Do you have any advice, as an author yourself, to aspiring Barnard writers or novelists?
You’ve just got to jump in there and do it. If you want to be a writer, write. If you want to be a dancer, dance. You can’t put it off. You just have to jump in and do these things, particularly on the writing side. Just write. Even if you can’t submit, or you don’t think it’s quite good enough, stick it in a folder so you have it. Just keep writing, and whatever works. I’ve been packing, which forces you to go through everything, and one of my prized possesions is all the notebooks that I’ve been writing things in, from years and years and years. I will probably never do anything with them, but they’re there. Even in terms of sharing things with yourself, your older self, and your family; discovering things you wrote thirty years ago. It’s kind of magic.
Do you have a response to the varying opinions on your NYTimes article?
I will say that the reaction to that piece caught me totally by surprise. It shouldn’t have. I should have been prepared. But that was a piece I wrote for a friend and a colleague for fun, for a separate book, she wanted me to write this, I wrote it in like a day and a half. I didn’t think twice about it. It was a little bit of venting, clearly the intended audience was women my age. So I was totally caught off guard by the response. And it was interesting, I got generally a really positive response from women my age and totherwise a really negative response, which fair enough; but I will say, of all the things, I tend to pre-worry, and with that one, I just didn’t. And of course I forgot that everyone reads the NYTimes style section.
Do you have any thoughts on the sad Magnolia tree situation?
It’s sad! I mean it’s horrible! We all loved that tree. But never in the history of the world has a tree been loved as much as that tree. And has a tree been tended to and planned for and wrapped in bubble wrap, but Mother Nature just decided that her time was up. But, before you graduate, there will be another tree and it will be as equally beloved.
I believe you!
It will happen!
Do you plan to return for graduation this year?
Yes, I will be there at graduation.
Will you be on stage to shake hands? I’ve heard a few seniors concerned.
Yes! And that is very nice, I love commencement. Over the course of my life, I can’t even remember how many commencements I’ve been to, a lot, and I still get emotional when I hear that music. Radio City is such a beautiful place to do it, it’s just beautiful. I’ll be there and I’ll shake hands and I’ll give remarks.
Do you have any thoughts on a woman shaking your hand and giving you your degree after four years here at Barnard?
I think it’s important and it’s symbolic. I think Rob Goldberg is going to do a phenomenal job as interim president, he’s not going to be the permanent president, and not everyone knows that, but I understand the desire. Making the decision to come to a woman’s college is a big decision and embracing everything that’s part of the ether of this place is a big deal. I think it is symbolically important to have a woman president shake your hand. So I will be there! I’m looking forward to it.
How has Barnard helped you grow as a feminist or as a woman?
I’d never been at an all-woman’s anything before, I’d always gone to very co-ed places. I’d always been in the minority, generally, the only woman in the room. It’s been really life-changing to be in a place where women are always the majority, and women are always in positions of power. I behave differently, the place behaves differently than I was used to, and that’s really powerful to see. It’s also exposed me to the kinds of academic and activist feminism that I hadn’t really been exposed to in my life. It’s an environment where not everyone is going to agree, or have the same passions, or see the same path through life, but they shouldn’t. We’re not a cookie-cutter place, and that’s the beauty.
Lastly, do you have a favorite Barnard memory?
Oh there’s so many! No! I’ll have to process that and come up with some. But I’ll tell you one that is very sweet. When we did convocation for your class in Riverside Church last year and we did the alumnae parade for the first time, there was the oldest alum in the room from the class of 38’ or something; she came in with her walker, and as she wheeled in, she said “I don’t need this anymore!” and she threw her walker away. Now that’s a Barnard woman!
Good luck at Lincoln Center DSpar!