Breaking Bread and Records

On November 14, a crisp autumn day, students were greeted with an unforgettable sight: a 440-foot-long chain of sandwiches winding across Futter Field called Big Sub. The midday feast is one of the many beloved Barnard traditions that brings community members together, and it is hosted annually by the McIntosh Activities Council and Student Experience and Engagement (SEE). Held during the tail end of the fall semester for over a decade, Big Sub offers students a much-needed and satiating break from studying.

While first-years who experience Big Sub in person for the first time are often stunned by its cartoonishly enormous size, returning students stride onto the line eager to savor their first bite. Community members get to enjoy not only the food but also the music, fresh air, and the joy of breaking bread with old and new friends.

“I watched people set up for Big Sub and I was really touched by how carefully they were arranging everything,” said Phoebe Spence ’27. “It’s a really good reminder of the [Barnard] community, just to see people doing the little things that create a bigger tradition.”

Students chose from a variety of meat-filled options — as well as vegetarian, gluten-free, halal, and kosher selections — all carefully prepared by the College’s dining service, Chartwells, and the dining staff. The abundance of stuffed-sandwich delights is a guaranteed recipe for leftovers, which are donated each year to HEP’s Morningside Heights community fridge with the help of Barnard’s Community Engagement & Inclusion (CEI) and Columbia’s Food Recovery Network and Housing Equity Project (HEP).

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Big Sub: By the Numbers

Watch how the Big Sub shrunk in size as students devoured their favorite sandwiches, below.