Tag: tips for college

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Scholar(ship)ly Advice: The Sequel

As the deadline for our scholarship draws near, I decided to reach out to winners from previous years to check in with them and see what advice they had to offer for this year’s applicants. For more information on our scholarship and how to apply, head here.

Ben Kim (2021)

Check out our 2021 post on the Design A Better Future project where Ben, Swetha, and Johnathan successfully developed a functioning keyboard for people diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to this year’s applicants, what would it be?

A: I’d advise this year’s applicants that they should not be trying to force a project into their hands–rather, they should find genuine interest and purpose to lead them forward.

Q: What has been the best thing to come from your scholarship project?

A: The best thing to come from my project has been acquiring new engineering skills and knowledge and, perhaps just as importantly, spending time with my group and making memories together.

Q: A quick update on you! What are you up to? Are you still actively involved in your project?

A: I’m currently studying engineering at Princeton University, and I am not still actively involved in the project–however, it will always be special to me.

Find genuine interest and purpose to lead (you) forward.

Did you know you can apply for our scholarship as a group? Ben, Swetha, and Johnathan submitted their application together and they won together! They had close family members with Parkinson’s and they were able to use their experiences to come up with a project that they had genuine interest in, and they knew first-hand the difference their keyboard will make. For more information on exactly what we look for in a scholarship submission, I highly recommend this post.

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What I Wish I Would Have Done Differently in College

Looking back on my college days, I feel like I made some great academic and social decisions, but I also made some mistakes that I learned from as I went along. Here are some of the things I wish I would have done differently during my college career.

I wish I would have asked for more help. Whether that be from professors, from my roommates, or even from my parents. There were things I needed help with that I was never confident enough to ask someone typically because I felt like I had to be my own, independent person now that I was in college. That’s not true! Ask for help. 

I wish I would have built deeper relationships with my professors, especially the ones further on in my major. I often was one to walk into class, do the assignments, take the notes, and then walk out on my way to my next class. I never stayed after to chat or have deeper conversations about the subject matter. Professors are not only there to help you, but they can also be incredible resources for networking. 

I wish I would have asked a lot of questions. Again, I wasn’t one for being actively involved in my classes. But I wish I would have been. I wish I would have actually asked those deeper questions that I was wondering about but never relaying to my teachers. 

I wish I would have taken the readings more seriously. Assigned readings just felt like a chore, but later on, in my major-specific classes, I realized too late that the readings were actually there to help me learn, understand deeper, and have information to take me into my career someday. Better yet, I wish I would have saved some of these readings to use later on. 

I wish I would have had more fun. I spent a lot of time studying and doing homework, and yes! That’s a very good thing! But every once in a while, I wish I would have put off an assignment for a day so I could be social as well. Because college is more than just getting a degree! It’s about who you meet and the experiences you’ve had. 

What do you wish you would have done differently in college? 

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College Campus Resources- And Some Off Campus!

college campus resources on and off campus

Hey college students! Are you living below your means when it comes to being enrolled in college? Typically as a full-time and even part-time student, you are entitled to so many different campus resources that you may not be taking full advantage of. Here are a few typical perks you can find: 

Gym membership- whether it’s to the school’s rec center or a discount at a local gym membership. They are great deals when you’re in school and you don’t get this perk once you graduate, so use it while you can! 

Sports events- Typically the school will either admit students to sports events for free, or make it incredibly affordable to go. They know the students are the lifeblood of cheering the school on and want to encourage as much support for their teams as possible. 

Printing offices- Schools often have a specific printing office or printing stations throughout campus because they understand that the luxury of a printer is not in every student’s budget. So they try to keep them accessible and as cheap as possible. 

Study sessions and tutoring rooms- There is a good chance, especially in your general classes, that you can find a study session or tutor room for the subject you are struggling in. In the school I attended, they had a whole room specifically for math tutoring. It didn’t matter which class you were in, there were plenty of students majoring in math or similar studies that were readily available to help assist you with your homework or teach you a concept you were struggling with. And the best part, it was FREE! 

Tech help- Utilizing technology is just about the only way you can gain a college degree anymore, so colleges have stepped up and offered tech help to students that cannot figure out why their computer is glitching or randomly deleting every download. They understand that you need functioning technology, so they are here to help! 

The library- And oldie but a goodie. Every school has a library to some extent, which typically is equipped with computers, desks for studying, comfy chairs for reading, and of course, BOOKS for research. 

Discounts at restaurants- In a college town, you may be surprised how many local restaurants offer discounts to enrolled college students. They may not advertise it every time, so asking is the best policy! It never hurts to ask if they offer a discount to college students. 

Have you been taking advantage of these great perks of being a college student? What else would you add to this list?