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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.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
What to Do During the Summer: Study Abroad
Even as a senior, I am still mildly surprised when – in January, in the thick of winter – my peers begin to talk about their applications for various summer programs. My bemusement betrays a basic thickheadedness on my part, … Continue reading
Posted in Life, New York City, Study Abroad, Summer Research, Uncategorized
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Reflections from the Archive: Stanford’s M0618 Arturo Islas Papers Collection
This winter break, as I pieced together the beginnings of my senior thesis on Arturo Islas’s novel The Rain God (1984), I stumbled upon an archival treasure trove—M0618, the “Arturo Islas Papers.” Comprising a hefty 56-box collection, M0618 chronicles four … Continue reading
Posted in Adversity, Archives, Coursework, Libraries, Life, major research, Senior Thesis, The Humanities, Uncategorized, Writing
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On The Swim Test
It’s late, a Saturday night near the end of January. I’ve signed up to take the swim test the next day in the early afternoon. I feel unsettled, anxious, even paranoid. Usually, to prepare for a test, I have some … Continue reading
Posted in Adversity, courses, Life, New York City, The Core, Uncategorized
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Senior Thesis Research: A Case Study Involving Two Case Studies
The first challenge I faced when I began formulating ideas for my senior thesis at the start of this semester was deciding on a project that could involve both my major fields of study. Classics and East Asian studies do … Continue reading
Posted in Coursework, Libraries, major research, Senior Thesis, The Humanities, Uncategorized, Writing
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A More Concrete Guide to Research Using Columbia Libraries
Thanks to contributions from former CC Research Ambassadors, this blog can already provide you with useful information about the libraries’ resources and how those resources can enrich your studies as you move through the Core. As a former student employee … Continue reading
Posted in Coursework, Libraries, major research, New York City, The Humanities, Uncategorized
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Laidlaw Scholars Program: A Deep Dive!
As Eli’s latest blog post points out, one of the key topics that comes up often in the CCRA blog is how to find funded research opportunities, especially as an underclass student looking to pursue summer research! One of the … Continue reading
Posted in Coursework, Funding, Interviews, major research, Summer Research, The Humanities, Uncategorized, Writing
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“What is the one thing that you hate the most about the research experience?”
I will speak candidly here: my mother did not attend college, neither did her parents or her parents’ parents. When forms ask me to input my parents’ education level, I leave my father blank (don’t ask, I am just as … Continue reading
Posted in Adversity, Archives, Coursework, Libraries, Life, The Humanities, Uncategorized, Writing
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Advice For Those of Us Interested in Research for Student Publications
It is a wonderful thing to be paid for your research. That being said, outside of what you could call the traditional undergraduate research economy—fellowships, scholarships, etc.—student-run journals, magazines and reviews afford Columbia students plenty of opportunities to publish their … Continue reading
Posted in Funding, Life, major research, Media, The Humanities, Uncategorized, Writing
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Sailing In Search Of Second Wind
The other day I had the opportunity to see one of my favorite authors, Neil Gaiman, in person, celebrating the life and work of another of my favorite authors, Ray Bradbury. Neil Gaiman’s Coraline and The Graveyard Book pleasantly haunted … Continue reading
Posted in courses, Historic Sites, Life, The Humanities, Uncategorized, Writing
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How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Core
While most students really connect to at least one or two texts in the syllabus, many students experience Contemporary Civilization as a painful slog through the dregs of Western philosophy, a subject widely felt to be as stale as it … Continue reading
Posted in courses, Coursework, Life, The Core, The Humanities, Uncategorized
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