Bold, Beautiful Benches and Chairs

My dearest Barnard Baddie reader, have you ever needed to take a quick on-campus break? Not necessarily a place to “lock in” but simply the comfiest chairs, benches, and couches to lounge on? Well you’ve come to the right place. 

Behold! My top 5 comfy break spots on Barnard’s campus:

#5 – LeFrak Center Chairs (and Benches) 

These pastel colored fabric chairs are scattered about the ground floor of Barnard Hall, a brand-new, well-lit space located right across from Barnard’s main entrance gate. They’re spinny, cushioned, and some even come equipped with low-to-the-ground tables! What’s not to love? There’s one catch: if you value cleanliness, you may want to rethink your butt’s fave new resting place… While the coloring of these new chairs is beautiful, the stains on them are bold. That said, the proximity to the LeFrak Center’s new snack room (which is essentially an uber-healthy vending machine) makes up for it—and also explains the stains. 

An oftentimes cleaner, but slightly less comfortable, alternative to the cushioned spinny chairs are the half-cushioned benches running along some of LeFrak’s back walls. These benches are great if you’re looking for some wooden back support and fun Barnard-bold patterns, but you better not sit on them for too long! Spending any length of time in Barnard Hall during peak college admissions season is sure to result in an eager prospective student asking you for directions to the Barnard Store–or for your college app stats. If you’re looking for a calmer, undisturbed break, I suggest you keep reading.

#4 – Milstein Green Chairs

The Milstein Green Chairs are famous for a reason. So famous, in fact, that Barnard sells stickers of Millie the Dancing Bear taking a rare break from dancing just to sit on a green chair. But, while these chairs are pretty comfortable and have an amazing view of campus, they unfortunately have some of the same issues as the chairs at LeFrak. These chairs are always dirty. Not only that, but they’re always in use. Good luck finding an open green chair during peak hours; when one person gets up, their spot will be filled in less than a minute. This constant usage and turnover also means the area can get quite loud, especially on the first floor. The green chairs on the second floor are located in a much calmer area and are certainly the better spot to take a break in.

#3 – Barnard Hall 4th Floor

Of all the Barnard spots that could be on this list, the Barnard Hall 4th Floor is a bit of a hidden gem, and its unpopularity is part of what makes it so great. When there aren’t English classes in session on the 4th floor, the area is usually empty, quiet, and calm. Barnard Hall’s 4th floor features two four-chair cozy sit-down spots that come equipped with a shelf full of free books provided by the English Department. You’ve probably sat on them for a second in between classes. These red fabric armchairs are worn in and have a sense of warmth to them you can’t find at the other locations on this list. Don’t sleep on this spot for a good old brain break–but don’t gatekeep it either. 

#2 – The Wellness Spot + Financial Well Being Center + Speaking and Listening Center

From luscious couches to quiet, private rooms, these Barnard Hall spaces seem to have it all. The Center for Financial Well Being has multiple work and chill spaces, the Speaking and Listening Center lobby has my favorite couches, and the Center for Mental Well Being has massage chairs (and occasionally therapy dogs). These locations are ideal for a Barnard Baddie’s best break. The Wellness Spot in particular was literally created for this purpose so take advantage! You may be wondering, why aren’t these rooms #1 on the list? Well, they unfortunately have some pretty rigid availability (9am-5pm on weekdays only) that may not align with everyone’s break times. 

Honorable Mention – Glicker Milstein Theater Lobby

You may have thought the closest thing to a comfy seat in Diana are the torn up, crumb covered, red gamer chairs of Liz’s Place… Well, you thought wrong. Whether you’re looking for couches, benches, stools, or chairs, the GMT Lobby on Diana Lower Level 200 is a great place to take a break. The only thing holding it back from a true spot on this list is the fact that it is a theater lobby. There are often events in the GMT crowding the place up, or theater kids rehearsing their musical numbers less than 20 feet away from your cozy rest spot. 

#1 – Literally Any Random Open Room

At the end of the day, there are only so many comfortable chairs, couches, and benches on campus. Yes, a few didn’t make the cut (notably Access Barnard’s amazing beanbags and sofas), but Barnard overall isn’t that large, so this list can’t be either. The best breaks are often spontaneous, or follow an adventure of discovery exploring a room you’ve never seen before. Whether it’s on the LeFrak lower mezzanine level or on Milstein 200–there are many bold, beautiful, break spots still waiting to be explored. 

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