundown on Barnard Beginnings

 Hi First-Years!

Yes, that’s you: CLASS OF 2028! We are so excited to welcome you on campus.  Before that happens, we hope to provide a run down on most things academic as well as advise you on other aspects of the college experience in preparation for your arrival at Barnard. 

WELCOME TO BARNARD BEGINNINGS!

So What is Barnard Beginnings?

Barnard Beginnings is the umbrella term used to refer to the content delivered by the Dean’s Office for Advising and Support during the summer to help the first-year class transition smoothly to the College. Over the next three months, we will communicate with you frequently via emails, our Blog, our Instagram, and most importantly our First Year Guide volumes to keep you informed of relevant and timely information. This ranges from topics such as class registration to academic and social support to our favorite dining halls. 

 

Who’s on the team?

Our team is comprised of the First-Year Dean Wendy Garay, Administrative Assistant to the Dean Lauren Quach, and two Student Assistants to the Dean  Nina O'Loughlin and Pooja Rayapaneni. You can expect to hear from us often!

What Other Barnard Beginnings Programming Should I Expect?

• First-Year Guide Volumes every 2-weeks

• Weekly Q & A’s on our Instagram

• Academic Planning & Registration Sessions

• Department Meetings for Prospective Majors 

• Blog Posts 

• Academic Coaching Sessions

The above list is not comprehensive but, hopefully, provides a good idea of what to expect.

Where Should I Go If I Have Any Questions?

We have all been in your shoes and have had dozens of questions on everything related to college. This is why we are all so excited to start working with you. We are here to help! Below are the best ways to reach the first-year team.

Nina and Pooja will host walk-in  hours over Zoom every week to answer your many questions. 

• Nina’s Office Hours: Monday, 11:00 AM- 12:00 PM EST & Wednesday, 2:00-3:00 PM EST

• Pooja’s Office Hours: Tuesday, 10:00-11:00 AM EST & Thursday, 3:00-4:00 PM EST

You can also email the first-year team with your questions at first-year@barnard.edu and we will get back to you as soon as possible. 

Dean Garay will also host multiple sessions this summer during which she will discuss all things related to academic planning and registration. You will be required to participate in one (1) of these sessions. You will also gain access to her personal calendar for 1:1 appointments after the final session. The sessions will inform future meetings with Dean Garay and faculty advisers so be sure to sign up when the meeting link becomes available in early June.

We will pause her for now. Just know that we are ready to take this journey with you and look forward to meeting you all! 

Introducing the Barnard Beginnings Team: Pooja

Hi First Years!

First off, congratulations on graduating! And an even bigger congrats for committing to Barnard! My name is Pooja (she/her) and I am a rising sophomore. I’m one of the Student Workers on the First-Year team so you will regularly be hearing from me and Nina on any updates or information that the first year class should know straight from the Dean’s office. 

A little more about me: I am from Paramus, New Jersey, a little more than a thirty minute car ride to Barnard. I’ve practically grown up in the city my whole life but I never get sick of it because there’s always so much to do. I really love getting out and about; last semester, my friends and I made a bucket list of things to do in the city which made up the bulk of my weekends. I love hiking, running, playing my guitar, and listening to new music. I plan on double majoring in Political Science and Economics, with a huge interest in sustainability and climate change. At Barnard, I’m involved with SGA, serving on the First Year Class Council as a General Body Member. I also am part of Greek life on campus through my sorority SDT and POLIS (a pre-professional polisci fraternity). I can’t wait to further explore all the clubs that Columbia has to offer more next semester.

Nina and I completely understand all the feelings associated with going to college and we are here to help in any way possible. If you have any questions or concerns about anything (literally ANYTHING), please reach out to the First Year Team. Our email is first-year@barnard.edu or you can follow our Instagram @barnardfirstyear. If you have any questions for me specifically, you can reach me by email at pr2730@barnard.edu or my Instagram @poojarayapaneni. I also have walk-in hours on Tuesdays from 10-11AM and Thursdays from 3-4PM. 

Can’t wait to have you all on campus!