Woman sneaks into Columbia University’s surf-and-turf event, reflects on institution’s ‘hypocrisy’ and treatment of low-income students: ‘i wish cuny/suny had columbia money’

One woman is getting real about her thoughts on the nation’s second-most expensive university after infiltrating a ritzy event they were hosting for their students and faculty.

Brenna Lip (@brennalip), a New York City-based content creator, posted a TikTok in which she admits to attending a surf-and-turf brunch at Columbia University despite not being a student herself. What started off as a harmless ruse, however, soon turned into an eye-opening look into “the hypocrisy of this whole place.”

To put it into perspective, Columbia University clocks in at second place on The College Investor‘s list of most expensive colleges, with an annual tuition of $65,524 USD for first-year students.

“So, I snuck into Columbia University’s surf and turf, where the students got shrimp, lobster and steak, just to become reflective about how horrible these institutions are and learn that Columbia is trying to get rid of a preschool to gentrify the area even more,” Brenna reveals.

The Red Balloon Early Childhood Learning Center is situated “near the southern edge of Columbia’s decades-in-the making Manhattanville campus.” According to Brenna, it is a preschool that “addresses lack of affordable, high quality child care in the area.”

“…and the fact that it was normalized during that time for low-income students to risk their health to pack up rich kids’ dorm rooms to make sure that their rich kids belongings were OK.”

“As a low-income student on financial aid at the start of COVID, they caused her to have housing instability and wouldn’t even give her money for a laptop when this place has unlimited money,” Brenna says of her twin sister’s experience as a freshman at Columbia University in 2020.

“I thought about how I was paid to pack up some rich kid’s dorm because they didn’t wanna come back from their spring break trip, and the fact that it was normalized during that time for low-income students to risk their health to pack up rich kids’ dorm rooms to make sure that their rich kids belongings were OK,” she adds.

Per the Columbia University financial aid website, students who come from families that make an annual income between $66,000 and $150,000 are eligible to attend the institution “tuition-free.”

“Columbia’s wild to me because it’s literally gated off from the rest of New York. There’s, like, this beautiful campus, grass, these bouncy houses, games to play, but as I was talking to people I learned about what’s going on in this campus,” she continues, before adding that professors are sometimes allegedly known to act poorly and creepily toward students.

In a past video, Brenna also calls out the hypocrisy of New York University.

“But I guess my point is, I hope that anyone who goes to NYU, Columbia or any kind of elitist place, and this includes universities and colleges not in New York, looks outside the gates in which they’re protected and gets involved in trying to contribute to the community, not just sitting around eating lobster and steak,” Brenna concludes.

“I really appreciate your videos. I used to dream of getting into NYU or Columbia. But your videos have broken the delusions I had about them”

Brenna’s video has generated discourse surrounding the inherent privilege at institutions like Columbia University that other public colleges in the state don’t have.

“Speak on it!! As a former Columbia and NYU employee, people have no idea how DEEPLY horrible these places are and it’s devastating,” one user revealed.

“omg i saw u on campus and was like “that’s the person that calls out cops and elitist institutions. as they should,” another wrote.

“I really appreciate your videos. I used to dream of getting into NYU or Columbia. But your videos have broken the delusions I had about them,” someone thanked Brenna.

“i wish cuny/suny had columbia money,” a TikToker wrote, referencing City University of New York and the State University of New York.

In The Know by Yahoo reached out to Columbia University for comment but has not heard back as of reporting.

As Brenna continues to shine light on the truth and elitism inherent to commonly sought-over post-secondary institutions like Columbia University, the hope is for prospective and current students to have a greater, more encompassing understanding of the reality of attending places like this, especially for low-income students.

In The Know by Yahoo is now available on Apple News — follow us here!

More from In The Know:

Listen to the latest episode of our pop culture podcast, We Should Talk: