When I first got to Barnard, I was homesick.

Okay — correction: I was blubbering like a baby. I got there and couldn’t figure out how to use the phones. I wanted to call my family, friends and boyfriend. So I was on the payphone on the first floor of Reid, sobbing like an idiot. I will never forget what happened when I finished all my calls (the boyfriend was already out and on the prowl — ugh!): I was waiting for the elevator to go back to my room. When it opened, it was filled with all these excited freshmen girls. Bubbly is the only word that could describe their demeanor. This one friendly red-head (who ended up being a close friend — Cindy Wilson), immediately reached out to me: “Hi! I’m Cindy and I’m from Oklahoma!” Read more »

I’ve never gone to a Barnard reunion… have you?

I’m going this year though.

I must admit: I mixed feelings about reunion because so much of what was ingrained in us at Barnard was to be successful. Perhaps I also focused so hard on my success to make up for all my partying. I’ll have to ask my shrink. In any event: Over the past fourteen years, I’ve done a lot of stuff work wise that I’m really proud of. But then toward the end of last year as I was renewing my contract at the last magazine I was Editor of (Seventeen), I had a major epiphany: I hadn’t accomplished anything in my personal life that I was proud of. Sure, I got married to a wonderful guy (Ari!) when I was 26. But then two months later I was named Editor in Chief of CosmoGIRL! and all personal progress stopped. 10 years of marriage and I couldn’t imagine having kids. Our apartment was barely furnished and I’d spend vacations just trying to thaw out on the beach like a bug-eyed zombie. Read more »

It’s hard to believe that nearly 15 years have passed since our Barnard graduation! As I sit in my office and contemplate the time that has gone by, I realize that my Barnard education was the singular, most formative experience in my life so far. Now, I’ve done some pretty amazing things since college — I’m a pediatric dentist in manhattan with a new practice of my own, I have a wonderful group of friends and family, and I found a wonderful man who fully embraces the Barnard woman he married. My years as a student were not always easy — I lost my mother during my junior year, and I credit the amazing, full college experience for helping to make me the woman I’ve become. At that time in my life, I learned to become self-reliant and independent, but also to take help when I really needed it. I can look back and say that Barnard in the most amazing way, allowed me to become the content, successful person I am today. Read more »

I have a confession:
My experience of Barnard was largely social.

When I read the Barnard magazine (ummmm . . . how GLAM does that Annie Leibovitz cover shot of President Shapiro look by the way??) and they talk about the various Barnard traditions, I pretty much draw a blank. In the magazine world, I’ve met lots of people who went to Barnard or Columbia that I didn’t know back in the day. When they ask me what I was involved with at school, I always turn 12 shades of pink and admit that I spent most of my time at the West End Gate and Cannons . . . none of which exist anymore! I don’t think I’m alone (come on, sisters, I wasn’t the only one there!): I think a lot of people go to college and they’re not necessarily into the traditions or the things that they write about in the college guidebooks. But I still think that you can have a meaningful relationship with your college. For a long time I was a bit embarrassed of how party-centric I was in college. But then I remember the sheltered girl I was when I arrived and realize that girl had to be unleashed at SOME point. Once I came to terms with that, my relationship with Barnard totally changed. Read more »

15 years! I just don’t know how I feel about the fact that we’re approaching our 15th reunion. On one hand, it feels like yesterday. When I run into old classmates out and about, I quickly snap back into being the girl I was back then – at least mentally, if not (sadly!) physically. Yet, so much has happened in this seemingly short amount of time. So I guess this reunion will be about building bridges of sorts. Re-introducing ourselves as the women we’ve become that sprang from the girls we were. At least that’s how I see it and perhaps that’s what this blog will be: One person’s view (or several since there are other bloggers) from the Bridge. How do you start a conversation with someone you haven’t spoken to in 15 years…if at all? Let’s start with some shared history.

Have you been back to Barnard since that rainy commencement day in 1993. (Loved those ponchos – what glamorous grad photos we have, right?!?) Since I still live in the city I’ve been back a bunch of times and you know what sticks out to me the most? This is going to sound so stupid but here goes…

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