summer-enrichment

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.

Interviews can be daunting, especially in this new era of virtual interviews. Unlike remote classes, which we can attend with our cameras off in bed, interviews on Zoom require more preparation. But, fear not! Here are some tips to help you with any upcoming interviews you may have online.

The registration process can be overwhelming and stressful. From figuring out your registration time to navigating CULPA reviews, waitlists, and conflicting classes, it is challenging to create a schedule with no obstacles. As registration approaches and you scroll through the course catalog, keep in mind that Columbia and Barnard have added intensive courses with alternative schedules. For those of you who want to finish a course before the semester ends, block classes are a perfect solution. As opposed to a standard 12-week schedule, intensive classes are in two six-week blocks for both the fall and spring semesters. Block courses meet more frequently than semester-long courses, allowing students to take fewer classes at a time. We asked a few students about their experience with fall A and B courses to help you decide whether spring A and B courses are right for you.

There are about a million things on everyone’s mind during the COVID-19 pandemic, but one worry many of us share is that we are somehow falling behind by being home this summer. While not having an internship or a job the summer before your first year of college is perfectly fine—I did absolutely nothing but hang out with friends the summer before arriving at Columbia—being at home with nothing to do means that life can be a little uneventful.

As you progress through the first half of this fall semester, you may have a certain thought lingering at the back of your mind: How can I obtain an internship for the summer? This is something that many students probably worry about, but most don’t know that the Center for Career Education offers internship programs!

It’s early June, and the clocks are striking 13. These past two weeks have been blissful, dusky, and honey-soaked. Saccharine, whatever that means. And I reckon I’ve got about three more days before the panic truly sets in. You see, I don’t have gainful employment lined up for this summer. Cue much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Summer at Columbia is quite a magical experience. People are no longer sad, cold, or longing for the day they can actually exit their cramped dwellings and venture out into the exciting world of New York City. They emerge on bikes in flamingo-patterned cotton dresses and embroidered shorts, listening to new and old summertime releases. On campus, the dead Bacchanal grass has finally been replaced by multimillion-dollar lush green, and flowers—ones that you might have forgotten exist—are in full bloom.

Packing for college can be one of the most daunting things to do the summer before you leave home. How will you know what you’ll need for this stage of your life? What can you afford to leave behind? Where should you even begin?

Both Columbia and Barnard offer Opportunity Programs to help students access and transition into higher education by preparing them for the rigor of college curriculum and helping them become familiar with the resources available to them on campus. The Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program includes a five-week academic program that takes place between July and August of the summer right before freshman year begins.