Active Involvement = Success

    In order to advance skills and develop as an individual, it is essential to be involved in activities. Join clubs, decide which ones are right for you, and immerse yourself in your favorite activity. Enjoy volunteering and interacting with community organizations. Experiences, education, and service have developed my ability to communicate effectively through verbal, written, and nonverbal means. As a future Physical Therapist, these skills are essential. As Vice President of Service in an organization called Alpha Phi Omega, APO, development of my verbal and written communication skills was demanded. Contact with service sites and members through electronic mail, telephone, and personal interview required poise, professionalism, and clarity in my presentation. Miscommunication with APO members or service site managers resulted in failed project execution and discouragement among members. To communicate effectively, I had to be concise, but detailed, and always include contact information. Leadership is more than control. It is active listening, effective communication, and delegating tasks to others. The only way to excel as an individual is to become involved and take an active role.

    Practice leadership! Through experience in situations that challenge your abilities, you will develop interpersonal skills that will contribute to your success in all that you do. My experiences with conflict in a variety of settings exposed me to different strategies to handle conflict. Since I am uncomfortable in approaching individuals when conflict erupts, I need to improve in this area of conflict resolution. I need to learn how to work with others cooperatively in order to achieve optimal results. Immersion in conflicts that make me uncomfortable are necessary for me to practice new approaches to conflict and focus on a cooperative resolution. Writing out my concerns before approaching others about conflict needs to be done. Continued practice of various techniques will increase my comfort level with handling conflict. However, in order to develop as an individual, you must reflect upon your experiences. In order to learn and refine your skills, you must identify your strengths and weaknesses. With only minimal experience interacting with other cultures, I lack in this aspect. I have experienced communicating with patients through translating family members, and the difficulty is inexplicable. Certain words do not translate, the process is lengthy, and constant clarifications are necessary. Experience and further language training are necessary for this deficit to be filled. By attending cultural seminars and intercultural activities, such as Healthy Families, I gain insight into cultural obstacles and learn culturally sensitive practices to improve patient care as a future physical therapist. Remember that involvement is essential to developing professional behaviors, and success will be the result. Although classes are necessary to gain essential theoretical knowledge, it is the application of knowledge that is important in life and interviews as well. This is done through experiences and action.

Cassandra Regine Chalker

Creighton University

    It is commonly known that getting involved in some kind of extracurricular activity(ies) throughout your high school career will have a positive effect on your college application process. Whether its a society, club or athletic team, it is important for the colleges/universities you are applying to to know that you are a person of integrity, dedication, and commitment. The best tip that I can give you for your application process regarding your extracurricular activities is to not only list them and your commitment to them in the past, but to specify how you are looking forward to getting involved in these or other activities in college. For example- I played volleyball all four years of high school (both for my school and for a club). I based one of my essays entirely on the hard work and dedication that I committed to this sport and on my plans to try and become a walk-on on Georgetown's team; I was specific to say that I wanted to be involved in representing my school and that I wanted to get involved in the Georgetown community. In my acceptance letter, the school really stressed how important it was to see a desire to get involved in the community, and that my plans to do so made my application stand out. Luckily, everything worked out and I am now a Georgetown varsity athlete! :)
So whether it's a team, an vocals group, a performing arts program, a foreign exchange program, or anything else particular to a school, be sure to mention your interest in it! (also, be sure to research the name of any specific societies etc that you could have an interest in so that you can mention that specifically).
Good luck!!

Paola Annoni Biology Georgetown University

    When I enrolled at Washington University, I was so excited to choose my courses from the vast array of subjects available. I wanted to take everything my freshman year and join all of the extracurriculars that interested me. I knew I should take it easy my first semester while I was getting acquainted with everything so I took 5 classes. I also joined a great cultural organization in which I formed some of my closest friendships. I handled the semester very well: good grades, a solid activity, and time to hang out with friends. Judging by my success, I decided I could handle more my spring semester... except I overestimated HOW much more. I became part of a sorority, executive of my dorm, a tour guide, part of a dance team, and topped it off with 7 classes (19 credits). The semester started ok, but my schedule was hectic with no time to relax. My friends began asking me where I was or why I always had to leave. Gradually, I became more overwhelmed as the semester continued. I had no time to even think about slowing down because some obligation was always calling. Even though my grades did not drop, I was spending many late nights studying for classes that should be easier but my stress made it difficult to focus and work efficiently. Also, I wasn't even dedicated to my activities as I had been my first semester. So here's my advice: Before you enroll in a million classes or activities (as exciting as they sound), know what you are getting yourself into. Try making a hypothetical time management table of what your schedule would be like everyday and see if you could handle it. The key to this tool is KNOWING YOUR OWN LIMITS. Each person is unique and works differently. Accept how much time you need to relax each day and ALLOT that time in your table. Choose two maybe three extracurriculars you really like and commit yourself to them. It is true that you go to college for an education. But I believe many (including myself) have the misconception that taking as many classes as physically possible will excel your education. Yes, you will get to say you took the most classes when you graduate or you had the most majors. But, did you truly learn the material? Did you get the grades you could have gotten if you had lightened your load? When you are stressed out, you waste so much time worrying about what you have to do next that you do not concentrate on the work in front of you. Usually, this leads to cramming right before an important test. You might even get the short-term grade you want but you probably won't retain that knowledge in the future. This advice hit me during my semester exams, when I realized how much I had forgotten, but it was to late to pull out. So plan ahead and think smart. Remember, a well-balanced, healthy lifestyle is the key to being a successful student.

Roshni Pankaj Shah

Washington University in St. Louis

    The best advice I can offer for "academic mastery" is to have multiple positive forces outside of your world of work. Having places, people, activities, rituals, and thoughts that make you feel content and strong are essential to being a fully developed individual. These elements rejuvenate your creativity, make your life happier and therefore make you more effective, and most importantly, they allow you to look at academic problems from new perspectives and remember why you want to excel in the academic world.

Lindsey Gael

Cornell University

    Performing well in the classroom is obviously very important in college. That's how you got accepted. However, your course work will only make up a tiny percentage of the overall college learning experience. Go out and see something new. Research trips that the college is providing to see a concert, or a play or some kind of art exhibition. Go to student run activities such as pep rallies, or even a protest. Over-extend yourself freshman year, I certainly did. Try as many things as you can, join several clubs or societies (I strongly urge against frats, I have no knowledge of sororities, but I urge against frats). Find which ones your passionate about and keep with them. Trust me, I'm not saying waste your time. Your performance in the classroom is important, but college will be a waste of your time if you spend the majority of it in a library. Buckle down around mid-terms and finals, but in between do something other than your homework. In short branch out and try things (I don't mean alcohol or drugs, by the way...) that you never would have pictured yourself doing, you never know, you might find your perfect niche.

Eric Salazar

Princeton University

    As unlikely as it sounds, extra curricular activities are an excellent way to achieve academic success. They can make the overall college experience much more enjoyable, and students who like being in college will make better grades! Participating in extra curricular activities is a great way to meet people. Then a member of your intramural sports team who happens to be in your literature class can become a study buddy. Networking is a sure path to success. Extra curricular activities also look impressive on an application for graduate school. It shows you can balance school work with other interests. Activities like honor societies or community service group can provide the opportunity for leadership positions. They can help to develop skills like public speaking and time management, which are also essential skills for academic success.

Jessica Lynn Taylor Master of Arts in World History East Tennessee State University

College musicians are an interesting breed. While others study by the book, spend hours in the lab, or stare at computer screens for hours on end, the music student lives in a tiny practice room akin to a prison cell (minus the windows). Others may note your pasty complexion and nod knowingly when you explain that you go to the Such-and-Such School of Music. Being a music major in college boils down to this- you, and only you, are in control of your progress. There are no chapters to read, tests to pass, or theses to write on the road to becoming a better musician. Instead, hours of practice, introspection, reflection, and observation are your tools of the trade. The stage life, the creative life, the life of an "artiste" is your oeuvre. That said, it is easy to lose motivation and inspiration without any tangible markers of progress. Here are some tips to help you stay productive:

1. It's easy to lose perspective left to your own, so get feedback. When you spend the majority of your time obsessing over little details and adjusting the tiniest elements of your playing/singing/composing, it's necessary to take a break and get a second opinion. Break out of your creative bubble and reach out to others to see how it translates. Your private teacher, your peers, chamber coaches, etc. can all provide interesting feedback.

2. It will never get any easier. Don't get discouraged; it's not supposed to be easy! Heed the words of legendary Sergei Rachmaninov: "Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music."

3. Reach out. Sometimes it seems like you are the only one who hears yourself play. Take opportunities to perform or organize them on your own. Don't feel like you're not being heard- you can make things happen. When in doubt, volunteer! It's truly rewarding to perform gratis.

4. Remember WHY. It's not easy to constantly have to prove yourself i.e. "you are only as good as your last performance." The years of sacrifice and dedication can sometimes seem for naught, but remember why you chose music in the first place. Or why "music chose you." If you constantly find yourself re-evaluating your passion for music, it might be a sign that you're meant for something else. If you know that this is what you love to do, then stay strong. Being a "starving artist" will only help your craft in the long run. And peanut butter and jelly isn't so bad either.

Sarah Ludwig

Master of Arts in Violin Performance

Rice University

    One of the important components of being a successful student is the extra-curriculum activities. Being involve in a student academic organization is definitely a plus. An academic organization is a place for students to share knowledge, concerns, and discuss currents topics in their fields of education. It helps students to understand what are the objectives, responsibilities, and benefits of being a professional; it also help students to develop critical thinking in their area of expertise and to prepare for future research or career goals. Members of student academic organization are usually more motivate to study and to apply their knowledge in campus-wide activities. There are many benefits for being a member of the organizations, besides of getting the latest news of any particular profession, students also develop skills in how to write letters, how to talk in public, how to follow procedures, how to fill applications, and how to conduct meetings (parliamentarians) among others. These skills can also be applied in many different situations in the academic life.

Sandra Rodriguez

PhD, Environmental Science

Oklahoma State University

    The more you join the less you engage. It is a common trend in high school to join as many organizations and clubs as possible, in order to fill up that resume and illustrate how diverse and well-rounder one really is. However, this is not the strategy I would recommend for your college years. College is no longer a competition against your peers and friends at school. If anything it is a competition against yourself. Your academics, extracurricular activities, and friends are yours to make, but do not abuse this great opportunity. Choosing what clubs and organizations to join in college should be hard. There is so much to choose from that it make it hard to find the perfect 3 that match your personality. Yet, on the contrary you can not join 20 clubs because they all share some of your interests. I would strongly advise anyone who is serious about their extracurricular activities to concentrate on a few (2-4) clubs to which they can seriously dedicate their time. The more you join the less you will engage with the people, attend the events, and grow within the organization. Multitasking between club events, friends, and duties can become a real hassle. Don’t worry if you feel you will no meet enough people or have enough events to attend all the time. Trust me, you will. In college you will meet more people and get invited to more events and organizations than you can handle, no matter how many clubs you are in. In fact I have found focusing on my particular clubs a very rewarding experience, as I have developed close friendships and grown faster within the organizations. Remember, the best friends and times of your life will probably happen during college, so don’t risk the opportunity of strengthening the bonds you make.

Pablo Cerrilla Georgetown Univeristy

If you were an excellent policy debater in high school, you may have been recruited to your college - and given either a boosted chance of admissions or a stronger financial aid package as a result. But don't feel compelled to do debate all four years of college. It is extremely time consuming and draining. Don't get me wrong - debate is a lot of fun, as long as you don't burn out. But, unlike high school, in college debate often hurts GPAs. So, do it if you love it, but otherwise, don't feel obligated to focus on your studies or on something you enjoy more.

__________

If you're looking to form your own club or organization, you should follow these tips:
1. Before you do anything else, check your college's list of student organizations to make sure you're not duplicating a previous club's efforts. If you want to start a libertarian club and there is already one, you might want to rethink. Ask yourself whether your organization will add anything fundamentally new to campus life. If not, then join the existing club instead! Deans are less likely to approve your club if they think it is unnecessary.
2. Gather a group of interested students. Talk to friends who share your goal. Use flyers, school publications, and social networking sites like facebook.
3. Find out what your college's requirements for a new club are. This will vary heavily depending on your school. Some universities make it relatively easy and even provide some funding for new clubs. At others, it's comparatively hard. Make sure you have all the required documents - and a good justification for your club!
4. Find some source of funding. Some student governments provide funding. At some universities, you can get funding directly from the administration. Always look to alumni, parents, and outside grants. Make sure you know your college's rules for acquiring funds.
Follow this advice and you'll be on your way to leading your very own student organization!

__________

If you participated in student government in high school and loved it, you have two general options for continuing your passion in college.

First, there's the student senate or similar student governing body for the whole college. At my school, it's called the Undergraduate Council (UC). If what you liked about high school student government was the political, parliamentary aspects of governance or if you feel the itch to advocate for changes that affect the whole student body, the student senate is the way to go. During my time at college, the UC pushed for 24-hour library access, divestment from Darfur, universal keycard access, and other issues of importance to students and student life. The UC also doles out funds to student groups that allow them to plan major events. But the UC is also highly political, rife internal and external disputes.

If you're less interested politics and more in getting stuff done, you might want to look into residential life. At my university, the student governing bodies for the dorms are called House Committees (HoCos). HoCos plan events in their dorms, such as big dance parties, carnivals, and senior activities. They also work with the dorm administration on things like policies for common areas. HoCos only affect their own dorms, but they're more actively involved in planning events and dealing with day-to-day life - and they're much less political and formal.

If student government is your thing, pick dorm councils or the student senate - whichever is right for you.

Alex Harris Harvard University

Engineers will obtain a vast breadth of technical skills by graduation, but engineering majors also need to learn "soft skills" to excel in their career field. Soft skills include non-technical subjects such as teamwork, taking initiative, technical writing, creating and delivering presentations, project management and leadership. According to managers I have spoken with, a 4.0 GPA doesn't substitute for a demonstrated ability to work with other engineers as a team. Employers want both technical and soft skills in a candidate. A student can practice these soft skills by working with study groups, practicing and improving presentation skills, and taking a leadership role in clubs and organizations on campus. Remember, when you graduate with your engineering degree, so will all your classmates. Soft skills will set you apart from your peers when it comes time to look for a job.

Jeffrey Gibson Master of Science in Electrical Engineering University of West Florida

    The importance of extracurricular activities in a student’s life is often overlooked. There are many benefits to be reaped from participating in such activities. The most obvious, and many times the most important reason lie in the preparation of a resume. As an undergraduate, I found it to be very beneficial, and quite motivating to create my resume my sophomore year of college. When a student is at this point in their lives, they will see that it can be quite a challenge to find meaningful enough information to fill up an entire page of a resume. Most students, who just started the chase for a bachelor’s degree, will find that they have only high school and summer jobs that they can use to fill the page. Most of the time, this will get you only a first glance from a potential employer. Though bad, I found this lack of information to be motivating. I wanted to start replacing those high school positions with meaningful extracurricular activities that would look nice next to by soon to be B.S. in Chemistry. Furthermore, it is much easier to update a resume in progress every time you achieve something worthwhile than it is to wait until its time to apply to start writing and critiquing a resume.

    Extracurricular activities also provide a means for escaping school. College can get quite unbearable at times and many students forget to take some time to have fun. It took me until graduate school to learn the importance of letting loose once in a while. It is possible for a student to get burnt out on school. Extracurricular activities provide this release to make coping with school much easier.

    Finally, and most importantly to me, extracurricular activities assist in developing a sense of responsibility in a student who may not know how to define the word. Many students are used to having someone (parents) around to tell them when and where they need to be. This will not fly as you progress through your postsecondary education. Dedicating time to extracurricular activities means sacrificing time from something else. The majority of the time, students will not choose to sacrifice time from their education but instead sacrifice that time that is available for sitting around the house staring at the clock. I have provided here many good reasons for student participation in extracurricular activities and I hope that this will assist in motivating at least one student in getting through college and realizing their true potential.

Lawrence Keith Keniley Jr. PhD, Chemistry Florida State University

    I'm sure you've heard it a million times over. I promise, it's important: get involved. Whether it's a job on campus, a sorority or fraternity, a volunteer group, or another social or academic organization. If you are at all interested, go to a meeting and check it out. You may discover that you are more interested in something than you thought or that something obscure intrigues you. Find what you have a passion for and pursue it.

Alexandra Ernst

Biology, Philosophy

Vanderbilt University

On Campus Conferences

Most universities and colleges host professional conferences. It may be a part of a research project put on by a department, or it may be that a professional organization is simply using your campus. You can find out about these upcoming seminars and conferences by checking bulletin boards and/or newsletters in your department. Attend these if at all possible. You can even volunteer to work at the conference registering guests or assisting the speakers. Attending these forums will accomplish several things. One is that you will be exposed to more material and in a different way. For example, you may hear your professors talk about what you will face in the work world, but at these seminars you are actually hearing people in that world talk about how they handle different situations. Second, you will be able to make valuable contacts. If you are near graduation, you may even want to print up cards with your information to discreetly pass out to people that you might be interested in working with or for in the near future. Finally, this will show the professors in your department that you are truly dedicated to learning all that you can in your field.

Cathy Hooper

Master of Arts in Educational Leadership

Texas A&M University

    I've always found that it pays to over commit at the beginning of a semester, rather than the alternative. Now, obviously, a general statement like that is tailor-made for exceptions. Of course you don't want to let anyone down, of course you don't want to get a reputation as someone who can't be counted on, etc. It's one thing to start a club, get a number of people involved, and then back out, and another thing entirely to sign up for emails for the astronomy club, only to find that it isn't your thing after a few meetings. Each year (although each semester offers some new activities, of course) you have a chance to get in at the ground floor with on-campus activities. Most colleges will have a campus activities fair in the fall, and that will be it. You may never hear again about that Jujitsu club, or the reading group, or the Polar Bear Club, etc. Once groups have enough members to pursue their ends, many have no reason to seek out other ones. The beginning of a year is a chance for you to try out some of these things, see which you really enjoy, and work your way up to a leadership position. Joining in April, you are going to be at the bottom of the heap, and less involved in the decision-making, in many cases.

Conor Williams

PhD, Government (Political Theory)

Georgetown University

    When I first arrived at Cornell as a freshman, I didn't know many people and wasn't very sure what extracurricular activities the university had to offer. However, no freshman at any university should be discouraged by feeling like a "small fish in a big pond" because, although it may seem a bit cliché, there is in fact something at every college to spark everyone's interests. After a few weeks, I discovered that college students have a wide variety of interests; all that was left for me to do was to choose which club, group, or team I wanted to be a part of. This can be a somewhat difficult decision because there are so many to choose from.

    My best advice for choosing a club, group or team to be a part of is to think about what interested you in high school. For me, I found that many of the things I liked to do in high school are still some of my favorite things to do in college. However, it is very important to expand your horizons and look to try something new as well. It is a great idea to join clubs or try new sports that your high school may not have offered, such as ultimate Frisbee or Tae Kwon Do.  

    One of the worst mistakes a college student can make is not to get involved in any fun activities outside of the classroom. A college student's class and exam schedule can be very stressful and hectic; perhaps the best way to lower stress levels and enjoy your time at school is to take part in extracurricular activities. Pick something you like, try something new, or form an entirely new club with your friends. Doing so will lead to making new friends and also make college life much more enjoyable.

Ryan T. Standifer

Cornell University

Stay balanced in college, your grades will thank you and so will your body.

After spending sometime in college, I notice an eerie trend: high academic achievers tend to be more unhealthy than our less academically competitive counterparts. Most of these individuals, while able to balance rigorous academic courses with tons of extracurricular activities while in high school, seem to falter and focus too much on academics when entering college, all for the purpose of “maintaining a high GPA.”

Don’t make this mistake! While many people have the false impression that once you get into college, it’s time to “buckle down” and focus on academics, this isn’t always the case. In fact, this can be counterproductive when you abandon all the other activities you love just to struggle on some problem set. The most important thing to academic success in college isn’t how much time you spend studying and doing homework. It’s maintaining a good balance between academics and everything else.

Now don’t get me wrong, academics is till very, very important, that’s why you’re in college anyways. However, when you find yourself struggling for hours on end trying to solve a difficult problem, the best thing to do is to get away from it all, at least for an hour or two. You’ll find that when you are still involved in activities that you love, whether it is dancing or sports, you’ll do far better in classes.

I had to learn this lesson the hard way myself. My first semester at MIT, I was pretty much swamped with work. I basically made a commitment before the term even started to “put academics above everything else.” Before long, I was getting 5 hours of sleep and giving up all the activities I used to enjoy, like breakdancing and running. While my grades were fine (I was putting in hours on end of work after all, they better be fine!), my sense of satisfaction was greatly diminished. Thus, even though problem sets and even quizzes were good, I wasn’t really “absorbing” the materials, and thus, on the final exams, I didn’t do as well as I would have hoped.

Of course, this is MIT, and I know the workload at different colleges is different. This might be an extreme case, since it was pretty much assumed that if you go to MIT, you will be struggling with the course load. Nonetheless, I decided to make a change of commitment my second semester. Rather than considering my Extracurriculars as “things to do in my free time,” I started to schedule them into my schedule, right alongside dinner and lectures.

While I had significantly less time to spend on academics, I find that the time I did spend was put to much better use. Since I knew that I didn’t have hours on end to work on a single class, that sort of subconsciously force me to be more efficient with my work ethic, whether that means staying focus or asking for help as soon as I get stuck rather than struggling for hours.

I actually received BETTER grades during my second semester, as well as earn a higher sense of satisfaction, despite harder classes. I scheduled in breakdancing and working out after classes everyday, and stuck to that schedule just as I would stick to my class schedule. All this meant that I would force myself to treat my other activities as importantly as going to lectures or doing problem sets.

More than just maintaining a healthy lifestyle, doing this will also instill good time management skills. Later on in college, you will realize that “time” does not equate to success. It is far better to work efficiently then to work for long periods of time. When you purposely constrain the amount of time you have to do work, you are forcing yourself to be more efficient. All this will prove invaluable when you tackle even harder classes, where it will be impossible to follow the “spend hours on a class and get decent grade” ideology.

If you don’t get anything else out of this guide, just remember this one thing: KEEP A BALANCE LIFE IN COLLEGE! It boosts your grades and keeps you a lot happier.

Hieu Huu Tran

Computer Science & Business Management

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

My secret to success as a former undergraduate and recent graduate student earning a Masters Degree, in Human Development and Family Studies in May 2008 , is my involvement in professional organizations. My personal and professional growth and development have soared as a result of my many leadership roles in organizations. I have held numerous opportunities engaging in public speaking events, participating in cultural research tours, presenting my research at professional conferences, networking with alumni, and studying abroad. Equally important, my academic excellence and my affiliation with organizations have opened doors to internships, being inducted into honor societies, and receiving numerous awards.

I encourage all students to be bold and courageous and go out of their "comfort zone" and explore new leadership opportunities while on campus. These experiences will ultimately contribute to your success both in and our of the classroom and symbolize that you have excellent potential as a future employee and/or entrepreneur.

Micere Sidi Oden

Masters, Human Development and Family Studies

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

I highly recommend to any college student, despite your year, to take advantage of new opportunities - in particular those that involve trying something different. The college community is fantastic and it is certainly important to become integrated into that community (and have lots of school spirit!). However, sometimes this community can become a 'bubble,' and students find themselves graduating without having wandered outside the perimeters of their campus. For example, I am a junior at Georgetown University in Washington DC and I have plenty of peers that rarely leave the front gates of our campus. There's always activities that you can take part in, though - even school sponsored activities, that involve stepping outside of the 'bubble.'
For example, as much fun as I have on the weekends enjoying time with my friends on campus, one of my most memorable weekends was one where I took a trip with the Georgetown Outdoor Adventure club. We drove to a trail in VA and spent the weekend hiking and camping. It was great - and totally different from my usual weekend routine.
Be sure to go to your school's 'fair' of sorts at the beginning of the year where all the clubs represent themselves. This way, you can get a good idea of all your options, and sign up on lots of e-mail lists! This way, throughout the rest of the year, you won't even have to search for the activities. The opportunities are there, I promise. It may be easy to get into a usual routine, but you won't regret it if you make some changes!

Christina Maria Belsito

Georgetown University

Although involving yourself in activities outside of academic work may seem counterproductive, a busy and stimulating schedule will actually help you manage your time and produce quality work. As a member of the women's track team, I avoided procrastination because I knew that I had to get my work done before the team left for a competition over the weekend. Moreover, my days had to be very structured so that I could complete my coursework and attend all of the team's practice sessions. Thus, I seriously focused on my work during specific hours each day and I was motivated to finish the work in that allotted time period. Athletics provided an outlet for reducing daily stress and it forced me to take care of my physical health. These factors definitely contributed to the quality of my academic work because I was able to think clearly and more creatively.

Amy Krilla

Master of Science in Social Work

Florida State University

    The path to higher education can fruit plentiful gifts: a deeper understanding and appreciation of life in this world and the universe as a whole; the ability to see different perspectives, enabling one to relate to others and solve problems in creative ways; and the development of a practical skill set that can be translated to a dream career. The most important thing to understand is that college is amenable to your own personal adventure in life. It is your chance to explore the possibilities of existence as they pertain to you. Broaden your horizons by trying new things and don't limit yourself to prejudgments about uncharted territory. It is perfectly normal to go through a series of reconsiderations, major changes, and confusion about your ultimate path. The best way to minimize the confusion and expedite your path to victory in the heat of the battle is to get as much experience as you can. Seek out extracurricular activities to give your mind a study break once in a while; in the end, that will benefit your studies. Try out a few clubs that interest you or play an intramural sport to get to know people with similar interests. You might be surprised about what you find entertaining and rewarding, so be flexible. Network with the people you meet, who invariably will be from all over the world. Open your mind to their perspectives and learn to see the world through others' eyes. Keep them as friends who will complement your life and connect you to experiences, careers and people across the globe. Of course, balance will be key to keeping your grades up while you are flowering as your own unique individual, so don't overload yourself with coursework every semester. Once you are settled on a career path, shoot for the stars, but keep in mind that your life is more than just homework. In fact, your homework shouldn't be entirely work, it should be fun or at least inspiring. If you play your cards right, you may one day be one of the few who is rewarded by their job far beyond their salary. The biggest ticket to success is enjoying what you do; triumph inevitably follows.

Justin Judd

PhD, Bioengineering

Rice University

Recipe for Success: Get Involved

    While studying and going to class is a major component to doing well in college, getting involved in extracurricular activities is just as an important. Intramural sports, sororities/fraternities and volunteering are great ways to get involved. I have found that my grades were higher when I was active in different organizations. Not only did I learn time management skills, but I met people who had taken some of the same courses and as a result they were able to help me when I needed it. Being involved gives you something to look forward to. I often used my intramural games as a way to motivate me to study or do my work. I knew if I got what I needed to get done than I would be able to go to practice or play in the game. Most of all, being active gave my brain a break from school and allowed me time to relieve my stress and frustration.

    Be careful not to get too involved. You still need time to study and go to extra help sessions if need be. You don’t want to over do it and wear yourself out. There may be times when you can’t make it because of an exam or group meeting so you want to be part of a club that is flexible and understanding. Finding a good balance between school and your extracurricular activities will make all the difference in the world. College is what you make of it and it starts with getting involved!

Katie Marie Daniels

Clemson University