<p>Just curious as to the types of formals hosted at Columbia. How prevalent are major dances? Anything to be excited about?</p>
<p>This isn't high school. I don't think there are any "major dances." The frats do some of that, though.</p>
<p>There are definitely formals. They're a recent affair, I think, cooked up by student councils to promote class unity and such. They're usually held for underclassmen (freshmen and sophomores), and moreso at SEAS than CC. Some take place in Low Library and others in tents on South Lawn. </p>
<p>I would not say that the majority of students attend these events, though.</p>
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They're usually held for underclassmen (freshmen and sophomores), and moreso at SEAS than CC.
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<p>That's not true, SEAS, to my knowledge has not sponsored a "dance" on their own. As far as I know there is the winter formal which i think is for underclassmen and then there is a senior formal at the end of the school year. It's true that the majority of students do not attend.</p>
<p>I could have sworn SEAS did something separately (the SEAS council is far more active planning events like that)...maybe I'm thinking of the Ms. SEAS thing.</p>
<p>yea, we do have E-weeks which has a bunch of activities (non of which i have ever attended) but i dont think a formal is part of them. The SEAS pageant is just a sad beauty pageant where they name Mr and Ms SEAS.</p>
<p>My son goes to a lot of formals, sometimes in rented clubs. He is in a frat, though. I know when he was a freshman he also went to and enjoyed the Winter Formal that is held for first years in Low Library.</p>
<p>There's also the Senior Ball, before graduation. If you're looking for mixers, there are millions of them - they're just smaller-scale than they were in high school. As a senior, you also get Lerner Pub, which is basically summed up as "the university provides you free beer and dance music, and hopes you give them alumni donations". Not a bad deal.</p>
<p>They really must have added these in the last few years. To the extent that these things exist, I bet Columbia is doing them to increase the "school spirit" for alumni donations (as Denzera points out).</p>
<p>True to some extent (insofar as administration support), but I believe they were first proposed by class councils responding to constant nagging by Spec and perennial student feedback complaints about lack of spirit and whatnot. There are people who pine for the formals and such. During last year's election the senior class candidates were speaking of Lerner Pub etc. as if they were sacred traditions not to be interfered with...</p>
<p>Besides, when was the last time the university started any real top-down school spirit initiative that wasn't an absurd joke (think: cardboard cake at the 250th anniversairy) and/or would have had an effect opposite that intended? They tried to ban drinking at football games, for god's sake!</p>
<p>"To the extent that these things exist, I bet Columbia is doing them to increase the "school spirit" for alumni donations "</p>
<p>That may be, but free beer is still free beer.</p>
<p>The overall point is that campus nightlife doesn't suck, and if it's ever not good enough for you, the meatpacking district is a 20-minute subway ride away.</p>