Hello and welcome back to the school! As a fun way to kick off the school year and the SWE blog, some of the SWE officers have answered a few questions to let everyone know them a bit better and provide some great college advice.
First a quick intro to some of the officer you’ll hear from in this post.
Kaitlyn Ng a civil engineering major and one of our amazing publicity chairs. A fun fact about Kaitlyn is that her, her dad, and her sister were all born a week apart.
Sarah Abdalla a chemical engineering major and one of our fantastic advancement chairs. Sarah loves eating lemons which sometimes freaks people out.
Athena Co a petroleum engineering major and our one and only president. Athena has a slightly particular breakfast cereal routine. She soaks Honey Nut Cheerios in 1% milk for exactly 1 minute and 23 seconds to achieve the ideal sogginess to crunchiness ratio. She encourages you to try it and then tag @utswe so we can go viral and show the world the power of slightly soggy cereal.
Avery Brooks a mechanical engineering major and our spectacular VP Membership. Avery loves ballet and contemporary dance. She takes classes at Ballet Austin in her free time.
Cassandra Huff an electrical engineering major and out fantastic VP Corporate. Cassandra has two cats that live with her in Austin and they have gone with her to Baltimore and Sacramento for her internships.
Now time for some questions and some answers:
Q: What's some advice you wish you could give yourself going into college?
A: Kaitlyn stresses that “Organization is key” to stay on top of work and still have time for a social life. Sarah, Athena, and Avery remind us to “breathe and enjoy the little moments of life” College truly flies and it’s important to remember that it's okay to struggle. Make sure to destress, reset, and enjoy your path! Cassandra reminds us that “it’s okay not to be perfect! And to not compare yourself to others” because that mentality will only lead to a downward negative spiral.
Q: What was your biggest misconception of college?
A: Kaitlyn thought “college would only be studying, but discovered there is a lot more to it” and reminds us to get out there, discover opportunities, meet new people, and hang out with friends.
Sarah discovered “people aren’t as stuck up” as she thought they would be and in reality “everybody is incredibly kind and supportive.”
Athena believed going into college would lead her to become a put-together, well-adjusted adult automatically. However, she soon realized it doesn’t happen that easily and you experience a lot of failures, but also personal growth along the way. She is grateful for the challenges college has presented her because they have led her to learn so much more about who she is and who she wants to be.
Avery thought “learning in college would primarily be in the classroom”, but discovered that you learn “more outside of school like through SWE, internships, research positions, etc.”
Cassandra believed college would “be super hard and she was going to fail out. It’s still hard but not as bad as she thought”
Q: What’s a fun thing to do around Austin?
A: Austin is known for its beautiful sights and it’s no surprise all the SWE officers suggest fun outdoor activities. Kaitlyn suggest congress, Sarah loves the parks, Athena says the 360 bridge around midnight is very peaceful and relaxing, Avery suggests paddle boarding on Lady Bird Lake, and Cassandra is an avid fan of climbing.
Q: How has SWE impacted you in college?
A: All the officers attest that “SWE has been a place where they have met some of their closest friends and have found a supportive and uplifting community”. SWE is also a great career resource with all its corporate partner events and is a great place to gain leadership skills.
Q: What do you think is the most useful resource on campus?
A: Kaitlyn and Sarah remind us of the great “academic help we have around campus like free tutoring at EER and Sanger, and professor office hours.”
Athena, Avery, and Cassandra all agree “ECAC is an amazing resource to help students find internships and jobs with incredible counselors to give great advice, help you with your resume, and interviews”. They also mention “SWE and its many resources ranging from leadership and professional development to an embracing community and outreach engagement.”
All the SWE officers are happy to help you as you transition into college and learn the ropes around campus. If you are interested in learning more about the opportunities around campus don’t hesitate to reach out to us and we can help you the best we can. College is a new, exciting, and slightly terrifying experience and we here at SWE want to help you the best we can to find your footing on campus. If you feel like reaching out to a SWE officer to ask a couple of questions, our emails on our website and we look forward to hearing from you!
Comments