Clubs

Columbia and Barnard are both known for being politically active campuses. With the primaries in full swing and the presidential election right around the corner, you might be looking for how to get involved with political organizations on campus. Let Spectrum’s list guide you!

Imagine a radio station where the DJ doesn’t even know how the music they’re going to play will sound, the artist may never know that their work was played, and the clicks and pops of a 40-year-old record are not a sign of unprofessionalism but an asset to the station’s aesthetic. Strangely enough, this is WKCR’s strength.

An arrow whizzes by my head—it narrowly misses. As I spend that moment fixated on the near-death experience I’ve just endured, my pursuer appears, promptly taking away any relief I may have had. He wields an iron sword and proceeds to mercilessly assail my character, who I’ve customized to look like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, winning the battle. In the process of all this, he screams, “easy, easy dub,” exposing me for the noob I am.

Three days before the home opener of the 2019 football season, the Columbia University Marching Band was informed in no uncertain terms that we would be barred from playing this season, despite having spent our summer preparing for our season and recruiting a new class of eager bandies. Yes, we missed a deadline to file for recognition, but we’re working to rectify that mistake. And at the end of the day, this is about more than bureaucratic red tape.

Screaming crows, the personification of death, and ’70s experimental rock music may at first seem like an unconventional combination when juxtaposed with neoclassical ballet. Yet all serve as the foundational backdrop for a new work choreographed by Sarah Marazzi-Sassoon, BC ’22, for the Columbia Ballet Collaborative this semester.

Want to continue pursuing your childhood dream of becoming the next Yo-Yo Ma? Or perhaps thinking of picking up an instrument for the first time? Whether you’re already an accomplished musician or just looking to begin, there’s an option for everyone. Check out this guide to classical music programs and groups at Barnard and Columbia to help you get started as soon as you arrive on campus this fall.

Congratulations on being accepted to Columbia University, and welcome to Days on Campus! All of us here at Spectator are so excited to meet you prospective Lions, and we hope that you have a fantastic time over these next couple days. In case you’re wondering what life here at Columbia is really like, without all the special programming, we here at Spectrum have decided to dish out the inside scoop. Here’s what my typical Wednesday looks like as a Columbia College first-year (with an econ major and an unfortunate 8:40 class).

Nathan Farrell arrived at Columbia with a vivid picture of what his life would look like. Like many Columbia students, Farrell, now a sophomore in Columbia College, had been heavily involved in extracurriculars in high school—he founded and led an a cappella group (“The Passing Notes”), played saxophone, was a member of student government, and was a peer leadership mentor, all while maintaining his spot in the top 1 percent of the class. But still, Farrell felt like his life would only truly begin when he got to college, where he saw himself “hopping around in all of [his] passions.”

When I went to the Activities Fair this past fall, I signed up for more clubs than I could count. After the fair, I excitedly researched the clubs I was interested in, including a couple of cultural clubs. One of them was the Asian American Alliance, to which I applied to be an organizational committee member. The application seemed pretty casual, and as someone totally unaware of the selective nature of clubs at Columbia, I was sure that anyone who showed interest and passion would be accepted. When I received my rejection email, I was shocked.

Maybe you’ve always wanted to be part of a Columbia production before you graduate. Perhaps writing for a campus publication is on your bucket list. Or maybe you feel like your life has gotten a bit too routine, and you simply want to meet some new people. No matter what your goal is, it’s likely that there’s a group on campus that can help you achieve it. There’s no better way to get this new semester started than by exploring some new student organizations, so we here at Spectrum have created a short list of some clubs that are still recruiting this semester. Please note that this isn’t a comprehensive list; to find even more organizations to join, visit the Columbia clubs and organizations page and the Barnard officially recognized club list.