Work

It is hard to believe that spring break is just around the corner. For many of us, spring break is the time to see family and friends and to take a break from school and work. For some, it might be a chance to catch up on missed lectures. But for others, spring break is also the perfect time to put academics on hold and focus on preparing for your professional life. If that sounds exciting to you, here are some productive things you can do over spring break to prepare for life after college.

It might have been difficult to find the perfect study spot on campus during finals season, but how about during a global pandemic? For students living either on or off campus, it can be exhausting to search for a place to sit and work with the physical distancing guidelines. Spectrum’s got you covered with tips on where to study around campus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With both a new year and a new semester beginning, it’s the perfect time to find new ways to stay on top of assignments and organize your daily tasks. To get you on track, here’s a guide to help you weigh the pros and cons of four different organization methods.

Whether you’re an incoming first-year or a rising senior, it’s never too late nor too early to start scouting for job openings during your time at Columbia or Barnard. Not only can it be an enriching experience to prepare you for life after graduation, it can also serve as a good source of financial support.

In its quest to uplift the voices of women in leadership roles, the 10th annual Athena Film Festival shined a spotlight on women who often go unseen within society and the subsequent issues that they face, spanning from wage inequality to the accessibility of confidential healthcare resources.

“We work hard, and we play hard” is how a seasoned student framed Columbia during my Days on Campus visit. “Get high; get high grades,” another student reiterated. “They must be living their best lives, seizing every opportunity that comes their way,” I thought.

Admittedly, I was not very good at keeping track of numbers before I came to Columbia, but I got better at it quickly. As much as I would love to credit my improvement to my one (1) Introduction to Statistical Reasoning course, it was Columbia’s student contribution and the Federal Work-Study Grant calculations that really made me work for it. The question I had to answer was “How does a senior at Columbia live on $240 a year?”

Working my regular shift as a Residence Hall Student Aid, I caught up on my History of the modern Middle East reading about political Islam. Between sentences, I looked at the entrance to see who was entering and exiting the building. Two girls entered the residence hall, and one asked me to sign the other into the building.

I write all of my columns in the little cracks of time that my school and work schedules permit me, always a little drowsy or hungry. I am always tired. I work on average around 20 hours a week and I’m taking 17 credits this semester, meaning that whenever I’m not in class, I’m at work, or vice versa. As per the usual Columbia University exceptionalism mindset, I told myself that it would be doable if I planned out my time, made the right choices, and limited my social engagements, but a Residencial Life passion planner isn’t going to help me find two extra hours in the day, no matter how many sections I highlight.

As the familiar melody of the Super Mario Bros. 2 soundtrack pierced the soundscape, audience members could not help but erupt in infectious laughter. The juxtaposition of ballet and tunes from the popular video game was as pleasantly surprising as it was choreographically well executed.