By Aileen Khy, Undergraduate Visiting Student in Culture and History in NYC, School of Professional Studies
While others were basking in the summer sun and the city heat, I was in Columbia’s cool darkroom in Dodge Hall, developing film and printing my photographs. When I was not in the darkroom working with chemicals, I was at Butler Library trying to decipher Herman Melville’s writing in Billy Budd for my Law and Literature class. Have I seen the sun lately? No. Would I have traded my classes for a moment in the sun? No, because I had fun being a sponge absorbing knowledge, both hands-on and intellectual.
As someone who studies communication design and sociology at The New School (under Parsons School of Design and Eugene Lang College), I chose my classes based on my two degrees and interests. I wanted to use my summer at Columbia as an opportunity to experiment and explore how I interact with the two subjects.
I was nervous for my summer classes and who I would meet. For my Law and Literature class, I was seated in a classroom with people of various ages and interests. I found the class to be diverse in thoughts and interpretations as well as stories shaped by past experiences. Essentially, everyone has something to offer. It was the same for my darkroom class, because everyone has different artistic styles and preferences. Every individual has a subject and interest that they want to capture that is unique to themselves, which is always fascinating to an art student like me. There are also stylistic differences between people, such as degree of contrast, photography composition, and choice of subject. When you pick up either a book or a camera, you will focus on a subject that is individual to you. Critique and class discussions were the best times to absorb all this diversity in thinking.
My summer at Columbia allowed me to be more independent compared to my previous semesters at my home institution, as I only needed to focus on two classes instead of seven. The class sizes were also more intimate. It allowed me to further improve my abilities in managing my time in order to balance school, social life, and sleep (which is most important). Outside of classes, I saw significantly more shows in two weeks than I had in nine months, including Hamilton and Ragtime (which I got free tickets for!). I was able to explore myself, discover more about my interests, meet new people, and further my knowledge about my two majors through my two classes. I leave this summer knowing that I want to minor in photography, with more certainty about my choice to dual degree in communication design and sociology—and with friends I will continue to cherish.
About the Program
Each summer, Columbia University offers hundreds of courses for Columbia students and visiting students from other domestic and international institutions. Summer Session offers the opportunity to study with Columbia’s esteemed faculty, pursue academic interests, and advance studies or prepare for graduate school. Focus areas include Culture and History in New York City, Foundations in Pre-Medicine, Public Affairs and Sustainable Futures, and Wall Street Prep: Economics, Finance & Analytics. Learn more about Summer Session at Columbia University.
