My D loves NYC and Barnard but is the quieter type of student who also needs some downtime. Can anyone share where they can for some alone time? How far is the nearest park to walk (during day)? There’s obviously the library but I’m looking for other options too.
Definitely. I’m a first year and just finished my first semester, and I’m also on the quieter side. I LOVE Barnard. The dorms are almost always pretty quiet, and you’re basically guaranteed to be able to study there comfortably and in peace. There’s a gorgeous study room on the first floor of Brooks, and it’s literally always silent. There’s also a lounge on each floor, a little bit like a kitchen but with tables, chairs, a couch, and a TV. It seems like they’re more for being social, but they’re often pretty vacant, especially during the week since everyone’s off in class/doing their own thing. The nearest park is right behind the school, nothing more than a 2-3 minute walk, and it’s beautiful.
Like you said, there are always lots of libraries, and there’s even a NYPL branch a couple blocks up.
Riverside Park is the nearest & very easy. “Alone” won’t happen, but the park is never crowded and no one would bother your D if she was walking alone.
My D. always had a single room after her first year -it wasn’t hard to get as long as she was flexible about roommates - she did have to go on the housing waitlist to get those singles. Her senior year she had an entire studio apartment to herself, on 110th ave – so definitely a nice retreat.
When my d. was a first year living on the quad, I was amazed at how quiet her dorm was – not at all what I had experienced living in a co-ed dorm at a state U. – so if your d. has a like-minded roommate there should be no problem. The roommate questionnaire for incoming students does ask for preferences as to socializing and hours, so not much risk of being paired with a late-night partier if she is careful to state her needs.