Winter-2021

Every year when the temperatures start to dwindle, the leaves discard their beautiful spectrum of sunset shades, and the noise of chirping birds begins to fade, my heart sinks a little. But it’s the Sunday when I have to turn back my clock that I despise more than anything else.

2018 has been another thrilling, chaotic, and transformative year for many of us But no matter how your year has been, you deserve to end the year the way you want to! Of course, you’ve got the iconic countdown and ball drop in Times Square, but if you’re a city-dweller who’s not a fan of large crowds, Spectrum’s got you covered with some equally-as-exciting alternative events in NYC.

Need help dealing with Columbia’s cold campus? Feeling helpless in this harsh habitat? With precipitation prevailing and frost foreboding, Spectrum has you covered with the best ways to stay warm!

When the first snow layers onto Low Steps, and the vanilla chai tea bags you’ve been snatching from Ferris start piling up in your room, you know the holiday season has begun. Don’t use the cold as an excuse to stay huddled up in your room to work endlessly on papers and finals prep; instead, follow Spectrum’s guide on how to do winter here in the city—holiday market edition—for a good time in the winter wonderland of NYC.

I didn’t even know they were coming. Like the one freak sunny day in February, I stumbled into them by accident, completely unaware that other people had been anticipating them for weeks. I was sprawled in an armchair on the fifth floor of Wallach on a chilly Friday night, taking a study break with some friends, and turned my head fractionally to glimpse whatever everyone was cooing over on the cracked lounge TV. The sight of the eight-pack abdominal muscles of Pita Taufatofua hit me like a brick wall. They rippled and glistened in the subzero weather. A chorus of appreciative (and objectifying) murmurs went up from the people around me as the Tongan athlete swooped the opening ceremony flag from left to right.

I know exactly how long New York winters are, and I know that they feel even longer. I grew up in this quick-slush, cabin-fever city. Columbia’s stress culture, tarped lawns, and lack of space make winter feel even longer—cramped, squeezed out, and cold.

A few weeks ago, when the skies began to turn gray, my Lit Hum professor began class by scanning the eyes of her 15 scholars to gauge the day’s vibe. After picking up on a general sense of apathy—gloominess, for some—she asked what was wrong. With no specific reason for our lack of energy, we remained silent, and she joked, “’Tis the season!” Those words stuck with me.

MoHi may only be 15 blocks long and three blocks wide, but there are a ton of things here. Here’s a comprehensive map of everything you need as a college student—restaurants, book stores, subway stops, and much more.

For a prospective student or a first-year, stepping onto a college campus surrounded by big stone buildings and green lawns full of intimidating upperclassmen can be scary. Yes, there are occasionally signs and posters that tell you where you are, but you might be too anxious to even stop and look at them during your first couple of days here, whether it’s during the New Student Orientation Program or Days on Campus.