Winterful Welcome Back

Several university students walk and converse on College Walk with snow people on South Lawn nearby at Columbia University on a sunny winter day.

January 23, 2026

Columbians returned to our campuses this week for the spring semester, greeted by chilly temperatures and snow people on South Lawn. With more snow in the forecast, stay safe and warm, and have a great semester, everyone!

For more on our campuses this first week back, check out Columbia News' photo essay and reel.

Photo of the Week is a feature of Columbia News that captures moments from around the University and New York City.

See all the photos from the series here.