Student Spotlight: Pursuing a Graduate Degree During a Pandemic

Recent graduates of the MA in History and Literature program reflect on how the pandemic affected their studies and their time at Reid Hall.

June 01, 2021

I ended up staying in Paris in my 14m2 studio during France’s first home confinement, continuing our HiLi classes and my courses at the French universities online and only going outside to get groceries or exercise for nearly two months. It was hard—really, really hard. But I was constantly in touch with the other students who had decided to stay, all of us sharing the sentiment that Paris is where we were meant to be, not only on the bright and sunny days but also when things got hard [...]    READ MORE

– Hannah Gersten, HiLi 2019 – 2020


 

Before the pandemic

Columbia University HiLi has given me opportunities I never imagined. When I moved to Paris in 2019 for the program, I didn't think I would stay for more than a year, especially through a global pandemic. However, at every step in my academic journey  Columbia Global Centers and the HILI staff have been incredibly supportive and encouraged me to continue my research and make the most of my experience in Paris. READ MORE

Julia Cullen, HiLi 2019 – 2020


 

MA classroom

Since my topic was a rather personal one, doing schoolwork became more difficult for me than it had ever been before because it was both mentally and emotionally draining. But this made it all the more satisfying. This was something I especially struggled with during the lockdown because I felt that my thesis topic and I were constantly alone in my apartment together.  READ MORE

Jasmine Mortazavi, HiLi 2019 – 2020


 

Small graduation party

Although I was the only HiLi student to leave France during the pandemic, I remained in contact with my friends and classmates via our Zoom courses and our WhatsApp group, which featured an abundance of inside jokes. [...] I can honestly say that, despite the coronavirus chaos, my experiences in Paris this past couple of years has proven to be the “HiLight” of my life. READ MORE

– Sephora Leon, HiLi 2019 - 2020