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The CCRA blog is authored by Columbia undergraduate researchers, who are invited to reflect on all aspects of the research process and their own undergraduate research experiences, beginning (but not ending) with the Core.
Author Archives: Isabel Wong
Group Research Meet and Greet
When I found out seniors wouldn’t be allowed back on campus this past semester, I was disappointed for a lot of reasons. Apple picking, on my bucket list since I was little, would have to wait for a post-graduate fall; … Continue reading
Posted in courses, COVID-19, Uncategorized
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Letting Go of Senior Research
Registration always seems to sneak up on me, even this semester’s when the date was pushed back. As I juggled Core requirements and classes I’ve been eyeing since sophomore year, I kept circling back to one course in particular, Senior … Continue reading
Posted in Senior Thesis, Uncategorized
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The Presentation Place
Before this semester, I always thought of presentations as research’s final hurrah. Paper written, edits made, the presentation is simply the bow, the final flourish completing the package. As I’ve learned from this semester, that isn’t always, or even often, … Continue reading
Posted in courses, Uncategorized
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Falling into First Drafts
The other day, part of my thesis was due. As the deadline loomed, I found myself unable to write more than half a page. I crafted opening line after opening line, but no matter how many times I stepped away … Continue reading
Posted in Senior Thesis, Uncategorized, University Writing
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DIY Templates
On October 31, 2020 I will become my sister. We’re dressing up as each other for Halloween, which means I’ll have to wear leggings in 80ºF heat. More than a simple clothes swap, I’ll attend dance class and learn 75% … Continue reading
Posted in Senior Thesis, Uncategorized
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Cold Emails, Warm Conversations
A couple of days ago, I conferenced with my poetry professor. We had met for the first time in class the day before. Despite our near-stranger relationship, we talked for an hour and a half. According to my sister, I … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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Researching the Self
Every few months, I will, without warning, run headlong into post-graduation panic. Having just woken up, I’ll meander into the kitchen, pop a slice of bread into the toaster and check my phone to learn my friend has landed an … Continue reading
Posted in postgraduation plans, Uncategorized
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Dancing With, Not Against, Time
I have a playlist called “compost” meant to house all the songs I’ve grown tired of and don’t want to actively listen to anymore but also don’t want to delete and risk losing forever. Someday, I imagine, nostalgia or historical … Continue reading
Posted in COVID-19, The Core, Uncategorized
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How to Prepare for a Hurricane, How to Prepare for Research
I am waiting for Douglas. I am waiting for a hurricane. A few days ago, around the time COVID-19 cases began spiking in the islands, news of a hurricane surfaced. As the storm barrelled across the Pacific Ocean, my family … Continue reading
Posted in Senior Thesis, Summer Research
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Research as Reimagining
I attended my first thesis presentation sitting on the couch. The university had sent many of us home in March. Now it was May. Instead of facing the blank page, commencing battle with my final papers, I opened Zoom, settled … Continue reading
Posted in Senior Thesis, The Core
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