By Vinni Anandham, EPPS Blogger
I can’t believe it! It’s been three years and it’s my last
semester at UT Dallas as an undergrad. I knew I wanted to major in Political
Science since I was a freshmen in high school, and in less than three months my
dream of graduating with a degree in Political Science will be coming true! But
now that I’m so close to walking across the stage to receive my diploma, I can
say that while my degree had always been the goal and I will be proud of it, I
know that it will not be the highlight of my years at UT Dallas.
I have gotten SO much more from UT Dallas than just a
degree. I have gotten to work with Dr. Daniel’s staff that set the perfect
example of an ideal workplace in my eyes. I have gotten to serve the student
organizations of UT Dallas and watch student leaders emerge, creating 180
student orgs to 275 in just two years! I have been able to assist in planning
some university events with the amazing people that dedicate every day to UT Dallas students.
I have been encouraged by my peers to thrive in volunteer work that lead to
being accepted into the Clinton Global Initiative University Conferences and
actually shaking hands with former President Clinton! I have met professors and
staff members who believed in my abilities more than I did to one day discover
that they were right, when achieving success in Moot Court Tournaments.
I have
been given more than words could express in just one blog but meeting all of
the people that made these three years so worthwhile, serve as the true “highlight”
of my undergraduate experience.
If someone were to ask me to change something then most
likely I’d say no because I believe that even the mistakes I made were crucial
in order to gain all that I did. That being said, if a freshman were to ask me
about something I did that they sh
ould make sure not to do then my BIGGEST
advice to them would be “DON’T REFRAIN FROM GETTING INVOLVED!”
This is my
advice to anyone who’s a student in an institution, but especially if you are a
freshmen in college, don’t hide yourself in your dorm. Go get involved in
clubs and/or greek life, find out what all your university offers, figure out
the various resources offered there but just don’t go to class and straight
back to your dorm.
Since I played an active student leader role in high school,
I thought that getting sucked into it again would decrease my GPA, but I was
wrong. Freshmen year was my worst year in college, academically and socially
because while I was lucky to have met a professor that encouraged me to become
an EPPS blogger, and a few friends that got me involved in a club to volunteer,
I did nothing but go to class and work. The only thing I showed real initiative
towards was finding an on campus job and was privileged to work in one of the
best offices on campus, learning from some of the most amazing women I have
ever met.
BUT, if I showed the same initiative towards other activities on
campus, then I would have been able to do some other things I can no longer do because
once you get into junior/senior year, you will find yourself with having free time. So show some initiative to explore your campus and find what suits
you best! J
