Columbia Writing Supplements

List the required readings from courses during the school year or summer that you enjoyed
most in the past year.

The Power of Myth - Joseph Campbell,
The Catcher in The Rye - J.D. Salinger,
A Brave New World - Aldous Huxley,
The Baghavad-Gita,
The Prince - Niccol Machiavelli,
Metamorphoses - Ovid

List the books read for pleasure that you enjoyed most in the past year.

Animal Farm - George Orwell
1984 - George Orwell
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - James Joyce
The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupry

List the print or electronic publications you read regularly.

Reddit
The Oatmeal
The Onion
Huffington Post
Time Magazine
National Geographic

List the films, concerts, shows, exhibits, lectures and other entertainments you enjoyed
most in the past year.

Listening to the Dalai Lama speak
Society of Women Engineers Conference
Appalachian String Band Music Festival
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (movie)
JMU's Godspell
Moonlight Kingdom
The Nutcracker Ballet



Please tell us what you found meaningful about one of the above mentioned books,
publications or cultural events.

Last year, I had an opportunity most will never receive; I was able to hear the Dalai Lama
speak. My friends and I joined the crowd of thousands hoping to witness his words. However, it
became apparent that the arena was not large enough to hold everyone. We found an alcove
outside the arena that offered us a slight view of the stage. Once the event started, His Holiness
began to speak. His words were wise, however, it was difficult to hear him from where we were
standing. Not long after the talk began, a monk approached my group with concern.
"Can you hear alright?" he asked. I told him that hearing was a little difficult. The monk
strolled away and reappeared not long after. He beckoned to us and led us into the arena, all the
way up to the stage. The monk smiled warmly and walked away. I spent the next hour in rapture,
caught up in the Dalai Lama's words. He spoke of suffering in the world and of the amazing
scientific and spiritual advances he had witnessed. But his main message was clear: humanity
cannot ground ethics in religion--we must transcend that. The material aspects of our lives have
too much focus, and without inner ethics and values, something is missing from the world. This
moral spirituality goes beyond any religion. His Holiness' words pierced me, for I had been
struggling with my own beliefs. Hearing this message made me realize that it was okay to be
atheist, as long as I allowed spirituality to ground my morality. Not only do I carry this message
with me today, but the kindness of the monk who led me into the arena and gave me the
opportunity to hear these life-changing words will always remain in my heart.

Please tell us what you find most appealing about Columbia and why.

New York City.
A melting pot, filled with cultures so heterogeneous that citizens are impossible to
stereotype. A so-called "living laboratory" that allows college students freedom for both personal
and academic growth. Of course, I was first attracted to Columbia because of this location. The
campus is secluded enough for that "college" feel, but students have all of New York at their
fingertips. However, after researching the school, I realized that the atmosphere at Columbia
goes beyond location. I fell in love with the idea of a Core curriculum. I want to be a part of the
community of scholars that the core creates. It will allow me a much greater range of career and
social opportunities. The programs offered at Columbia are unlike any I have seen, and I would
love to throw myself into them just like I do with my academics today. I would love to put my
laboratory skills to good use in one of the most reputable research institutions in the world. I
would love to join an a cappela group and an academic team, and simply soak up all of the
opportunities attending Columbia will bring.
I know Columbia is a perfect fit for me, and I'm going to prove it when I come to school
here next year.