Dear Students,
Welcome to the start of a new year in the College of Natural Sciences! As most of you know, my name is David Vanden Bout and I am the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education in CNS. I think I have the best job at UT because I get to work with all of you and make sure your time here is the best it can be.
Each week I will send you an e-mail like this one that highlights skills, opportunities, and ideas to expand your horizons. I'll also add a terrible-ly funny science joke because there is nothing better than bad science puns.
This week I offer some tried and true suggestions for success this semester:
- Think of yourself as a professional student. Imagine that your supervisor is evaluating everything you do. Be on time. Come prepared. Stay engaged. Schedule your time. Communicate effectively. Taking a professional approach will help you develop skills that will benefit you in any chosen career path.
- Sleep is highly underrated. When you are sleep-deprived your brain does not function properly. As a result, when you stay up all night studying you convince yourself that you are learning a ton. Instead you are simply delusional. So, get some sleep because science tells us that it is critical for learning (and that is what you are here to do).
- Ask for help. If you need help with an assignment ask the professor, ask the teaching assistant, ask a classmate. If you are confused about degree requirements, ask an advisor. If you struggle with life in general, contact a counselor. There are lots of people around ready to help you. You just need to reach out.
Best,
Dr. Vanden Bout
Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @StudentDeanCNS
Joke: While most puns make me feel numb, mathematics puns make me feel number.
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