Dear Students,
We spend a lot of time talking about academic success. This isn’t a bad idea, since we are in fact all here to learn. However, it’s important to also spend time thinking about personal growth. Here at the start of the spring semester, it’s worth taking a little time to think about things beyond the classroom.
Who and what you want to be are big issues to tackle—certainly beyond a few words in a weekly email. But we can’t get so caught up in our homework and exams that we don’t think about where we are going and why. So there’s one thing I want you to try to do this week:
Think about what you are going to do this summer. There are tons of great opportunities for learning and growth in the summer. These could be research experiences, internships, or summer jobs. All of them can be valuable. I spent one summer in college doing research at a national lab. I spent another painting houses. I learned a lot about myself from both experiences.
Whatever you chose to do, you’ll get the most out of the time if you are intentional in your choices rather than just falling into what you can find to do in June. February may seem early, but it isn’t. Some programs’ deadlines may have already passed. Many are just around the corner. Think about the summer sooner rather than later. For research ideas, a great place to start is the National Science Foundations Research Experience for Undergraduate. Also, be sure to check out the student newsletter (link at the top of the page) as it regularly has announcements. Finally, on the internship front be sure to check out the resources at the Career Design Center.
Best,
-Dr. Vanden Bout
P.S. Don’t get so caught up in summer planning that you forget you have classes.
P.P.S. The weekly newsletter link is above. Thanks for great feedback on the format as we continue to tweak the presentation.
P.P.P.S. I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. It's impossible to put down.
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