#august 2 2012

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Ben Howard at TMN Sudoeste 02.08.12  

Photos by Festivais de Verão

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Facing Transitions: Advice from APIASF Staff

By Katie Tran-Lam, APIASF Staff

Whether it is the anxiety felt when arriving to class on the first day of freshman year or the questions that come as you begin to wonder what to do after graduation, our APIASF staff members have faced many of the challenges that come with big life transitions. To wrap up this month’s theme, we thought it would be fun to share the things we learned that made some of those transitions a little easier and hopefully help you get to know our staff a little better as well. We are wishing a great school year to all of our Scholars and all the students heading back to class!

Elena Anderson Role at APIASF: Vice President, Finance and Operations College or University: University at my hometown in Russia Major: Business Administration Advice to Students: You have to be flexible, adaptable and able to learn new things. Also – it’s important to be able to connect with people.

Devita Bishundat Role at APIASF: Director, APIASF Scholarship Program College or University: Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland Major: International & Intercultural Studies with a Concentration in International Relations and a Minor in Spanish Advice to Students: My best advice to those in college is to form strong relationships with at least two professors during your college career and keep in touch with them every so often. This will make it easier for you in the future if you decide to go to graduate school because you will most likely have to have one letter of recommendation from a professor.

Katrina Chambers Role at APIASF: Director of Development College or University: George Washington University in Washington, DC Major: International Affairs – Middle East Regional Concentration Advice to Students: Take the time to develop relationships with your professors. You never know when you’ll need a job or graduate school recommendation in the future.

Prema Chaudhari Role at APIASF: Director, Programs and Scholar Relations College or University: University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania (undergraduate and graduate studies) Major: Ph.D. Candidate in Applied Developmental Psychology, M.S. in Applied Developmental Psychology and B.S. in Psychology & Certificate in Conceptual Foundations of Medicine Advice to Students: The piece of advice that resonated with me in college was to make time for yourself and the things you love to do – it’s good for your soul!

Sarah Ha Role at APIASF: Director, Programs and Student Affairs College or University: University of California, Los Angeles (graduate studies) and Boston College (undergraduate studies) Major: M.Ed. in Student Affairs and B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Faith, Peace & Justice Advice to Students: Whether you are entering college or starting your career, striving for and maintaining a healthy and balanced life is challenging but important. Make sure to prioritize some “me” time to de-stress. This will serve to be helpful in getting re-focused on taking the steps to reach your goals.

Neil Horikoshi Role at APIASF: President & Executive Director College or University: University of Hawaii (undergraduate studies) and University of Southern California (graduate studies and law school) Majors: BBA, Management, MBA and JD, Law Advice to Students: Gather a portfolio of portable and marketable skills.

Joo Young Lee Role at APIASF: Director, Gates Millennium Scholars Program College or University: University of California, San Diego Major: Political Science Advice to Students: If you are seeking employment after graduation, utilize established networks on your campus. Go visit with the alumni relations office and get connected to other alumni who are in the same field as you or talk with your professors about potential contacts. Also, don’t forget to use the career services center. There will be opportunities to receive guidance and support on building your resume and job interview techniques.

Phong Luu Role at APIASF: Program Specialist, Outreach & Community Relations College/University: University of Wisconsin-Madison Major: Economics and International Studies Advice to Students: I encourage incoming freshman to be willing to try new things and explore new places; it’s a great way to learn about the institution and everything it offers, an opportunity to meet a lot of new people, and students will learn a lot about themselves by doing so.

Boosaba Pananon Role at APIASF: Assistant Director of Development College or University: University of Maryland, College Park Major: Sociocultural Anthropology Advice to Students: In your last year of college, be sure to get started on the job hunt early! Take advantage of your school’s career fairs, but also remember to attend networking events, speak with your professors or advisors about any professional contacts they may have in the field of your interest, and practice your 2-minute elevator speech because you never know who you might meet that can help connect you to your first job out of school. I would recommend starting to look for career opportunities in your fall semester so that you know for sure that you’ll have something to jump into as soon as you graduate in the spring.

April D. Rongero Role at APIASF: Program Coordinator, Gates Millennium Scholars College or University: Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland Major: East Asian Studies Advice to Students: Chances are, college won’t be like anything you ever imagined, and neither will your first job. This isn’t a bad thing. Be open to the unexpected, and enjoy the adventure!

Katie Tran-Lam Role at APIASF: Director of Communications & Marketing College or University: Otterbein College (now Otterbein University) in Westerville, Ohio Major: Public Relations and Organizational Communication with a minor in Speech Communications Advice to Students: One of the best things that I did for myself in college was to seek out leadership roles in campus organizations. Getting involved in campus organizations early on during my freshman year helped me connect with upperclassmen, build friendships, find my place on campus and made it easy to step into leadership roles even as a sophomore. This gave me several great experiences that I could speak to when I was applying for my first internship and ultimately many skills that I have taken with me throughout my career.

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Though the transition from high school to freshman year in college comes with a handful of major changes, the future years of college are not without their own challenges or new opportunities. The link above shares tips on not only how to adapt to and survive college life, but also how to move forward and make the most of your opportunity to develop personally and professionally.

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The link above provides a list of very practical tips to help you prepare for and adapt to the overall college lifestyle. As discussed in our prompts and shared by our contributing Scholars, going to college involves more than facing changes in academic standards, structure, and material: it also involves entering a more independent lifestyle that demands management of things outside of class such as money, relationships, and health.

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Transitioning to College: Commuter Style

By Christina Bui, 2012 OCA Intern for APIASF

I'm not going to lie: commuting can be a pain, especially if you need to get to class during rush hour. It's an aspect of my college experience that I still have mixed feelings about and struggle with.

When I first started college two years ago, I didn't know what to expect. I was still in awe of how fast time flies by—I had just graduated high school and my childhood was officially over—and in fact, I didn't want to believe it. I was going to a school not of my own choosing where I knew virtually no one. My friends—the ones I had known for at least three years—and I were all attending different colleges. It also didn't help that I have always been a quiet, introverted student and I'd be attending a mostly non-commuter school. At that point in my life, I dreaded change and didn't want to break out of my shell. Because of this, I had my family plan a trip specifically during freshman orientation week and missed out on other university-sponsored activities.

Naturally, I was nervous about what was to come. I told myself that I was just there to learn so I shouldn't worry about it too much.

As for on-campus activities, I did not do much during my first semester, since I was in the process of learning how to drive. (I was a late learner!) If I had gotten involved back then, I know I would've felt a lot more confident and comfortable being a commuter.

Commuting has its perks; I was able to spend more time with my family, not have to pay $14,000 per year for housing and dining plans or have to take out loans (this was a big factor in my decision), eat home-cooked meals, do laundry for free at home, drive my own car (once I received my license), have privacy, and attend events in areas outside of D.C. A lot of my friends would tell me that I'm lucky to be living at home precisely because I would be saving a lot of money.

The tradeoffs, however, also had a big impact on my life. For example, my concerned parents would often freak out if I stay out past 10 p.m., which limited my social life and my knowledge of the D.C. night life. My circle of friends was relatively small; I didn't get many chances to converse with peers in other classes. I also couldn't stay up until 5 a.m. and wake up in time for a 10 a.m. class because I lived 35 minutes away from school and wanted to get to school before rush hour. But because of these downsides, I learned to adapt. I had a set sleep schedule that I would have to stick to, which helped me as I have to wake up early for this internship, and I made friends outside of school.

In terms of advice on transitioning commuters, I would still echo my previous advice post. Commuting can be positive or negative, depending on your perspective and how you make the most of your experience. I'm still learning as I go along—after all, I still have two years left. I was able to meet new people and become a little bit less introverted as semesters flew by. It's important to know that despite what people may say, dorming and commuting are only small aspects of one's overall college experience and should not limit one from participating in other aspects.

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