My Moment of Truth

So yesterday I was working at Tulane's School of Medicine, where I'm in my second year of research in the Urology Department.

For those of you interested, my project involves discovering mechanisms behind the spread of prostate cancer to the bones, at which point it is pretty much incurable. My work involves examining molecular mechanisms at play and the cross talk between various parts of the cell signaling pathways.

But anyways, I was waiting for Tulane's Uptown-Downtown Shuttle which they conveniently provide for student who take classes or work somewhere downtown- either at the med school or at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. It was around noon and I had just finished my experiments for the day and was headed back to Tulane's Uptown Campus just in time for my Morbidity and Mortality service learning seminar at 1 pm.

As I stood there waiting in my Tulane hoodie and sweatpants, I noticed that there was free food being set up in the lobby. And suddenly as if they had all smelled it all at once, medical students dressed either exactly the same as me or in scrubs POURED out of the lecture halls and ran towards the food. I moved quickly to get out of the rush and noticed quite a few people that I had gone to college with the previous year.

And then it just suddenly hit me . . . this is going to be ME next year. I have been applying for medical schools all over Texas and the US and somehow that revelation eluded me until I saw students at Tulane that I knew last year and students I didn't know dressed just like me. In just 9 short months I would be one of them, still wearing my Tulane hoodie, still standing in the atrium around noon. If not at Tulane, at some other school this scene was bound to repeat itself. Except this time I'd be just like them, rushing out of the lecture hall to grab some food before having to go back in instead of leisurely waiting for the shuttle to get to my service learning. Suddenly I was totally unsure if I was ready to be a medical student just like all the others.

But then something I had heard the previous week at that very class, my Morbidity and Mortality, stuck out to me. These guys, though seemingly all the same, rushing to get the food before all heading to the same class, were still Tulane students and about as diverse as it gets. One of the admissions directors at Tulane School of Medicine had told our M&M class that "We accept you for who you are and we want you to stay that person." No other sentiment bridges my experiences as an undergraduate and what I'm looking for in a medical school better.

Tulane is one of those unique schools that has a lot of graduate and doctorate programs associated with its undergraduate curriculum. Because of going to Tulane, I, unlike most of my college friends at state schools, get a glimpse into my future that not many students get. And while it is a scary thought, I can't thank Tulane and my undergraduate education enough for preparing me for what lies ahead. I know that while I'm going to take the same classes and study the same notes, I'll always find ways to do what interests with me, whether it's more research, working at a free clinic, learning about international opportunites, or exploring new interests.


So for you incoming freshmen, I'll tell you the same thing that I heard in my service learning class. Tulane accepts you for who you are and wants to you to be that person. You're going to get a myriad of opportunities as an undergraduate here to build who you are and more importantly who you want to be. And some day, you're going to find yourself waiting for a bus and have a moment of insight unlike so many of your peers who will only see what lies ahead after starting med school, law school, or grad school. As a prepared Tulanian, you're going to see your future staring you in the face and I promise, you won't back down.

Only at Tulane . . .

My moment made me engage in self-reflection, a theme loosely expressed in some of my favorite songs right now so I thought I'd add some Youtube videos instead of pictures this time around:

Let it Rock by Kevin Rudolf: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh3gGQfyVyw

New Soul by Yael Naim:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xey7ffMSqNs&feature=related

La Lettre by Renan Luce: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWooP8cFSA4

Barso Re from the Hindi movie Guru: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CAP5NipyH8

Gustav, Katrina, and all the other letters of the alphabet

Hi Tulane community!

I write this blog to you from my hometown of Friendswood, Texas, where I evacuated for Hurricane Gustav literally three years and three days after evacuating for Hurricane Katrina. This time around, the seniors, first year graduate students, and others who had been down the Katrina road did things a LOT differently. But thankfully, this time around was NOT like Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans proved itself once again and survived through Gustav's mighty wrath. The biggest question on everyone's mind was if the levees would hold and to some peoples' surprise . . . they did. It takes a lot more to take down the Big Easy than Gustav's winds and rain, apparently.

It seems right now like New Orleans is a hotspot for hurricane activity. With Hurricane Gustav gone and Ike and Josephine churning away in the Atlantic, all eyes have turned to New Orleans and the still battered Gulf Coast to see what will happen. But I have news for all of you who have heard that hurricanes hit New Orleans . . . historically, it happens less than once every ten years and after Gustav, it looks like New Orleans can take a lot more than most people expect.

Here I am reading for my class African Literature

After Gustav hit, the rest of the week was returning power and MUCH needed A/C to our campus and getting operations running as usual. We are all returning this weekend and our classes are resuming on Monday. Most of our professors have emailed us to tell us what to do about a couple of days' missed material. To say that Tulane is prepared is an understatement.

That being said, I enjoyed my little vacation. I had returned from India to Russia to San Antonio to Houston to New Orleans all within about a week between August 6th and August 14th- 10,000 miles in less than 10 days! RA training this year was a lot tougher than last year with new bosses and new policies to maintain and enforce so I didn't get the break I was expecting. This week off was partially spent just catching up in sleep and finally sleeping a whole night through.

Other than that, my very good friend and co-RA Caroline came with me to Houston. She's from Connecticut and decided to come hang out in Houston for a week, starting with her 21st birthday on Sunday. Below are the pictures from our week, which was relaxing after we discovered the little damage Gustav had done.

Crawfest 2008

Jonah Goldberg once said, "Cultures grow on the vine of tradition." His statements apply to the cultures of many different groups of people all over the world. Even college campuses have their own heritage, defined by their traditions. My twin sister goes to A&M and this is a campus that thrives on their school spirit laden with customs such as ring-dunking, making the gig-em sign, and hating Longhorns!

Here at Tulane, we also have great traditions and I am proud of the fact that I have seen many new traditions define this campus's culture post-Katrina. For example, one relatively new and now HUGE part of Tulane's spring semester is the planning and execution of Crawfest.

Crawfest is a day-long music festival that occurs on the University Center Quad. The various student governments, the residence hall associations, and alumni all contribute thousands of dollars to make this event happen. There are bands from all over New Orleans and students are given a chance to enjoy local music literally a minute's walk from their dorm rooms.

This year's Crawfest featured bands like Trumpet Shortie and Papa Grows Funk. The music ranged from jazz to funk but all of it had the same southern New Orleans feel. People from all over the city come to see all these artists play on two stages spanning the UC Quad at Tulane.

And of course, there's also the crawfish. I recently read that 98% of crawfish harvested nationwide comes from New Orleans. It's a sweet treat here and spring is just the time to enjoy it. It also does get expensive though due to its demand everywhere else and students at Crawfest get to enjoy 2 lbs of crawfish and free drinks all day long.

It all started with just one idea last year from one student . . . and now it is an $84,000 enterprise that draws visitors from all over the city. The message from this? Come to Tulane to start traditions of your own . . it's just that easy in the Big Easy!

This is Daniel Haber . . . the idea was his and he is now a key player in the tradition of Crawfest

Tibet Week 2008

Last week I was going about my usual routine. I had just gotten out of Cell Biology 301 and I was walking to the University Center to grab a quick bite.

I got in line at Quizno's subs and waited for my turn to get my favorite sandwich (the chicken carbonara). And then I realized who was in line with me . . . two genuine Tibetan monks. When it became obvious I was staring, they just smiled pleasantly. I guess they were used to that by now.

These guys came from Tibet and they were living in the US to rally efforts to free their country. Tulane's newest organization, stemmed from the students of the School of Social Work, is in support of their cause and hence, Tibet Week was born.

There were monks there selling beautiful jewellry and religious instruments. They had incense holders, bells, and many other items you would see in a typical Buddhist temple. They even took Mastercard and Visa-- clearly these guys had learned to live as Americans!

Check out the pretty ring that Becky is wearing-- she visited the jewellry table with me.There was another table as well and there were some monks working on a very intricate sand mandala. For those of you that don't know what a mandala is, it's a detailed picture that is made of sand- Lisa Frank Sand Art on a grand scale, essentially. The sand is poured painstakingly into a design that has been etched into a stone tabletop. The instruments they use are long tubes with holes for suction to keep the sand in. They then use little sticks to uncover the tiny holes and ridges and let out exactly the right amount of sand. They were set up right in the middle of the smaller food court at the UC but their gorgeous mandala stopped many students in the hustle and bustle of their daily lives and they were drawn in by the delicate work. For many of us, this was one form of art we hadn't experienced before.

So here's another thing about Tulane. You never know when you'll be going about your regular day when suddenly a monk from Tibet will appear in line next to you!

Only at Tulane . . . .

Shadows of Diversity

I have to take a moment to write about Shadows of Diversity.

Shadows of Diversity is my sorority's annual event. Our sorority, Delta Xi Nu Multicultural Sorority, Inc., has a tradition of doing all kinds of interested and unique events in its chapters and colonies across the country. Our event is Shadows, which is a cultural show and dinner. We use it to promote various customs and arts of different cultures.

This particular year, we had martial arts, juggling, two Indian dances, a dance by the Newcomb Dance Company to "Wild Horses," and our own step show. Now for those of you who might not realize what "step" is, I encourage you to check out this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWDEuNSYwIA

This isn't our chapter, but it is Delta Xi Nu and we actually do use a few of these steps. Our sorority girls are known for our step skills, which for me and many other girls on the team here, is a totally new way of expressing ourselves through our dancing.

This year Shadows was last week and we had food donated from almost every major multicultural restaurant in town. We had Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, and Middle Eastern food, all donated to us. Our sisters also made some very unique desserts, including German Chocolate Cake and Mojito Cake.

It was a very successful night and honestly something very particular to Tulane. Only our chapter of the sorority puts on a show quite like this and we are the only group on campus that puts together a multicultural show at all. It takes almost a year of planning to happen but when it does, its worth it to see our audience's reaction to the acts and their enthusiasm about the various kinds of foods we have and what cultures they represent. Shadows expands horizons about heritages that we as students might not otherwise get to experience.

One more reason to come to Tulane. If multiculturalism is a big part of your life (regardless of your own ethnicity), then come check out Delta Xi Nu's Beta Chapter and our annual Shadows of Diversity. You won't regret it!

Wall Dedication

About two weeks ago I attended the dedication of Wall Residential College. It was a basic ribbon-cutting ceremony which explored the life of the woman whose generous endowment gave Tulane its newest (and some say nicest) residence hall. The only problem was . . . . I lived in Wall my freshman year which was two years ago so wasn't it a little late for a dedication ceremony?

But according Eric Couper, who was at that time my vice-president but today is the president and one of the most influential individuals in terms of Wall's progression from a residence hall into a the community it is today, "Better late than never." We all took a few moments aside from our busy schedules to commemorate the life of the woman who gave us this beautiful structure.

As Eric, Professor Dunn, and even Cynthia Cherrey, the Vice President of Student Affairs, give prolific speeches, many who were instrumental in the past of Wall as well as its future came out to see them. Housing and Residence Life staff as well as students came to celebrate Wall two years after its way of life began. But as Eric pointed out in his speech, this was as good a time as any to have this ceremony because Wall's future has barely begun. The students of this residence hall have really changed it from just the new hall everyone wanted to live in my freshman year to a place with traditions and customs of its own.

Personally, I was thrilled when I was recognized as Wall's first president by its current residents. It was great to see that I still had a place amongst Wall's leaders, even if I was the first and certainly the one who knew least what to expect.

The whole experience really taught me something about Tulane. The students here really know how to appreciate those who gave them the gifts they have now, whether it be endowments for residence halls, scholarships, or new equipment for the classrooms. And then when their turn comes, they give back to this amazing community.

So another reason to come to Tulane . . . . keep the cycle going. Be a part of a tradition you won't understand until it's a part of you.

Hail Motherland

It's Thursday and I've officially been at Tulane for three days since Spring Break. I wasn't quite ready for the break to be over, like many other students, but I am glad to be back. It's nice to get back into the swing of things with my residents, my extracurriculars, and my friends.

That being said, I do miss the motherland. It was a lot of fun hanging out in Russia last week, and I'm so thankful that I get the opportunity to travel as I do. But honestly, I don't think I'm the only Tulane student with these kinds of opportunities.

For example, this semester the med school and some undergraduates are going to Kenya to volunteer. A friend of mine is going to Mexico through a grant from Tulane to volunteer in rural villages. The School of Social Work offered a summer course actually in Tibet. These kinds of chances are not ones every university student gets. And if you're like me and love traveling, you really appreciate a school that makes such an effort to expand the horizons of its students.

Travel is an adventure. And if you take the time to travel to Tulane, your adventure will only just be starting.

Saturday Night Out On the Town

Hey guys,

I know, ANOTHER new post in one day??? I happen to currently be in Moscow, Russia on Spring Break and I have finally gotten pictures from my camera and the cameras of others who attending all the events about which I'm writing. No one had time to do this until Spring Break-- its been a very busy semester!

But anyways, since I've now written about hanging out at Tulane and about doing community service, I thought I'd enlighten my readers about something else they all secretly want to know about-- the night life.

It's not the most respectable thing to ask about but for those of you who are wondering, New Orleans has the best nightlife. Women can get into most dance clubs at age 18 or 19, men at 21. This means that New Orleans is perfect for going out with the girls and you don't even have to go to Bourbon Street to do it. In fact, my girlfriends and I spent the night in the Warehouse District last Saturday.

We went to a club called the Republic, where we had gone to celebrate my 21st birthday a few weeks before. Well now it was my sister Mary's birthday and we were going to have a good time. The best thing about the Republic is that there is always good music with the two DJs that play all the time (DJs Damion Nancy and Chemistry), which means there is always dancing. Unlike my experiences with nightlife in Austin, you don't have to worry about if there are enough people to get a crowd out on the dance floor or not. People don't hug the bar side of the club and refuse to venture farther. The Republic, as well as other places in the Warehouse District, such as Tucker's, is known for its dance floor.



Here is our birthday girl- just turned 20!

The Warehouse District is a popular place to go out for celebratory grooving and I've seen brides party on a night with the girls, fraternity-hosted parties, and of course, birthday celebrations. It is relatively unknown to tourists, so you won't find too many in this area. But you will find some awesome places to bust a move and then some excellent lounges and bars in which you can relax afterwards. You can be assured of the fact that no high school students will be out there with you and you won't have to worry about tripping over inebriated Spring Breakers. These places have strict age limits and even stricter carding policies.

Here are Asha and our new friend Rob lounging in the VIP area with red couches and tables

So anyways, for all my readers, here are some of my pictures from Saturday night at the clubs. It was the day when all the clocks go "spring-forward" so we ended up being there later than we imagined and got breakfast at St. Charles Tavern afterwards--delicious pancakes, omelets, and eggs. It was an awesome night out and a testiment to the fact that sometimes you can have fun in places you might not always expect when you're here in New Orleans.



Me and the girls, from L to R we have Sophie, Mary, Asha, and me!

Senior Prom

William Shakespeare once said, "An old man is twice a child." Though our modern interpretation of that might be the care the elderly need, not unlike a child, I'm sure he meant something different with his words.

Last weekend we had our first Senior Prom, created and promoted by the Residence Hall Government of Willow, Aron, and Modular upperclassmen residences. We went to Lambeth House and literally partied with the elderly. Lambeth House is a community for retired people which has three levels of living: independent, assisted, and nursing home. Residents from all three of those levels were at our Prom.



Here are Ahmed and Chris, the Residence Hall Government Advisor and President, respectively, giving each other a high-five for the success of the program.

Some of my residents were very involved in the planning of this event. They went early to set up, decorate, buy one-time use cameras to take silly snapshots, and put all the food in place. The rest of us headed over in five cars around 7:00 pm. Though we were mostly ladies, and so were the Lambeth House attendees of the event, we still socialized and talked while others were dancing.



Here I am with some of my favorite residents, from L to R we have Casey, Anat, me, and Travis


Of course, that meant that our five guys had to ask some of those older ladies to dance. I personally was very amused when some of these ladies turned some of guys down! Some of them had someone in particular in mind and refused to dance with anyone else!

Here is Travis dancing the night away (or really until 8:45, when the event ended)-- he was the first person to bow his head, extend his hand, and ask this lady to dance!

Overall, the event really gave meaning to Shakespeare's likening the elderly with children. Though they might need more care, they also are much more fun to be around. We all had such a good time socializing, dancing, drinking, and more. America's older generations certainly have amazing stories to tell and we Tulane students were mesmerized by them. I believe after the success of this event, we will be going to Lambeth House soon to hang out with our new buddies!

Here is Ahmed dancing with his new gal pal-- he was a little shy at first but he warmed up fast!

Here is Elizabeth dancing with one of the two old men that were there--she snagged him before the rest of us even had a chance. He was a singer and sang three songs for us during our Senior Prom.

Visiting Tulane

Hey guys,

So last week we had that big event we were anticipating--our first Honors Weekend. We catered Nacho Mama's food, we handed out t shirts, and we had big inflatable things on which people played. Overall it was a huge sucess.

One thing I was impressed with was how informed the students seemed about Tulane. Though many of them hadn't heard from other schools, they certainly had their facts right about Tulane. Anything they didn't know they weren't at all shy to ask. Though they did tell us they were waiting to hear from those other schools, they also mentioned how excited they were that Tulane had already accepted them.

So this goes out to all of the freshmen out there right now still trying to make up your minds. We have many other days during which you can come visit Tulane. Like your fellow future classmates, you should come get a sense of it yourself. I think most of the students at Honors Weekend were happy with what they saw. It was a gorgeous New Orleans spring day and absolutely perfect for touring the campus and getting the essence of Tulane.

As a freshman, the fact that I was already accepted by Tulane in October, a scholarschip recipient by December, and visiting by March really weighed heavily in my decision to come here. Tulane made it seem like they really wanted me, pursued me (even in high school when I received pamphlets and admissions brochures), and would go to the end of the world to get me as a student. The individual attention during my admissions process struck a chord in my heart when I realized how much the faculty, staff, administration, and students cared about getting another good student for their university. I assure you, no other university will treat you the same.

So come out and check it out-- here are some pics so you can see the fun we had!

Visit Tulane!

Hey guys,

I'm writing to those of you freshmen who religiously follow my blog (yeah, right ;p) and are excited about coming to Tulane to visit in the coming months. This year, I will be directly involved that process.

As the President of the Science and Engineering Honor Society, I have a lot of responsibility over something entitled Honors Weekend. We help the Admissions Office sort out our incoming geniuses and throw a big party for you guys with nachos, snow cones, and inflatable fun. This year, we are giving out t shirts and possibly pins as well.

The Science and Engineering Honor Society has one major task in the coming years-- to help give the School of Science and Engineering a new identity. So basically everything we do, we're trying to do it BIG. For example, our t shirts (design shown above) are brightly colored and easily identified, we're planning on hosting a speaker next fall, and we work closely with the Dean's Office to make sure current and incoming students know what we (as representatives of the School of Science and Engineering administration) can do.

Whether or not you're an honors student, the coming months have tons of fun in store here at Tulane. The Admissions Office and plenty of other campus bodies, including student organizations, work really hard to make sure you guys have a good time. And for those of you that are emailing me with questions, keep those emails coming to me and the other bloggers. We truly are happy to welcome you guys.

So the purpose of this post is really to encourage my incoming freshmen readers to take advantage of any opportunities you have to visit Tulane. As a senior at Friendswood High School, I certainly remember the awe Tulane's ivy-covered Gibson Hall inspired when I first set foot on this campus. I was overwhelmed with the lush greenery, the friendly students, and how excited everyone seemed, even President Cowen, who was the only actual university president I met when visiting colleges. Four years later, I still remember that feeling.

In New Orleans, we have a saying, "Let the good times roll." If you visit Tulane this spring, you will certainly see how much we believe that!

Welcome, guys! We're excited to meet you!


-AJ

ajambhek@tulane.edu

Parade Fun

So here are some pictures of my Mardi Gras-- these are of Endymion and Bacchus. The girl with me in most of them is Asha, my Office of Multicultural Affairs. The other girl is Rachel, a sister in my sorority and the current Membership Chair. Below are some pictures of our experiences-- how we wormed our way up to the front of the police barricades, how we fought people on the ladders for beads, and how we were triumphant in the end!

Here I am chastising Asha for picking up beads from the ground though I will admit she got some awesome ones in this effort!
Below are some pictures of us in between floats during Bacchus (L) and Endymion (R)

Mardi Gras

So it is now the weekend after Mardi Gras and I am spending some time recovering from all the fun and digesting the fact that I'm about to turn 21, I can't party like I used to, and that I am about to legally be an adult in every way.

Last year during Mardi Gras I went down to Bourbon Street almost every night (except for the one night I was on Frenchman) and had a ridiculously good time. I partied hard, especially on my twentieth birthday, which fell on Mardi Gras day itself. It was a very exciting time of the year and it was the first and only Mardi Gras where I partied like that. It probably will be the only Mardi Gras I'll celebrate like that.

This year, I took it easy. I showed off the parades to my Office of Multicultural Affairs little sister Asha and shared all my beads with her. I picked up the cool beads and we actually cut two strands of them and made really neat bracelets out of them. My Mardi Gras this year was a lot more low key and a LOT more relaxing. I realized for the first time since coming to college that I am getting too old to want to spend every night fighting crowds in the French Quarter for a good time.

It makes me sad to think that I only have one Mardi Gras left. It's ten days shy of my 21st birthday and I also realize that though next year's birthday falls the Friday before Mardi Gras, its still not going to be as monumental as this birthday.

But even though I'm getting older, New Orleans has plenty to offer. I think this is a great place to continue having fun while I'm in college. When I saw all ages of people at the parades it made me feel like while I'm here, I still fit in just fine.

Sophia Lauren once said, "There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age."

This Mardi Gras, I have learned that the parade goers and the people who still have fun no matter what their age are the ones who have learned this secret.

T2 and Tulane

So one thing that's certainly exciting about this time of year is the programs that are developing on campus. As an RA, I particularly pay attention to the ones near me, in the residence hall in which I live and nearby. One such program is called T2.

This program began this year as an effort to involve sophomore students with more leadership opportunities, such as the chance to find an internship, work for someone whose career interests them, or even simply find a job that both respects their education and pays well. The Career Services offices have been moved inside Mayer Residence Hall just so the sophomores have immediate access to career coaches, help with their resume, and constant advice on public service and internships and how to best access them.

The illustrious Mayer Residence Hall with its Career Services addition is pictured above!

At first, I'll admit I thought the program was not going to be successful. I thought that while the idea of specifically interactive freshmen halls was a good idea, the enthusiasm might wear off when the students became sophomores. And at first, the resident advisors, many of whom are good friends of mine, did not know what to expect.

But after a few months, this semester, things are really beginning to pick up. I'm the RA in a residence hall called Leadership Village, where juniors and seniors who are student leaders are encouraged to live in our loft-style rooms furnished with spiral staircases and balconies. One of our biggest groups of potential residents for next year is a result of the T2 program-- it is what they call the Leadership Class at T2. I was thoroughly impressed to see that not only had sophomores taken advantage of the opportunities presented by Career Services, but that they had embraced them and taken chances to excel.

According to Robert Hutchins, education is not to reform students or amuse them or to make them expert technicians. It is to unsettle their minds, widen their horizons, inflame their intellects, teach them to think straight, if possible.

It occured to me that at Tulane, these sophomores have gotten to put themselves out there-- in the risky job market, in the competitive world of exclusive internships, and in a group of students all trying to be leaders. This program has managed to take them out of their comfort zones and teach them to fly as high as they can without falling down.

I've never heard of another program like T2 . . . and though I was skeptical at first, I must say I'm now a believer. I think that our students have the capability to accept any challenge and succeed and I'm certainly hoping that these are the kinds of residents I'll have in Leadership Village next year!

Back To School Blunders

So today it's January 17th which means I've been at Tulane exactly four days since Winter Break ended. But my life has already gotten busier than ever.

This week I find myself without a computer. Though my computer has been acting up since the summer, I decided I just couldn't live without it and refused to take it to Tech Services here at Tulane, where I have an impressive four year warranty. Finally, two days ago, during a momentary burst of inspiration, I hauled it to my farthest class and back just to make sure it got to the IT people here at Tulane . . . only to realize today that it contains my grant applications, my roster of residents, my resume, and many other documents I need to turn in, use to get recommendations, and require to start the medical school admissions process. Because of my lack of foresight, now I don't have all the forms for my advisors or my resume to submit. And while trying to solve this set of problems (rewriting my resume and getting more forms), I hardly had any time for the bulletin board, which is the only arts and crafts I really have to do as a junior and unfortunately the activity I look forward to LEAST at the end of my To-Do list.

Luckily for me, I'm not the only student trying to get it right in the busiest semester of her college career. I know that all my advisors have seen many other students who find themselves running around though the semester has just begun, that Tech Services makes allowances for students who don't plan ahead, and that my residents are too busy to notice their bulletin board isn't up just yet.

This is really the time of year to hit the ground running. The second semester junior year is so important for so many decisions, like where you're going to grad school, if you're adding a minor, where you're going to get this thing called "Experience" that almost every graduate program requires, and more. Tulane happens to have amazing advisors-- you get one for every major and I happen to have three, pre-professional and academic advisors who meet with you one-on-one whenever you need it and send you the forms you need even if you lose the first set, and an entire office dedicated to resumes, internships, and getting students the experiences they need for their future careers.

So for those of you still thinking about your college options, do what I didn't do with my laptop issue-- plan for the future. Your life is going to get very busy at the time when you realize that college is only four years long and you have a whole lifetime ahead of that. When you get there, you will want a supportive faculty and staff who are there to guide you every step of the way-- I know I'm pretty grateful for everyone I have at Tulane.


Only at Tulane . . .