What a summer! I can honestly say that I would not have survived the fall without experiencing LEAP. This summer has prepared me in nearly every aspect for not only the fall semester but for the rest of my college career.
One of the best pieces of advice I can give is to take advantage of every opportunity available to you. By this, I mean meet with your advisors, get to know your professors and MAKE SURE they know you too, take some time to explore the campus and downtown area (you’ll be surprised as to how much there is to see), and last but not least, get to know yourself better.
I’ve met with my advisors in the College of Communications several times this summer. Taking this initiative has been extremely beneficial and am already seeing results. They were thrilled to meet with me and I was equally excited to meet them and start planning my internships. We talked about my resume and cover letter. They guided me and gave me tips as to how to go about creating these documents. I then met with Career Services. They helped me finalized my resume so I could start applying for internships.
I made it a priority to get to know my professors. I was very assertive in high school; I met with teachers before or after class and took advantage of their willingness to help me succeed. I planned to do the same thing in college. It was extremely important to me that my professors knew me by name and knew I was serious about succeeding. I went to office hours and did everything I could to let them know how serious I was taking their classes. Trust me, it pays off!
When I needed a break from studying, I would walk around campus and downtown State College. I observed my surroundings and fell in love with Penn State all over again. There was so much I hadn’t noticed before. I’m so glad I did this now as opposed to the fall when the campus will be flooded with 40,000 students.
This summer was the perfect time to get to know myself. I was able to spend some “me time” in my dorm just listening to music or writing. I found this to be very helpful. Since this was the first time I have ever been away from home for an extended period of time, I used this quiet time to plan my future. I thought about who and where I want to be. Again, I don’t think I would have been able to do this in the fall when the campus crazy with involvement fairs and activities. College isn’t like high school. No one is on your case about doing your homework. College is the definition of independence. You have to take the time to organize yourself and plan your days.
Bottom line: you will not regret LEAP. This is coming from someone who refused to do it because I wanted one final summer with my friends. Although I missed my friends and family beyond words, I know I made the right decision by doing LEAP. It’s amazing how quickly you adjust to the idea of being on your own. It’s like something within you just clicks and you realize that it is up to you to get everything done. LEAP was absolutely incredible. The experience and connections I’ve made this summer are incredible. Don’t be afraid to get involved and put yourself out there. It will do more than you know.
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