Sunja As the sixth chapter of Min-Jin Lee’s Pachinko ended, my memories of being sexually abused by my cousin resurfaced. As Sunja, the Korean protagonist, grappled with a forced marriage, I relived my own moments of captivity and coercion. As she became paralyzed with feelings of inadequacy, I retreated into a cycle of self-doubt and pain. For ten years, my mind had buried that traumatic hour. And yet, it took only a few pages of a book to bring...

I believe that with enough ingenuity, one can turn a personal passion into social impact. There is no better proof for this theory than the study body at Columbia. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with scents and fragrances. It’s only recently that I’ve had the chance to share this passion with others. While working as an English-teaching volunteer, I realized that none of the collaboration projects the KOTO foundation, who provide disadvantaged...

My interest in political science and comparative literature at _ is rooted in a desire to tackle different facets of the human experience through a comparative approach. The comparative approach will allow me to make connections between works, across different cultures, to study the intersection of global problems. Whether I’m looking at similar problems different countries have in PoliSci or comparing texts from different geographic regions and languages in Comp. Lit & Society, I can’t wait to continue my pursuit...

Upon the discovery that I could train myself to become more adept at memorization, I spent two hours trying to recall the digits of pi during freshman year. The idea fascinated me: whether it was countless cases of false eyewitness testimonies, memorists utilizing the Loci method to aid visualization, or a brainwashed Sinatra in The Manchurian Candidate, memory could be exercised, primed and falsified. While I never felt that same compulsion again, the mutability of memory continued to enthrall me,...

Dear roomie, Most people have little quirks, known only by family and friends. I’m sure next year, you’ll discover a plethora of mine but here’s a preliminary heads up. I’ve been obsessed with aromatherapy and fragrances for as long as I can remember. Mom tells me that when I was younger, I’d hoard her perfume bottles when she was at work and put them back in hopes that she wouldn’t notice. She’d come...

Political apathy fuels recurrent conflict and stagnates progress. Whether it’s climate change or escalating refugee crises, we face the problem of increasing oblivion to issues that don’t immediately affect us. On the precipice of change, it's disconcerting to see how many people choose detachment over confronting their lack of knowledge.

I’d witness the reign and ascension of Catherine the Great, who defied systematic barriers that prevented women from ruling at the time. Her fearlessness and intelligence are inspiring — she got herself inoculated to persuade the Russian public to do the same and gained power by ingratiating herself with peasants.

Most nights I tune in for an episode of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt or House of Cards, listen to the podcast Stuff Mom Never Told You, or curl up with a book, my current rotation between Educated (Tara Westover) and Ru (Kim Thuy).