<p>hey guys, just wondering...what is the social life like at columbia? ive heard its pretty much all off-campus (which makes sense since its in nyc...) is this true?
anyone have any comments about it in general?</p>
<p>(i really dont know that much about columbia in general but im going to visit it soon so i was wondering if i could get some info)</p>
<p>That is a fairly accurate statement. Columbia students do use the city to their advantage when it comes to a social life, but it is not to say there isn't a large amount on campus. Most frosh dorms are entirely freshman, so getting to know each other as well as attending the same social events is most likely very common.</p>
<p>so is there a sense of community at columbia?</p>
<p>I would say so. All of the Columbia 2009 class members that I have met are extremely proud of their school and its social scene. It is one extremely large and open community at Columbia with a fairly large social scene (but not as high as Penn or Dartmouth).</p>
<p>I hear there's a lack of school spirit, as in with sporting events.</p>
<p>yea the alumni guy who called me said columbia's not a big rah-rah school</p>
<p>Sporting events...well...Columbia has been slowly getting better at sports. The basketball team is showing signs of what could be something very promising, the crew team has done excellent so far this season, golf is looking great with the new players and track has some top 5 athletes running. </p>
<p>Columbia is not known for its sports, but none of the Ivies really are. One comes to Columbia for the academics, not the sports. </p>
<p>And btw, I am a huge sports fan, but have found that having sports on a college campus, while nice, is not a necessity and there can still be a very large community socially on campus.</p>
<p>Crew is Columbia's best sport, I'm probably going to try out as a beginner :).</p>
<p>With that said, I disagree with Jaug1's earlier statement about Columbia having a "sense of community". Pride does not automatically equal community feel. In fact, because the campus is so integrated into the city, the city IS the community.</p>
<p>Then again, that's just my opinion (& im_collegebound & thethoughtprocess), if you want other people's opinion, I suggest searching for a past thread that has the same question with over 30 responses. Or some alumni sites such as studentsreview . com</p>
<p>With that said, I like to state that some people thrive on this other form of community. ;)</p>
<p>I visited this past weekend (but not for ugrad) and it seemed that everyone disperses to different parts of the city. everyone has a fake ID and there are a bunch of bars within 5 blocks of campus, but the undergrad bar scene reminds me of a typical boring frat party except that you have to pay for the alcohol. there are a couple jazz bars but they are farther away from campus and not many people head there. it seems that everyone goes all across nyc hitting up different clubs and bars. </p>
<p>correct me if im wrong but thats the impression i got.</p>
<p>Well, whatever other people want to do is fine with me, but I am definitely gonna go to concerts and operas and other things that are actually interesting, and I'm not going by myself. So there.</p>
<p>Aren't their any big parties on campus?</p>
<p>I hope not. . . If there are, I might have to establish counter-parties on campus featuring some quiet, privacy, and limited invitations to an important and excellent handful of guests.</p>
<p>Just something i was thinking while reading this...While yes, if you attend Columbia and live on campus, there is a certain culture that you are entering. There will probably be a general social culture might be, as stated above, centered around getting off campus and going to clubs and bars in the city. Nonetheless, there should be a realization that the student body is constantly changing, with a new class entering, and a class leaving every year, and so really the social culture probably isn't as stable. I think a big part of it is also an expectation of a certain culture. If you are expecting the social culture to be centered around sightseeing NYC, then you'll probably do that. I think your individual social life is really determined by a phone call you make on friday ("Hey, you want to go check out that Jazz gig" or "Hey, i'm watching a movie with some friends, head over if you want" or "Hey, there's a party on my floor"). And that will probably determine whether your social life. Obviously, the general atmosphere is going to affect it, but i think every person has alot more individual choice and input than they imagine. Note: I'm making these presuppositions with romanticized ideas of what college/university is like and the idea that it's all a bunch of people with similar interests/age.</p>
<h2>I would say so. All of the Columbia 2009 class members that I have met are extremely proud of their school and its social scene.</h2>
<p>Dude, they're not AT Columbia yet. They visited it a bit, but they are by no means part of the social scene.</p>
<p>Talk to people who have been at columbia for a bit.</p>
<p>I talked to Columbia seniors when I was looking for colleges. They said the social life was scattered all over NYC. I didn't want that in my college experience, so I picked Penn (even though its campus isn't 1/10th as beautiful as Columbia's--i heart neoclassical--and even though its liberal arts academics are only better than 98% of the world's instead of 99% like Columbia)</p>
<p>To tell you the truth yes social life at columbia isn't your typical ivy experience and isn't one big frat party. Its about college bars, clubbing downtown, being part of orginaztions and going to their party's. The beauty of being here is New York though. So big deal if you can't go get wasted at a Frat party. Go downtown and go shopping or to the village for authentic Italian or a Sake bombing. Pretty much everything you want is a subway train away. I come from a culture of going clubbing three nights a week and being out somewhere or the other all the other nights. Its definitely a change but nevertheless it is awesome. The bars around campus are usually packed and in close proximity so you go bar hopping and socialize alot and more often than not its fun. Join a campus orginzation which you most likely will and they'll have they're own parties. You have to find the social life it won't be in your face. Overall I have to say its about what you want, somehow or the other you'll find it here.</p>
<p>but arent you like completely broke after having to buy everything on your nights out?</p>
<p>I can see that getting really expensive though...</p>
<p>Isn't there a basis of parties and stuff on campus?</p>
<p>On my tour, people emphasized that the students were beginning to stay on campus more and more</p>
<p>I probably spent more in one year at Columbia than my next three at Dartmouth total, no joke.</p>
<p>Does Columbia have any off-campus housing? I mean I can only speak from my own experience at my own urban university but off-campus housing seems to be the only way a traditional college party can happen</p>
<p>No but I've been to plenty of parties in various Dorms on campus. (And remember "on-campus" means in Morningside heights, not necessarily on campus aruond south field...which is mostly freshmen and sophomores). The Columbia apartment-style dorms (EC, Woodbridge, Watt) are great for parties. And you get a taste of real NYC living if you have the opportunity to live in one of them...</p>