As you have probably read from my previous blogs, my
research paper and I are not getting along so well. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve
started my research and the paper itself; the only obstacle deterring me from
finishing is my own fickle mind. And the distractions around me. I can’t
concentrate on my paper for more than ten minutes without having to do
something else. Whether it be going to the bathroom, eating, or even taking a walk,
I just feel so restless.
My day began as usual at 8 AM trying to beat my suite mates
to the bathroom for a shower. And I prevailed today! But being the courteous
person that I am, I made my shower as quick as possible to let my suite mate
have her time to groom. I then headed down for breakfast with Morvarid and
Rowland since the Constitutional Law kids were on their way to the federal
court for a field trip. I wish my class did something cool like that, maybe go
the White House? Oh well, once can always dream.
Once we had our fill, we made our way to class for our daily
discussion. Today we discussed the article we read prior on George W. Bush’s
policies after the 9/11 attack. Although the contents of the article were
somewhat biased, I could not sympathize on the dealing of Bush Jr. If I recall
correctly, I remember my anger at reading what types of strategies Bush used
for “the best interests of the country.” Civilians in foreign countries were
subjected to forms of torture that although did not inflict “severe pain,” left
impressions of mental and physical damage. Sleep deprivation, food deprivation,
wall standing and hooding were all forms of “enhanced interrogations” that the
nation used to gain information on Al Qaeda. Thankfully we finished about
thirty minutes before class ended so Professor Porwancher gave us that time to
read through our homework for the night. The article is very interesting, most
likely my favorite one so far; it talks about empathy and how useful of a tool
it is in politics. Seems like something Lucas would enjoy reading, considering
he’s into ethics and politics, you know all that jazz.
Class ended and we made our way to the dining hall for our
usual lunch. Considering my fatigue, which comes from nowhere really, I headed
back to my dorm to take a nap. And thank the above I did because if I didn’t I would
have fallen asleep at Butler library. After going back and forth with my
thesis, I finally started on my paper. Unfortunately for me, I had to look
through books and documents to have write most of the historical evidence
before getting to my central argument; therefore I spent more time reading than
writing.
My usual session at Butler Library ended and I made my way
to Low Memorial Library for our daily meeting with Ms. L and our tour guide
Adriana from our Columbia dinner. We got a personalized tour with her, so now
we know more historical background on the buildings as well as the resources
available for us on campus. Did you know Columbia University was originally an
insane asylum? It’s probably from all the twenty-five page research papers
students do. Adriana also explained her own tidbit on Columbia, such as the
feeling of a different environment it sets off compared to the robust vibe of
NYC. What excites me the most is the dual study abroad programs that Columbia
allows, such as those at New York University.
Our tour then finished and a few of us made our way to the
dining hall for what we all knew was a busy night ahead of us. While the
Presidential Powers girls have research papers to work on, Constitutional Law
students have a quiz to study for. So now each of us is probably slaving away
in front of books, articles, and laptops trying to get our work in. Well maybe
not me, I spent a good time looking through the stack at Butler Library for
books. It’s quite frightening here at night when no one else is looking through
the stacks.
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