Columbia University

Throughout my time here in New York I have come across no shortage of beautiful intellectually and culturally stimulating places; however none have had quite the same effect on me as Columbia University.

There is something to be said about the University's cobblestone streets which are lined with giant trees that cast everything in a sun-spotted calming glow, and the pretty speckled marble pillars and columns that frame the vicinity. The entire visual experience is breathtaking, and from my first steps onto the campus I could tell immediately that this was a place practically thrumming with unbridled ideas and a burning enthusiasm.

Columbia University has a rich history. The school was actually established in 1754 by a royal charter of George the II, and since it's founding has earned the reputation of being one of the finest most exclusive research Universities in the world. This is a title that is well deserved, because not only does it have one of the most gorgeous campuses, only 7% of all applicants are even admitted into the school. Courses are rigorous, but pay off as many Columbia alumni go on to be extremely successful and make a difference in the world. Barak Obama, Teddy Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, and even celebreitys like Joseph Gordan Levitt, Jake Gyllenhaal, and James Franco are all examples of some of the greats who attended Columbia University.

There is a legend that the first student to arrive on campus and found the owl hidden in the Alma Mater statute will excel academically in school. Well, if this is really the case, it's safe to say that I wouldn't be the winner of that title as I must have stood in front of that statue for over 20 minutes and saw no trace of an owl or any other variety of feathered creature. What I did see however were flocks of tourists clamoring to its side to take photo after photo. I came to learn that the Alma Mater statue was actually donated in memory of Robert Goelet and is a sculpture of the goddess Athena, which was created in 1903 by a prominent french artist. Today the Alma Mater is a key symbol of the university, which I suppose explains the tourists eagerness to get a photo.