columbia-singer-songwriter

I used to be obsessed with the idea of starting over. I spent a majority of my school years in the same Maryland public education system, and I romanticized moving away as an attempt to remedy the feelings of loneliness that permeated my youth. By my junior year of high school, I was determined to graduate early and start over somewhere else—this time on my terms.

When Maria Ordoñez, a rising Columbia College senior, talks about her favorite small businesses in West Harlem and Morningside Heights, her joy is palpable. The Hungarian Pastry Shop makes her smile so much that she mentions it twice. When she tells me about Mofongo del Valle, a Dominican restaurant in West Harlem, she beams about the owners’ kindness—something she has experienced firsthand as she attended school with their daughter—and she describes just how much she loves the smell of 5 Estrellas Bakery in Washington Heights, exclaiming “Oh my gosh, I love it.”

The spring semester is almost over! The sun is shining, finals season is around the corner, Commencement plans are underway, and it is time to move out of our beloved dorms. For those of us who are living on campus this year, the spring 2021 move-out process might be a bit different, not least of all because it is happening in April instead of in May. Here is an overview of how check-out will work for Columbia and Barnard housing and some tips to make the transition smoother, whether you are heading back home or moving into another residence hall for the summer semester.

As I walked into Butler Library a month before my graduation, I saw a fellow senior dressed in Columbia blue, posing for pictures outside Ref. 301. She stood in front of the wall-length canvas that memorializes King George VI and Queen Elizabeth’s stop at Columbia on their 1939 North American tour. Long after the graduate left, I stared at this painting. I had passed by it hundreds of times without ever caring to look. Now, having just seen the senior dressed in Columbia blue, I was able to see the University’s colors throughout the canvas for the first time. From the carpets to the curtain, the painting shows the interior of Low Library covered in blue. Their royal highnesses take center stage. Embroidered onto the curtains, the University’s crown insignia hovers like a halo.

With the semester coming to a close, there are a number of University-sponsored events that you might want to attend. . These include a discussion of the injustices related to the pandemic, a lecture on the foundations of ethical decision-making, or a conversation about queer liberalism and marginal mobility. With these options, you are likely to find something in line with your personal interests that would enrich your understanding of civic responsibility. Take a look at the event descriptions below, and consider transforming your study break into an educational experience.

Finals season is around the corner! It is important to approach this part of the semester with a good mindset and a pocketful of tips and tricks to help you put your best foot forward. Below are some tips to ensure a happier and more successful experience with finals.

On Saturday, the Society of Professional Journalists announced the recipients of its 2021 Mark of Excellence Awards, which honor the best of collegiate journalism at the national level. Spectator, which submitted eight articles and its editions for consideration, won in three categories—including best all-around student newspaper—and had four finalists.

Whenever I walk across a campus, I stop to read the plaques that litter it. Sometimes I stare at statues, search up the people whom residence halls are named after, or read about the history of each building. Recently, while visiting a friend in college, I did exactly that as he showed me around campus. He was bemused, to say the least. To my amazement, he told me that he couldn’t understand why I was stopping to read about former university donors, presidents, and alumni; despite being on campus for nearly a semester, he told me that he had never stopped to do the same.