What I wish I knew as an Undergrad Student

I wish I visited professors more during their office hours just to get to know them.

Three things I learned during my time as an undergrad

1) Follow your passions and don't let anyone discourage you from pursuing your dreams -- I wanted to go to graduate school and asked my department counselor, who talked to me as if I was aiming too high. I joined the honors program so I can get a better counselor. If I listened to naysayers, I wouldn't be where I am today.

2) Be brave -- I read my own poetry at bookstores and I remember reading one that was especially painful and vulnerable. Someone came up to me afterwards and said I spoke directly into her life.

3) Attend cool events that have nothing to do with your major -- I went to film screenings with directors and actors present and loved hearing about their experiences.

How I chose my graduate program

I took one introductory course to Sociology and thought it was the most transformational course I'd taken as an undergraduate. It opened my eyes up to inequality in society. I decided to take a risk and apply to Ph.D. programs even though I didn't major in sociology or take more than the introductory course.

Why I chose to go to grad school

I wanted to teach at the university level.

My first career after graduation

After graduating from my undergraduate institution with a B.A. in English, specializing in creative writing poetry, I got a job as an administrative assistant in the Department of Radiology at UCLA.

After getting my Ph.D., my first job was an Assistant Professor at 51ÂÜÀò!

Looking for direction? Schedule an appointment in Handshake with our Academic or Career Advisors.