10 Things I Wish I Knew as a College Freshman

I can not believe that I started college 6 years ago.  That is crazy to me!  As I look back on my college years there are a lot of things that I would like to tell myself from the beginning:

Casual Campus OOTD

 As you know from this post, I graduated!! The day before graduation I went around campus with my boo for one last time.  And naturally I had to take some #ootd pictures during our final tour ;)

I wore what is now one of my favorite Aqua (from Bloomingdales) dresses.  It is so light and perfect for summer!  It's the perfect fit up top and just the right amount of flowy on the bottom.  The waistline is a lace cutout for a super feminine touch.

My sunglasses, while a little crooked, were just $2!  Totally worth it for some simple gold aviators - they go with everything.

The picture below is right outside one of our favorite study spots - not too sad about leaving that spot!

These steps lead into my major's building, I'll kind of miss that building, but when I go back in the future I'll definitely be visiting this area.

The main road through campus, I wonder how many times I walked/biked/road the bus up this hill?

If you're about to head to college, remember to enjoy every minute!  I took a picture like the one above each year I was there and I can't believe how fast the time has gone by.  College is the hardest thing you will do in your life so far (well maybe it will depend on your major, but I bet they're all pretty hard!  If you're doing engineering like me then you can trust me - it is hard!) but it is also a lot of fun.  Even those late nights in the library are some pretty good memories.  

Don't forget to Sparkle!

XO ~ Katie

College Wrap-Up

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Well you guys, its over.  I am officially done with college and that is insane!

I can't really believe it, like am I even old enough to be a college graduate? Sadly yes, but that is besides the point - there is just no way five years have gone by that fast!  One thing for I know for sure though is that I could not have made it through without this guy!

Things I'll miss: daytime naps, sleeping in, spring break, summer break, Christmas break

Things I won't miss: studying, tests, homework, and most of all - group projects!  Who's with me on that last one?  If you're not then you are one of two people, either 1) you have never worked in a group or 2) you are that group member who does nothing and still gets an A thanks to me ;)

Somehow I still don't think it has sunk in that I'm not going back after the summer, I am starting a full time job, not just another internship, I'll see the other interns come and go and I will stay.  Maybe then it will hit me.  I'm not really sure.

It's the end of a major chapter in my life but the start of the most exciting one!  I'm starting my full time job soon, getting married at the end of the year, maybe that's why I'm not at all sad college is over - because the future is just too exciting!

Are you graduating high school or college this year?  How do you feel about it?  Has it hit you yet?

Oh yeah, one more thing I'm excited for: more time for blogging and Etsy!  With no homework or studying hanging over my head all my free time is going to this.  So get ready because it's gonna be awesome :D

College Tips: Living On Campus

Check out the other posts in the college tip series:

How to Get an Internship

How to Survive College

One of the biggest decisions after you decide where to go to college is where to live once you are there!  Some schools require freshmen to live on campus, so that makes it pretty easy!  Others give you the option.  Whatever the case may be for you, if you're living on campus then keep reading!

Kate Spade Bedding

I feel like a campus living expert seeing as I have lived on campus for 5 YEARS!  I have lived in 4 different types of dorm rooms so I will give you a little insight into each one.

2-room suite: my first summer in college I got to live in one of the newest dorms on campus, sadly that was the shortest semester of college :/  This 2-room suite had 4 girls living in it.  There were 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom.  The interesting thing was that the sinks were in the bedrooms, so the bathroom was just a toilet and shower.  Turns out that is a pretty smart design so that you can brush you teeth or wash your face even when someone else is using the restroom!

Classic double room:  my freshman year was the classic college dorm experience.  A room that I shared with a roommate (a friend from high school!) and the bathroom down the hall.  Yep, about 30 girls shared a bathroom.  dun dun DUN!  Everyone's worst nightmare!  It actually wasn't bad at all and we surprisingly never had to wait for the bathroom or showers, plus it got cleaned every single day!

2-room suite again:  similar to the first one I mentioned but the sinks were in the bathroom this time.  It still worked out because the toilet had its own door, although I don't think any of us girls went in when someone else was in there.

Single room suite:  this is the room I have been in for the past 3 years!  So it must not be so bad!  I have my own room, it is small, but big enough for just little ole me :) My room is attached to a bathroom that I share with 1 other girl.  Sorry in advance for the crappy panoramic... it's the only picture I have of my room and I wanted ya'll to be able to see it.  No my dorm room is not Pinterest worthy, but it is real and contains everything I need and if anyone living full time in ~100 square feet wants to show me a less cluttered room, please be my guest :)

Not pictured is the door/closet area which is where I am standing to take the picture.

So now that you have an idea of the different types of rooms (there are more styles but these are just what I have experienced) let me give you a few tips.

Tip 1. Pack Lightly.  Somehow no matter how little I try to move in with I am always cramming things into any available box, bag, or container I can find when I move out!  I tend to spend my study breaks at the mall so maybe that has something to do with it...

Tip 2.  Bring touches of home.  A rug, pretty lamp, and curtain can turn a cinderblock room into something actually cozy!  Oh and lots and lots of pillows!  Trust me your back will thank you when you end up studying in bed all day.  If you are living where you will have a private bathroom then bring rugs and a shower curtain to make the bathroom home-y too.

Tip 3.  Bathroom necessities.  This one is for those of you who will be going down the hall to shower and such.  Get a shower caddy, it will hold everything you need!  From your shampoo to your toothbrush.  You'll also need a good bathrobe - hello walking down the hall - and shower shoes.  You will need those for the hallway AND when you're in the shower!  You don't know what other people are doing in there - ha!  But really, wear your flip flops in there.  Don't forget your towel!

Tip 4.  Ikea is your friend.  You're living in a tiny space so you need to make your stuff as tiny as possible.  Ikea has so many great storage solutions you can tuck under your bed, next to your desk, and in your closet.  Speaking of closets...

Tip 5.  Multitask!  Closets are SMALL.  It is seriously sad but true.  Bring clothes that can serve multiple purposes.  Jeans, plain tees, tanks and dresses, versatile shoes.  Then load up on smaller items like jewelry and other accessories to make your outfits unique.

What about FOOD?  The most important thing!!  All of the dorms I have lived in have a kitchen in the hallway for everyone to use, first come first serve.  However for 4 of my 5 years I had the meal plan, which sounds gross when you think of typical cafeteria style food.  But my school's meal plan allowed you to use it at pretty much every place on campus like Chick fil a, Pollo Tropical, Einstein's, STARBUCKS, and more!  I would highly recommend getting the meal plan if you live on campus, at least at first.  Then you have one less thing to worry about when you're getting used to being busy with classes and being on your own for the first time.  Plus no need to take up precious dorm space with pots and pans ;)

Oh man another long one!  Hope you guys found this helpful, let me know if you have any questions!

          

Click on the pictures above for tutorials!

Click here for a super simple college packing list!

How to get an Internship in College

Welcome back to my college tips series!  Check out my first post here (and my third one here).  A lot of you asked me to talk about internships so I decided to dedicate an entire post to them!

How did I get my first internship?  Every semester my school has a career fair where tons and tons of companies come and are looking to hire!  I went every single semester.  

Picture Source

Tip 1. Put yourself out there.  I was shaking in my boots as a little freshman going to talk to these big companies with my resume full of high school accomplishments.  Every single recruiter told me I need to put college things on my resume.  They didn't seem to care that I was a freshman and didn't have a thing to put down from college yet!  But I kept going out of my comfort zone and learned to talk to recruiters more easily.  Eventually I found a company who likes to bring in younger people as interns so they can mold them a certain way.  And thus my first internship!

You should do your research to find companies that are looking for interns with your skill set.  Also make sure that they are a good fit for you, and seem like a job you would like - you want to enjoy your work as much a possible!

During my internship I took a class online so I wouldn't fall completely behind at school.  After my internship was over I knew that was what I wanted to do as a career.  I really enjoyed working and I learned so much from my internship.  The things I learned in class were obviously important but the things I learned from my internship - from technical skills to soft skills - were so so valuable.

I did another full year of school before my next internship, the company had asked me to return after my first internship.  The next few tips are from things I learned at work.

Tip 2.  Network.  Everyone and their mother will tell you that this is important to do and I am agreeing with them!  It can be scary at times to set up a meeting with someone you don't really know (or know at all) but just remember everyone started out just like you!  Everyone I ever met with was happy to chat with me and I really enjoyed hearing about their experiences.  Plus it makes doing your work that much easier because you have more contacts to help you when you need it - and you will need it!

Tip 3.  Don't think of yourself as an intern.  Well, first get a feel for your company culture before following this advice.  But if you are being assigned projects that would otherwise be assigned to a full time employee then you should be good to try this.  Don't think of yourself as an intern, think of yourself as a full time employee and your work will improve.  People will respect you more if you are taking your work as seriously as they are.

Tip 4.  Know your stuff.  This can apply for school projects too!  Anytime I had to present my work I was nervous, but when I knew every single little tiny detail about what I was talking about I had so much more confidence.  I knew I would be able to answer any question asked of me.  Make sure you know everything from the background of your project, to how you found your results and how you calculated any numbers.

After my second internship I did another full year (fall and spring) and then back for my third and final internship.  At this point I had taken tons of classes for my major and finally felt like I really knew what I was doing!  I also felt more comfortable at work because I knew more people after doing two prior internships.  I knew that this would be my last internship because I only had one more year left before graduation.  I already knew I wanted to work for the company full time so I made it my mission during my last internship to make that goal a reality. 

Tip 5. Figure out what you want and don't stop until you get there.  I was lucky enough to figure out exactly what I wanted during my sophomore year of college.  And I never stopped working towards that goal after I set it.  I knew I would have to keep my grades up - way up, take on leadership roles, and keep networking.  Plus I still wanted to have a little fun :)

I followed Tip 3 like no body's business.  I tried to only ask for help when I really needed it and reached out to so many people so I would be remembered.  At the end of the summer I did an interview with the company but knew I would have to wait a while before knowing if I got the job or not.  

Tip 6.  Don't Lie.  Ever.  This may seem obvious, and it is, but for some reason when people are at work or a part of a project team little white lies seem to flow out all the time!  Things like, "oh yeah I'm almost done with that", or "yes we double checked that number" when neither is true.  One thing I think helped me stand out at work is my absolute, 100% honesty policy.  If someone asks you a question that you don't know the answer to, let them know you don't know but will find out and get back to them.  NEVER just make something up just so you can give them an answer.  If you're asked a question you know the person will not like the answer to, still be honest!  The truth has a way of coming out and trust me it is easier to tell it now rather than later after you have already given a different answer.  This can apply throughout life, not just at work.  Sorry for a bit of a rant but that is one of my pet peeves!

I will do a college blog post to cover my senior year and full-time job search and figuring out "the real world" soon!

Don't forget to ask me questions in the comments to be answered in a future post!

My College Experience + Tips

Check out the other posts in the college tip series:
How to Get an Internship
Living On Campus 

As the end of my (super) senior year is fast approaching I wanted to write a post about my college experience as well as provide a few tips and tricks for surviving!  I realized this will be a crazy long post if I include everything so I have decided to split it up into several posts.  This one will cover my time at college, on campus, in class.  Here we go!

If you aren't in college yet you may wonder what I meant by 'super' senior - it means I am in my 5th year of college!  Yes, I am ready to be done!  My degree program is a 10 semester program and I took a semester off to do an internship.  So with the AP and dual enrollment credits I came in with it all ended up working back out to 10 semesters, or 5 years. 

I started college in 2010 as a computer science and engineering major.  At first most of your classes are general education, or classes that you have to take no matter your major.  After my second semester I decided computer engineering just wasn't for me.  I decided to change my major - something I never thought I would do!  Which brings me to my first tip:

Tip 1. Don't be afraid to change your plan.  If you're like me then you have had your whole life planned out since you were 10.  Well, college is kind of a weird place - its not the real world yet but it kind of is, and in the real world things don't go as you planned all the time so of course college is there to help get you used to that.

After a lot of research I decided to switch to Industrial Engineering, something I had never heard of before.  But I liked that it seemed to be a mix of business and engineering with a lot of human interaction (unlike computer programming).  That same year (sophomore year) I got my first internship!  I was really excited to get an internship so early in my college career and also that my boyfriend (now fiance) got the same internship!  Let me know in the comments if you would like me to do some posts on relationships too.  Now look back at the first tip - again I never thought I would take a semester off of school to work!  Maybe I was just clueless, but at the time I didn't know that was something people did!  A future post will go into more detail about internships.

Let's back track a little so I can talk about the fun part of college - getting involved!  I joined a professional fraternity (it is called a fraternity but it is for boys and girls).  This was an amazing way to meet a bunch of other engineers!  I also participated in events with SWE - society of women engineers.

Tip 2. Find your niche.  There are tons of cool clubs in college but I recommend getting involved in something specific to your major.  That way you'll recognize people in your classes and have study buddies and people who can relate to your struggles!

During my sophomore year I wanted to get even more involved (how did I find the time back then??) and I had always loved to dance.  I took dance classes every year starting in pre-school so I was missing that from my life!  I found out about one company and decided to try out.  That was a MAJOR fail!  The other girls there were like professional dancers or something, I just danced for fun and never really took ballet so that was kind of embarassing...

Tip 3.  Put yourself out there.  The great thing about going to a big school (mine has over 50,000 students) is that you are unlikely to see people again, unless you are making an effort to see them.  So if you make a fool of yourself at a dance tryout or trip and fall off the bus, don't fret!  You will probably never see those people again so why not throw yourself out there and try as many things as you can.  You'll never have the chance again.

Anyways eventually I found another dance team that accepted dancers of all levels!  This was a way I met a bunch of great girls, most of whom were NOT engineers.  So practice each week became a great escape for me and a chance for girl talk!

I continued to stay involved with these organizations and attend events with others.  I found out about a mentor program during my senior year and got involved with that.  I mentored a high school student for a year which was a very rewarding experience.  I also was inducted into an engineering honor society where I am now the treasurer.

Tip 4.  Stand out.  The mentor program I joined was mostly filled with education majors who were required to do it for class.  I did it because I am passionate about helping others and sought it out on my own.  This was something that was brought up in interviews and made my resume stand out against others.  Same thing for holding a leadership position.  The key to having a stellar resume is filling it with things no one else does.

This post is somehow still super long!  I guess 5 years of college has filled me up with a lot to say!  I hope you enjoy this post and keep an eye out for more!  Feel free to ask any questions below and I will try to answer them in my next few posts!