Living in New York City, Columbia students are surrounded by vibrant and plentiful nightlife opportunities—but at a price. Going out and even staying in can get costly, prohibiting students from socializing in certain circles and spaces. In this Pod-Tone 292 episode, reporter Andrew Kirdahy speaks with Columbia students about the socioeconomic boundaries in their social lives. This episode was produced by Julia Hay and composed by Obi Okoli. 

Every once in a while, there is a great professor who is not only able to teach content but able to demonstrate how to meaningfully engage with it. In this episode of the Pod-Tone 292 series “Office Hour,” reporter Aliza Abusch-Magder explores the pedagogy of professor George Chauncey, known for his pioneering work on queer U.S. history. Through talking with his students, we learn about what makes his teaching so inspiring. This episode was produced by Matthew Schwitzer. 

In the second episode of “The Grownups are Talking,” reporter Abby Thayananthan, CC ’24, invites Narayan Kini, CC ’24, and Maya Nalawade, CC ’24, to reflect on their experiences working over the summer. In many ways, interning over the summer involves adapting to a lifestyle that is very foreign to us as college students but very normal to adults. We learned that adulting requires skills such as the ability to prioritize and balance multiple commitments and that ultimately, you learn a lot from just being thrown into it. This episode was produced by Chase Cutarelli.

In this episode of the Pod-Tone 292 series “Fake Names, Real Love,” host Natalie Goldberg interviews “Sarah,” a junior at Barnard, about the particular difficulties of feeling unwelcome in queer spaces as a result her relationship with her current boyfriend. They delve into topics like internal versus external validation, how unique it is that Columbia can feel like a place where being gay is the norm, and whether or not straight people belong in queer spaces. In listening to Sarah’s story, we seek to understand the complicated social and cultural dynamics that lead to acceptance, both from oneself and from one’s community. This episode was produced by Matthew Schwitzer with music by Obi Okoli.

As the summer of 2022 waned, reporter Lilienne Shore Kilgore-Brown invited fellow Columbia students to call her on Spectator’s new late-night call line, Sleepless Somewhere. Their conversations drifted from discussions of magic grandmothers to the ethereal blue color of glaciers and reminded us of the quiet beauty and intimacy that our slowed down, sleepy moments can hold. This episode was produced by Julia Hay with music by Eva Scholz-Carlson.

In this special episode of Pod-Tone 292, reporters Natalie Goldberg and Avery Reed document the last lesbian locales left in New York City for LGBTQ History Month. They speak with Columbia and Barnard students about their opinions on and experiences in these establishments. They also reflect on our city’s rich queer history and why we need to preserve queer spaces and prioritize queer joy. This episode was produced by Matthew Schwitzer with music by Eva Scholz-Carlson.

Professors can make or break a class, and sometimes can even make your college experience. There are a number of highly esteemed professors at Columbia and Barnard who have developed cult followings of students. So who are the magnetic personalities shaping our community culture and their fields of study? Why have they gained traction? How did they become the person they are known as? What influences do they have in our community? By exploring the people behind the professorial personas, we will start to build a greater understanding of our Columbia community. In this episode of the new Pod-Tone 292 series “Office Hour,” host Aliza Abusch-Magder dives deep into the pedagogy of professor Marisa Solomon. This episode was produced by Matthew Schwitzer.

As college students, we’re approaching the weird and wonderful period of our lives that is adulthood. But the label “adult” is one that carries so much weight and we are often afraid to assign it to ourselves. In this episode of “The grownups are talking,” reporter Abby Thayananthan invites fellow students and young “adults” Ruby Lark Mendelsund and Anna Olivia Sommer to share their personal stories and thoughts about moving away from home, a catalyst for adulthood for many of us. In particular, they discuss how a geographical shift, or lack thereof, may impact one’s perception of their own independence and adulthood, and they compare perspectives from their own distinct lives. This episode was produced by Matthew Schwitzer.

In this episode of the Pod-Tone 292 series “Fake Names, Real Love,” host Natalie Goldberg interviews “Jamie,” a Columbia College sophomore, about being outed to her conservative Catholic parents during her first relationship with a woman. She describes the imbalance of desire within her relationship, the extreme reaction that her parents had after finding out she was a lesbian, and her take on dating while closeted versus out. In listening to Jamie’s story, we take a deep dive into how wanting versus being wanted plays a significant role in lesbian sex and relationship dynamics, and the emotional turmoil that unsupportive parents can cause. This episode was produced by Matthew Schwitzer with music by Obi Okoli.

In this episode of the Pod-Tone 292 series “Fake Names, Real Love,” host Natalie Goldberg interviews “James,” a Columbia College sophomore, about what hooking up with his boarding school roommate taught him about his own sexuality. He describes the buildup to the moment and the covert hands in a dark room, and plays up the scandal—they were both in long-term relationships with women. In listening to James’ story, we take a deep dive into the blurred line between romantic and platonic relationships among queer people. This episode was produced by Matthew Schwitzer with music by Obi Okoli.