Leaving the Party Early

Written by Sarah Angley

I recently found out I am able to graduate early. I was fortunate enough to not switch my major at all, and I have studied abroad three separate times over the past 2 years. The study abroad alone gave me a semesters worth of credits, and so I am able to finish a semester early.

There are many reasons for me to graduate in 3.5 years as opposed to the traditional 4. I am an out of state student, so graduating in advance will save me over 20 thousand dollars. This also gets me into the professional world faster, so I can establish myself in my chosen career sooner than my peers.

For many people, these reasons don't seem to make sense. "Graduating early is like leaving a party at 9 o'clock."

I think that these people forget what college is actually about. Yes college should be fun and you should enjoy your time here. But we are here for a reason beyond having fun and getting drunk. There's more to this experience than making friends. I came to college to learn about my chosen field, get a degree, then make a career from my experiences.

I've had an enriched experience from classes, to jobs, to internships. I'm ready to move on from here. I'm ready for the new challenge that being a graduate will bring. I'm ready to go out into the world and become a professional.

But this isn't just about me. I've met many of my peers who wonder if they should graduate early when given the chance. And to the I would say "College is great, but while many people say that it's the best 4 years of your life, I hope that isn't true. You're here to create something better for yourself. So go find what's better."

Getting that First Job

Written by Sarah Angley

At some point, whether it is during your undergrad or after

you’ve completely finished college, you will get that first

position in your field of work. By the time most of us enter

the "real world" and start working in our chosen field, we've

already had a job, maybe in high school or college. This is

not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about after going

through rounds of interviews, submitting work samples or

resumes or cover letters, and finally hearing back that yes,

you got the position that you have been working toward.

At some point you will get that phone call and you will realize

that all of the hard work you put in, all of that time and effort,

all of the organizations and classes you took that add to your

resume - it's all worth it.

For me, I got that call a few weeks ago. I didn’t realize in

advance how awesome it would feel. I have this internship

currently, which is work in the field I want to be in, but it

wasn’t the same. This phone call was for an internship that

could turn into a job in less than a year. It was for work out

in the big scary world off of Purdue's campus. Getting this

position has brought a sense of accomplishment and pride and

it reminded me that all of those hours spent studying and writing

papers and working on countless projects, all while handling a

management position in a café as well as this internship, was all

leading to something bigger - my life after college.

I think that that is easy to forget sometimes. We get so absorbed

in what is going on right now and how stressed out we are. I hadn't

ven realized that I had forgotten what I was working toward until

I got that email and it made me remember. I work my butt off for

this. And its worth it.

And you will have that moment too. We all will. That's why we're here.

So when it gets really hard to keep working on that third essay in two

weeks, remember why you are doing it. Its all for a greater goal. It

may not feel that way now, but this work has a purpose. Let that be

your motivation to keep working harder and keep going, to learn

and grow to become the best candidate that will sit down in front

of that hiring manager's desk.

How to Handle the Worst Semester Ever

Written by Sarah Angley

Everyone has had that semester where "syllabus week" is not syllabus week. It's going over the syllabus; then hitting the ground running on day one with lecture material. Where you know, after only one lecture, that this class may just kill you. Where you think to yourself, "what was I thinking when I made my schedule?" We've all had this happen at least once. If you haven't, pray you never will. 

But that class doesn’t have to kill you, you can handle a heavy course load and still have a social life. The stress will not ruin your life if you know how to handle it.

So how do you handle it? For me, this is my semester that could kill me. But after talking with friends and handling other difficult semesters, I've found ways to keep organized that will make this semester manageable. 

Plan ahead - you should know when your assignments are do and properly plan out your time so you can complete them before it becomes time to cram

Make to do lists - don’t let yourself forget about things that you have to do; also, it feels great to check things off of a tangible list

Focus - work on one thing at a time so that you work is focused and worth your time

Give yourself free time - we all need time to relax and de-stress. Don't let yourself get to the point where you are burnt out and can't function

Don’t let yourself fall behind - once it starts going downhill it will be hard to stop. If you feel yourself falling behind, ask for help, go to office hours, get a tutor or find a better way to study, or keep track of assignments

Study Abroad as a Professional Advantage

Written by Sarah Angley

The professional world today is very global. Many companies have locations overseas or partners around the world. Because of this, there is an ever-growing desire from employers for people who speak multiple languages and who have been abroad. This means that study abroad gives you a great topic to talk to about when you go in for an interview.

Since going abroad to Greece my freshman year, I have not been to an interview where I have not been asked about my study abroad experiences. Personally, I have participated in several study abroad trips and so I have had a wide variety of experiences to recount. But even if you’ve only studied abroad once, this still gives you so much to tell employers.

If you are taking classes within your major abroad, and you are applying for a job within this field, most likely the classes that you took will be relevant to the job you are applying to. This means that you can talk about them with your interviewer. Interviewers love hearing about study abroad and they love when it applies to the position that you are a candidate for. This will make you stand out from other applicants and give you unique experiences to talk about when asked about your time at college.


Going abroad shows employers that you are a responsible young adult who can adapt to change and new environments, and who has had exposure to the world outside their dorm room. Living abroad is not easy. You are away from family and friends, sometimes for months at a time. You are in a place you are not familiar with, with social rules and structure you do not know. Being able to handle this while taking classes or an internship shows that you are someone who can handle new and stressful situations.

So remember this when you go in for interviews. You have something that employers want - so use that to your advantage. Cater your study abroad stories around experiences that show that you got something out of your trip that you can offer them. Focus on things their company looks for, and find those things in your experiences.

Why You Should Study Abroad for Your Major

Written by Sarah Angley

One of the goals when coming to college is not only to finish, but to finish on time. One of the main issues with obtaining this goal is that many people find themselves changing majors. But even if you've changed your major three times, its still possible to graduate on schedule. There are many ways you can make this happen, whether you have changed your major or not. You can take summer classes or extra classes in a semester. You can take classes in a community college or online while taking classes at your regular university. Or you can study abroad.  

There are many study abroad programs at Purdue that are major specific, at least for the most part. For many other programs, especially the exchange programs, you have a fairly wide variety of classes to choose from. This means that if you plan ahead, you can get your major classes done while studying abroad, which will put you on schedule or even ahead in terms of your graduation deadline.  

I have participated in three study abroad programs in two years. One was for my minor, one was an elective, and the last was for my major. While in Siena, Italy this past summer, I took two communication classes that are required for my major. After completing these classes, along with one class each in Spain and Greece last year, I have taken a total of one semester's worth of credits abroad. This means I am on track to graduate one semester early. 

The myth that studying abroad will put you behind for graduation is exactly that - a myth. If you plan your programs ahead of time and work them in to your plan of study, you can use your time abroad to stay on track, or even to get ahead.  

Taking classes for your major is convenient, because you already know what classes you have to take and so it's easier to narrow down your program search. It's also beneficial because it is moving you forward both academically and personally. It is an amazing opportunity to study something you love in a beautiful location around the world, meet amazing people who are passionate about the same things you are, and have a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

Why You Should Study Abroad for Your Minor

Written by Sarah Angley

 People always say you minor in what you love and you major in what you're good at. For me, this is somewhat true. I do love my major, Public Relations and Strategic Communication, and I am excited for a career in this field. I do also love my minor, Classical Studies. I am involved in this minor only because I love the classes, but I have never considered a career in this field.

When I heard about a study abroad trip to Greece through Classical Studies, I absolutely had to go. Greece was my top choice for European countries to visit, because I love the culture and history, and of course it looks beautiful. The trip would be a week long, over spring break, and we would be traveling the entire time. I immediately signed up. 

While in Greece, I earned three credits which count toward my minor, my liberal arts core curriculum, and my university core curriculum. We traveled to seven different cities in six days and visited quite a few ancient archaeological sites. The entire trip consisted of visiting these sites with a professor, who gave us a tour of the site and told us the history and back story. It was fascinating to be able to see in person the ancient places I had been learning about in my classes.   

 

So why should you study abroad for your minor? As I previously stated, usually your minor is something that you are truly passionate about. A lot of times you chose to take a minor because you enjoy it and you enjoy the classes. Study abroad should be an enjoyable experience. For me, being able to travel and learn about something that I was so genuinely interested in made the experience that much better.  

There was also less stress to do well in the class and on the assignments, because not passing wasn’t going to cause me to fall behind in my major or prevent me from graduating. I didn’t have any trouble doing well on the assignments, however, because they were assignments that I was interested in completing. The experience allowed me to get ahead in my studies, while also offering the opportunity of a lifetime.   

Why You Should Study Abroad As An Ellective

Written by Sarah Angley

It seems that more and more people are going abroad. But it seems that they are going abroad for shorter periods of time. I know many people who have gone abroad for summer or spring break programs, but only a few who have gone abroad for a full semester. It is my understanding that both program lengths have their advantages, but all three of my study abroad experiences have been for shorter amounts of time, which offers unique opportunities.

As an undergrad, you will more than likely have to take at least a few elective credits. Unless you came to college with AP or duel enrollment credits, or if you have a double major or a major and double minor, you will need electives in order to meet the number of credits required by the college to graduate. For a lot of people, they take Wine Tasting or Flower Arranging, classes that are fun and maybe easy. For others they take courses that they are interested in that could benefit them in their future job. Either way is fine, and that's the beauty of elective credits - you can do anything with them.

When I went to Spain for three weeks I got three elective credits. The class was on Global Leadership and had a service learning component, where we went into the local community of Valencia, Spain and volunteered. Because this class was for elective credits, there was less stress that came with it. Of course I wanted to pass, because the grade would show up on my transcript, but it was an easier class than my major classes, and it was a more relaxed and fun learning environment. This allowed me to relax and travel, while still learning and giving back to the community I was living in.

Whether you study abroad for a month or six months, you can find opportunities to take elective credits abroad if you want to. If it's a shorter program, as mine was in Spain, then these may be the only credits you take while there. If it's a longer program, you may be able to take an elective alongside your other classes. Either way, taking those elective credits offers you a chance to take a class you enjoy, without quite so much pressure. These classes also give you a great topic for future interviews with employers.

At every interview I have been to since returning from Spain, my study abroad experience there has come up. I am always asked what the program was like and what I did there. Being able to talk about the volunteer opportunities we engaged in while abroad has been a great topic of conversation. Elective credits don’t have to be wasted on pointless classes. If you take them abroad, even if the class wasn’t a big deal, you still have something to talk about when you come back. These credits can be used to your advantage, and you can enjoy your time earning them.

To Travel is to Live

Written by Sarah Angley 

 

In the past two years I have studied abroad three separate times. Upon entering college one of my main goals was to see the world. And so of course when my mother got that first phone call in which I told her I had gone to a Study Abroad Fair, and had found a program I was going to do, she wasn't surprised. I don’t think, however, that she thought she'd be getting that same call two more times.   

My first trip was to Greece over spring break of my freshman year. There is a stigma around study abroad, where everyone believes that you can't go as a freshman. For many programs that is true but it's certainly not impossible. In fact, only two short months after I returned home from Greece, and only two days after the spring semester ended, I was on a plane headed for Valencia, Spain, where I would live with a local family for three weeks. This past summer I spent a month in Siena, Italy in the dorms at the University of Siena.  

Each of these programs was extremely different, with different groups of people and different purposes. Greece gave me three credits towards my minor, Classical Studies. Spain offered a leadership course and a service learning project in Valencia. I only got elective credits for going, but it has been a great talking point at every interview since. Italy allowed me to take two important classes for my major, and nearly assures that I will graduate a semester early.  

These adventures were an amazing experience for so many reasons. It has helped me to grow personally, as well as professionally. I now understand so much more about the other cultures in which I lived for a time, and I have also seen what it is like to be in a place where your language is not the default, and where you have to struggle at times to communicate simple ideas or statements.

My experiences abroad have come up at every single interview I have had since that first trip to Greece. Employers are interested in my experiences and the knowledge I gained from them, both in class and out while I traveled. Study abroad gives the students who participate unique experiences and that is desirable to their potential employers.  

I have loved each study abroad experience I have had. I love talking about it and sharing my experiences. I am so grateful for the opportunities that I have had these past two years and the way that it has changed me for the better.  

My only issue now is where do I go next…