A conversation with students about how they are feeling about week one classes amidst the administration change and tuition increase.

Transcript:

0:09: Welcome back to the Chronicle Chronversations. 

0:11: I’m your host, Aaron Guzman. 

0:14: This week on Chronversations, students shared their experiences on campus during week one classes, including some concerns from incoming students as well as advice given by returning students. 

0:24: First-year film major Adrian Lopez describes his first week at Columbia as very. 

0:30: and challenging as he learns his way throughout the city while going to his classes. 

0:34: How is your week one classes going so far? 

0:36: Good, very, very calm and detailed, very energetic yet peaceful. 

0:46: Are you feeling acclimated to the city? 

0:48: Do you feel used to the campus? 

0:49: How are you feeling surrounding that? 

0:51: I’m not so familiar with the buildings. 

0:56: Like yesterday, I thought I was heading to the right building, but it was another Columbia building and mine was right next to it, so I’m a little lost, but I mean. 

1:07: I’m getting the hang of it and I’m used to checking in to my dorm, the Dwight lofts, easily that I’m used to already. 

1:16: from where I’m from, it’s the suburbs an hour away from here, so living in the city downtown Chicago, it’s very fast, very crowded in a way loud. 

1:30: But I don’t mind it. 

1:31: It’s new and I’m really enjoying it and the walks are therapeutic in a way. 

1:37: Is there any big issues that you’re worried about or anything, any challenges you think you’re going to have to face in the coming year? 

1:43: I would say, oh, probably winter. 

1:47: I’m probably gonna hate it even more. 

1:49: I’m not looking forward to the snow and the slush and the cold. 

1:54: And the possibility of literally slipping and falling on my way to class. 

2:01: Junior year illustration major Giselle Reygosa shares her experience being on Columbia’s campus for 3 years and expresses the importance of being active on campus and utilizing its resources. 

2:12: It’s your 3rd year here. 

2:13: Do you feel acclimated to the campus and being in the city for school? 

2:17: I mean, I feel comfortable here. 

2:20: I probably am. 

2:21: I’m not really taking full advantage of the campus as some would hope but the parts that like I do like utilize and use they help me for my purposes and I think that’s to the buildings to the culture that’s a different thing because I’m personally I think Colombia. 

2:46: Be a little cliquey, but you know, also like there’s plenty of nice people here. 

2:51: I think it’s just hard to break into break into those kinds of social circles. 

2:57: And do you think there’s any like big obstacles, issues, any big challenges that you think you’re gonna face in the coming year? 

3:04: , well, I think it might unfortunately, I think it might be easier for me this year and next year because. 

3:11: I am a junior going on senior. 

3:14: So on some level, I’m a little more used to this turf, but I do worry a little bit for my underclassmen because I remember very distinctly that first year, it’s a very lonely year. 

3:29: If you’re able to stick with it, you can find good here, you know. 

3:36: Bouncing off of that, what are, what’s some advice you’d give to the incoming students? 

3:40: If you transfer from here, that’s fine. 

3:44: This is definitely like, it sounds rude, but it’s this school can be like a starting point for you towards a different school that is better, but if you stay here, make sure to put as much effort into your classes as you want results out of them. 

4:01: It comes to like the student body and your professors if you really want results of whatever you’re trying to get from the school, you should dedicate yourself to them, otherwise they might pass you by and then when you’re like in the later years like me you might kind of regret some of the stuff that you probably didn’t take up when you were younger here. 

4:26: That’s all for this week. 

4:27: Make sure to stay up to date with campus and Metronews at columbiachronicle.com and sign up for our newsletter at columbiachronicle.com/newsletter. 

4:35: I’m Aaron Guzman. 

4:36: Thanks for listening. 

Copy edited by Manuel Nocera