Columbia University in the City of New York

With 500 organizations, 31 varsity sports, dozens of club and intramural teams, and community service groups, there is plenty to do during free time at Columbia University.

Part of the Ivy Group athletic conference, many athletes take part in Football, Basketball, and Rowing. Make sure to root for the Columbia Lions at the stadiums, fields, or gymnasium. The school currently has about 866 athletes on campus. Columbia is actually well known for its football history: they played the second game in the history of the sport against Rutgers University.

All freshmen are required to live on campus and tend to stay at one of the larger residence halls around South Lawn. Students can choose from corridor or apartment style housing, with the opportunity to live with friends. There are also several fraternities and sororities. The houses can hold up to 13109.

For study, the library system on campus consists of 22 buildings, 12 million volumes, 160,000 journals, rare books, electronic resources, and more. It is the sixth largest academic library in the country, and the largest in New York. Students can also participate in one of the many publications on campus including the Columbia Daily Spectator and The Blue and White. Students also have the opportunity to take advantage of academic career counseling, employment services, and placement services.

Clubs and organizations are a big part of life at Columbia with over 500 to choose from. Choices include music, debate, political groups, intramural sports, culture, religion, and more. The radio stations WKCR-FM and CTV are pioneers in campus broadcasting and the Philolexian Society, a literary and debate club, is the oldest student group at the school.

Every year sees Columbia University’s traditions. Orgo Night takes place at midnight, just hours before the first finals. The Marching Band takes over the Butler Library in an attempt to distract students from studying, before moving on to other areas of the campus. The Tree Lighting, although only started in 1998, takes place in early December. College Walk is illuminated and students gather for hot chocolate, musical entertainment, and school speeches. Also famous is the older tradition of the Yule Log. Predating the American Revolution, students dress as Continental Army soldiers carrying a log to John Jay Hall, where it is lit during caroling.

Students can also take advantage of living in one of the most famous and cultural spots in the country: New York City. There are dozens of museums, parks, theaters, and more to explore.