Welcome Class of 2019! I want to officially congratulate all of you in your successful admission to Indiana University Bloomington! As a premiere Big Ten research university, Indiana University is a higher education environment filled with accomplished faculty who teach a wide array of students on various subjects such as public affairs, public health, music, education and psychology. It's also nestled in a friendly community whose residents welcome students with open arms as we provide a good majority of the business profits during the academic year to the city. Now, I know that many of you are moving from home to the dorm and are worried about getting along with your new roommate; however, I have some key pointers that when taken collectively will provide a balance in your school-work life throughout your four years of college.
Main entrance of the Indiana Memorial Union:
a great place to hangout, do homework and eat.
- Academics: A key tidbit on attaining academic integrity & acquiring top grades is to attend class as an engaged and attentive student. This means one has to eat right, exercise daily and sleep the proper amount the evening before in order to function well when it comes to class time.
- Professional: A college student's life is not only about academics, but also building your professional identity. There are three important items to note. First, I personally made it my goal to network with anyone and everyone I met during my time at Indiana University. This comes in handy later on when your trying to acquire that internship or first job out of college. Second, I created my resume late in my freshman year and would recommend all of you to follow suit because college is a time for you to learn who you truly are as an individual. Last of all, please study abroad as a college student because it will totally transform your perspective on international affairs which is important in the world we live in today.
- Extracurriculars: My two pieces of advice for getting involved as a college student would be to attend the Student Involvement Fair at the beginning of each academic semester and meet the student leaders who you want to emulate.
- Social: A great piece of advice I received from my former orientation leader as an incoming Hoosier student in August 2011 was to create a support network of peers, old classmates and family to lean on during times of need. Truth be told, I really appreciated her advice!
- Free: Choose your actions carefully as a Hoosier because everyone watches your every move. What you say and do speaks a lot about your overall character.
I hope the 5 key pillars of student success light your path to achievement! By the way, please check out this WeAreIU.com article titled "Balancing Priorities in College" by Alyssa Modos for more information regarding time management in college. In addition, I was featured in a Class of 2015 Senior Spotlight video to highlight what makes a Hoosier experience so special in the minds of graduates. Have fun at Indiana University Bloomington and take it from an alumni that these next four years will be unforgettable for all of you!