Soooo close

Summer is approximately 22.75 hours away from me as of this moment... but I'm not counting or anything like that. It's been a while since I've last posted, mainly due to finals and me being wicked sick (and before you ask I do not have the swine flu). Not much has changed in the status of my IQP, I do have a partner though so at least I won't be doing it by myself. I'm really excited except for one gigantic hitch - financial aid STILL hasn't gotten back to me, so I don't know if I can actually do this or not. That's beside the point and I am changing the subject before I start ranting though....

I am however looking for an MQP for next year. I've recently decided I want to be a double major and where *crosses fingers* I'll be getting my IQP done before the start of Junior year, I'm hoping to space the two apart so I'm not juggling two MQP's plus all the 4000 level courses I need to graduate senior year. We'll see though as I still have no idea what I want to do for it and can't really talk to my advisor until A-Term.... it's a struggle basically.



Now to the cheerful side of this entry - IT'S ALMOST SUMMER!!!!!! Needless to say I was sitting in class today with one of my good friends and all of a sudden realized that I was less than 24 hours away from being half way through my time here at WPI. I almost screamed... in class... but I didn't. I mean it's really scary to think about. I still consider myself "barely not a freshman" but at the same time feel like I've been here working like crazy forever, and I can't decide if it's taken eons for the past two years to go by or seconds. Either way, they've been an... interesting two years filled with a ton of memories, some good, some bad, some hilarious, some hilarious for anyone but me :-), and some pretty amazing people I've met along the way. I guess here's to the next two years... may they be as interesting as the past two. Cheers!!

Update

Soooo here's an update on the status of my life: I am still miserably sick, and now my IQP appears to be falling through horrifically. I'm still going to try to get the whole thing worked out, but at this point I'm just hoping for the best. Ohhh well... hopefully things will magically come together and work out.... hopefully.

In other news: the practical part of my practicum is over and was amazing! Translation: I get my life back! And by life back I mean time to focus on my other two classes I've been neglecting so far this term.

Ok well that is all for today, hopefully I'll have a cheerier update about all these shenanigans somewhat soon.

Is it summer yet???

So D-Term has finally hit me in the usual way - like a ton of bricks. I have gotten just about every illness going around campus over the past 2 weeks, but am finally getting somewhat better (word of advise TAKE AIRBORNE OR VITAMINS OR WHATEVER cause being sick at a school with terms is miserable... not that you didn't already know that). In other news, my practicum is coming to an end, which is sad for so many reasons, but at the same time, I'm SOOOO glad that it will be over so I can get some sleep and go back to focusing on my other courses. I'm also working on getting this summer all figured out. I think my on-campus IQP will happen which is such a better fit for me than going abroad. Money's tight and I need the extra term, I'm going to have an apartment, and some of my closest friends are going to be in Worcester for the summer. When you add in the fact that I have worked my advisor before and am doing a project I would probably end up doing anyway, I know it's a great fit for me. I just need to figure out all the details and paperwork and all of those shenanigans before I get my heart set on it...


Anyways that's all I've got for today... now if I could only fit a nap into my schedule....

Yay D-Term?

Break is officially over... and while it was amazing it was way too short if you ask me. While my friends were going on exotic vacations or starting spring training, I was at home, most likely sleeping (let's be honest here). The recouperation was absolutely necessary as I enter what promises to be my craziest term to date here at WPI. IQP preparations, HU&A practicum, job searching, are quickly piling up on top of the normal courses and activities. I guess that is to be expected and is part of the love/hate (but mostly love) relationship I have with WPI. I mean if I didn't love keeping myself busy I probably would stay in my room bored out of my mind most of the time.

As for the job search, I am thinking that I am not going to pursue an internship this summer. As it stands, I am going into my Junior year and I have other obligations over the summer that would conflict with a full time internship. I am hoping to return to my previous job for the latter part of the summer, but we will see how all of that goes when we get there I guess.

I never thought I would be an engineer. Sure I was pretty good at Math and Science and always had fun doing the weird science projects in Junior High, but I always thought I was stronger in English. Maybe I am, I'm not too sure, but I do know that I want to DO something, change something, impact something in some way, and to me that is what engineers do.

I chose to major in Mechanical Engineering for a few reasons. One being I like the flexibility with the major and the vast assortment of positions available for MEs. The other being I really really really like physics but want a major that is more hands on. Mechanical Engineering just seemed like a natural fit. I love the fact that as a sophomore, I still have the option to go into anything from BioMechanics, to Robotics, to Aerospace, to Design. It leaves open so many possibilities and gives me a chance to decide what I want to do without the added pressure of making a decision immediately. Not to mention the fact that I feel that it is a secure field that is ever changing and evolving.

I think the most important part of choosing your major is not only following your heart but trying to think about what type of job you want to have once you enter "the real world," whether you want a job designing things, researching, programming, testing, creating, or whatever, chances are you can find a major that is a perfect fit for what you want to do. For those of you who are unsure of your major, whether you are deciding between two, have absolutely no idea what you want to do, or just have some questions about your current major, the CDC has quite a few resources from self assessments, to major panels, to counselors who can walk you through every step, the CDC can make your decision much easier.

Let the interviews begin...

So it is that time of year again... the time when we all start realizing that summer is closer than it seems and we need to figure out what we are doing, in short find jobs. The interview process is beginning and I am not sure where I am going to start. I've gotten a few emails so far from the CDC with jobs that I specifically qualify for, and I must say a few of them look like great opportunities, I just really want to stay close to home for the summer, and most of them would require me living fairly far away. That being said I still think I am going to apply for those positions and see what happens, who knows maybe I just need to be more open to different possibilities. I guess we'll find out!

Also, if you happen to be starting to look at jobs and consequentially interviews, and are nervous or have any questions, stop by the CDC any time and you can find all sorts of resources, or set up a mock interview to not only get practice interviewing but also you can review your interview to see your strong points and see areas you might want to improve. It's a great opportunity especially if you have never been in an interview before because you'll be more prepared when you start having interviews with companies.

Anyways best of luck to you all!!

About the Career Fair....

So another Career Fair has come and gone and I have to say I had incredibly good intentions for this week. But school got in the way and my labs ran long so I didn't get a chance to check out the fair. Career Fairs are in my opinion one of the greatest ways to get your foot into a company, give them a face to match to your resume before you sit for an interview. All that being said, if you just so happen to be like me, don't give up hope for an internship or full time position! Keep checking in on your JobFinder account because there are new positions posted everyday. I know a few of the companies I am hoping to intern with over the summer have yet to post their positions, but I am going to keep my eyes open for any opportunities that may come up. I'll keep you up to date on my quest.

And now it is time for my shameless plug... I have far too many friends who are Juniors or Seniors asking me how to get started on their resume... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come in and visit the counselors at the CDC, even if you think you have no relevant experience to list on it, they work miracles let me tell you (yes Freshmen and Sophomores I am talking to you the "but I haven't worked before" excuses don't cut it as you have more experience than you know, it all depends on how you look at it.)

On a similar note: JobFinder is another resource I know a lot of my friends have yet to discover, or else they set it up and forgot about it. If you have yet to set up your account, go here and go to the link in the middle of the page to set it up. It only takes 2 minutes and is utterly painless I promise you. If it has been a while since you used it and have no idea what your email address is, stop by the CDC and they can reset it for you, AND give you information on the best ways to utilize your account. In addition to job postings there are also useful handouts and podcasts to help you in your search.


I hope you all had a good time at the Career Fair!