Columbia University in the City of New York

Date: Jun 27 2004
Major: Undecided (This Major's Salary over time)
Of course my experience here isn't finished, but in all, being at Columbia and especially being in New York City is very different from what I expected. The school is great, I love the campus, I love the neighborhood, and in your first year you're just awed by all that New York City has to offer. Most of my classes were interesting enough, and my first semester, I didn't have a class over 22 students.

The Core can get annoying, and seems much larger than it is. In the end, I feel like it forces me to do things that I wouldn't ordinarily do, such as science and any of that. On the other hand, I do less than I want to out of fear of overloading myself (if you want to finish your Core requirements in 2 years, that seems to be the way to go).

The students are a mixed group. Little snotty and unfriendly at times (weird stuff like won't hold the door for you or talk to you in the elevator). One might say that's just a New York City thing, but, I'd expect a little more community on a college campus or even in a dormitory.

Drugs (particularly cocaine) are a lot more widespread than I would have imagined, but I guess that owes to being in New York City at a school with lots of kids with money (on that note, I've never felt more middle class… and by America's standards, I'm a far call from working American middle-class).

I wouldn't go elsewhere, and I'm sure that I'll enjoy every year. I can feel myself becoming harder and more apathetic to certain realities - but I'll owe that to NYC rather than college. Like the "Sunscreen Song" says - "live in New York City once, but leave before you get hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before you get soft." For that reason, I will be doing grad school elsewhere.