Independent Research is … “Independent”?

Posted on June 24, 2022 by Fatima Ahmad

Photo credit: Fatima Ahmad

At 1AM on a random Wednesday in March, I opened my email to find that decisions for the Laidlaw Undergraduate Research and Leadership Scholarship Program had been released. Since I was in the midst of grinding my International Politics essay on the 15th floor of IAB (and also had bigger, mid-semester, life dilemmas racing through my mind), I calmly opened my email in anticipation of a rejection. After all, only 25 undergraduates are chosen for each cohort, each year. Since I’m currently writing this blog post, you can probably guess that I indeed was not rejected. This is to say, and as cliche as it may sound, sometimes things seem too good to be true, so we think that we are unable to attain them, but even if you have a slight passion for the research you want to conduct, apply!

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Sincerely, Columbia Seniors

Posted on May 29, 2022 by Cecilia Guan

A picture taken of me and Alma Mater. Photo credit: Nader Babar.

We made it! My last Rose blog post before graduation. These past four years have been an unconventional journey due to the COVID-19 pandemic (to say the least), and as a result, the transition onwards from here may feel more uncertain, uncomfortable, and unforeseen than typically. That’s not to discount the fact that any person experiencing change might feel nervous about what’s to come. In tandem with the confusion we might feel though, there is also hope, aspiration, and potential improvement on the horizon. We have learned to adapt to incredible circumstances, and our flexibility will hopefully enable us to be more humble learners, generous teachers, and kinder to ourselves through these processes as we continue to discover more about who we are and what we value. 

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Tips for Minimizing Thesis Stress

Posted on May 22, 2022 by Virginia Ignelzi

A stressful writing process. Photo credit: Pixabay.

If you’ve been talking to your senior friends this semester, you might be aware of one of the greatest stressors of our academic lives: the senior thesis. Known for causing late nights and an increased caffeine intake, writing a thesis can be a real struggle. Of course, I’m being (somewhat) over-dramatic here. While you may have heard horror stories, a senior thesis does not have to ruin your sleep and social schedule. It’s definitely a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to take over your life. In this post, I plan to outline the top two senior thesis strategies that I used to manage my research and writing. While my process wasn’t perfect, these strategies helped me turn in an organized, minimally stressful, on-time thesis.

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The Thesis that (Almost) Shred me to Pieces

Posted on May 15, 2022 by Christian Flores

Christian presenting his senior thesis in front of faculty advisors and thesis seminar students.
Photo Credit: Joseph Campell.

I am still recovering from the high (relief, really) of submitting my senior thesis a short while ago. After spending months under incredible amounts of stress, finally sending that email felt like finishing your last final of the semester, except a hundred times better. When I originally applied to participate in the seminar, it was largely because of encouragement from some professors. They pressed me to write the thesis because it would be “a great way to wrap up my undergraduate career”. Admittedly, I was initially not too keen because my track record with longer research papers is not stellar. I usually have other important classes going on at the same time and find myself pushing research away as its deadline is further along in the semester. After all, bombing a midterm could be irrecoverable for a good final grade in an important class. But the research paper? That’s due in eight weeks, I would rather study for the midterm. The cycle continues until I have a few weeks left to do a semester’s worth of work. Not fun!

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Gender and the Core Curriculum

Posted on May 7, 2022 by Adam Kluge

Columbia University’s Butler Library. Photo credit: Richard Cole.

“Someone will remember us / I say / Even in another time”  ― Sappho, If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho

There is something fascinating about the historical reimagination of the Core Curriculum, especially since its first course (Contemporary Civilization) was introduced to a war-torn student body in 1919. While the Core was originally designed to produce  students who were well-rounded, innovative, and aptly capable of influencing and shaping the political and social order of the day, various identity groups were left outside the margins of its original syllabi. 

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Self-Reflection as a Form of Research 

Posted on April 30, 2022 by Cecilia Guan

Who do you see when you look in the mirror? Photo credit: Unsplash.

For all the writing, analysis, and problem-solving we do on a daily basis in college, I feel that we do not often consider self-reflection as a way to strengthen our research processes or as a kind of research in and of itself. Rarely are we afforded the opportunity to learn and explore directly about ourselves, applying concepts from classes to our life in order to gain a deeper understanding of who we are and what we are passionate about. Assignments that designate space for this type of inquiry encourage us to bring our fullest selves and identities to school. Our academic curiosities are informed by our environments and upbringings, such that reflecting upon our societal backdrops can deepen our connection to our professional interests. 

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Presenting Your Research at an Academic Conference

Posted on April 22, 2022 by Virginia Ignelzi

A small group presentation. Photo credit: Unsplash

If you’ve read my previous posts on this blog, you’ll know that I was given the opportunity to present my research at the 2021 University of Tennessee Knoxville Undergraduate Classics Conference. This year, I had the chance to return to the same conference, this time for an in-person experience. While I definitely felt more prepared than the first time around, I still felt that I had lots to learn. The unspoken rules and expectations of academic conferences can be difficult for undergrads to navigate! While I’m certainly no expert yet, I wanted to provide a few more tips and suggestions that I’ve gathered. Students who are interested in presenting research but unsure about the process, this post is for you. With all that said, here are my top three tips for a successful conference experience.

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The Global Core: Exploring the World from the Classroom

Posted on April 8, 2022 by Cecilia Guan

For my final assignment in East Asian Mythology, I had a wonderful time exploring an East Asian myth we studied through a creative project. Photo Credit: Cecilia Guan.

One of my favorite parts about Columbia has been the freedom to intertwine my academic interests with the exploration of my Asian American identity. The primary route I have chosen to do so is through the Global Core requirement. The Global Core requires students to explore cultures, traditions, and histories outside the scope of the Western canon featured in classes like Literature Humanities, Contemporary Civilizations, Art Humanities, and Music Humanities. I enjoy the Global Core requirement because it acknowledges the diversity of cultures not explicitly encapsulated in the aforementioned courses, but which are equally valid and also make up the world within which we all exist and interact. 

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Musings on the Core

Posted on April 1, 2022 by Christian Flores

Butler Library from Low Steps. Photo credit: Christian Flores.

Perhaps it was because it was the fact that I had sat in that particular lecture hall a total of 5 times throughout my time at Columbia. Or perhaps it was the fact that in my final semester, I would be taking a class with my Lit Hum Professor, someone with whom I began my Columbia journey. I drowned in nostalgia as the sun rays beamed through the Hamilton windows. Just as the light highlighted markings on the old, beaten desks, the Core has illuminated my college experience. During each of my semesters, I tried my best to interact with the Core whether it be through taking a course or engaging with events that conjured up the spirit of the Core. It provided a connection that tied me to something beyond my major and actually enhanced my view of what a liberal arts education should be. 

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Writing a Thesis: Is It a Worthwhile Endeavor?

Posted on March 25, 2022 by Adam Kluge

Thesis Desk. Photo Credit: Frank Hebbert.

In Spring 2021, as Columbia continued to adapt to the strain and consequences of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the very notion of writing a senior thesis seemed ludicrous. My schedule already felt overwhelming, as I navigated countless Zoom meetings, internship obligations, and a series of projects that had seemed far more accessible in an in-person setting. With that said, at the behest of my academic advisor and through supportive conversations with faculty in the History Department, I made the decision to submit a proposal. After all, it was a decision I would never need to regret; in the event that I was selected as part of the thesis cohort (as most students are), I could always step away from the project if it became too much. All this to say that, from the start, my thesis was very much an endeavor rooted in my personal interests.

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