The start of the semester is everybody’s favorite time of the year. With the Student Engineers’ Council (SEC) Career Fair marking the advent of the unofficial recruiting season for many companies, there’s no doubt that an unrecognized wave of anxiety rushes over our collective student body. While this season can often be stressful as students research companies, freshen up their resumes and try to figure out how to craft that perfect cover letter, sometimes it’s the little things that can make all the difference when landing that dream job.
Why we should all be “grad students” for life
I believe we should all be grad students for life because we should be ambitious, always strive for excellence, seek to overcome that next challenge and be what we were meant to be — problem solvers and engineers.
BTHO COVID-19!
2020 has been a tough year, but as always, the Aggie spirit will persevere!
Jumping on the Bandwagon
Time runs ever slower in the dog days of quarantine, boarded up in our apartments and houses while the things we found enjoyment in are starting to lessen their gleam bit by bit. That is why I knew I had to come up with something to do during my quarantine to help pass the time, and I decided to join the bandwagon and try out a couple new hobbies.
The Start of College for a Cancer Patient
Being a first-generation college student is already hard, but being a first-generation college student with cancer is that much harder. My name is Evelin Pacheco Mota, an industrial distribution major with a double minor in business and statistics at Texas A&M University. Within my two years at Texas A&M, I have struggled with my health, been placed on academic probation, beat cancer and was accepted into my dream major. Here is the story of how a crazy beginning turned into a blessed reality.
COVID’s Silver Lining
I think it’s safe to say that canceled plans have affected everybody reading this post. Ring days, study abroad trips, graduation ceremonies, summer internships and surely many more incredible memories were lost because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Day in the Life of a Grad Student at Texas A&M
Interested in finding out more about what it’s really like as a graduate student at Texas A&M? Check out Bryton’s vlog where he shares what a typical day is like!
On Optimism and Resilience
I was my mother’s (unwilling) sous-chef for years. She had to drag me — kicking and screaming — into the kitchen to chop vegetables, make rice and learn the spice blends that went into aromatic Bengali cuisine. After she passed away, I remember standing in the kitchen and wanting to sob, because Ma was no longer there to tell me where to start or what to do next, and I would’ve given anything to hear her voice just one more time.
5 milestones for computer science enthusiasts during freshman year
Many freshmen come in knowing what they want to major in; however, most utilize their freshman year to find their passion. I always knew that I wanted to pursue computer science (CS). This post is not about why I love this engineering major, but about how Texas A&M makes me love it even more. So if you’re a freshman coming into Texas A&M next semester and you don’t yet know which island in the vast ocean of engineering you want to inhabit, I hope this article enlightens you about most of the opportunities in computer science.
Top 5 Tips to Prepare for Grad School
I was lucky to have all things go in the right direction since the day I started my grad school career. However, there’s no debating how important and better it is to have a plan in place over just being lucky. So, here are my top five tips to be considered during your preparation process for grad school.
Looking at All the Options
When I was a freshman, and long before I entered the hallowed halls of Texas A&M, I convinced myself that I was going to study mechanical engineering when I went to college. Little did I know that I had to wait a whole year before I even entered into my major of choice, and that wasn’t even considering the process of Entry to a Major. Yet if it wasn’t for that “gap year,” I wouldn’t have ended up in the major I am in now, a major I didn’t even know existed until halfway through the spring semester of my freshman year.
Creating Effective Study Groups
I think most people can agree that studying in a group is always more fun, but can oftentimes be unproductive. When done right, study groups can be a powerful way to learn and build relationships. Here are a few tips on how to get the most out of your study groups.
6 on-campus food spots for the starving engineer
A lot of students think that campus and College Station have limited options when it comes to eateries. However, with the extensive growth of Texas A&M’s campus and the Bryan/College Station area, new restaurants are springing up almost every week. Here are a few of my favorite on-campus options for a quick pick-me-up, meal or study session snack.
Away from Aggieland
This year, everyone across the globe has witnessed unanticipated circumstances and sudden unwelcome changes to lifestyle. People from all walks of life had to face these challenges. As a Texas A&M student, I would say that one of the most disheartening things that happened last semester was that students couldn’t return to Aggieland. This article is my attempt to describe the indescribable.
Things I wish I knew as a freshman
As I finish my last semester in college, I have begun to reminisce about all the things I have learned and the people I have met over the years. These have been some of the most fulfilling yet hardest years of my life, and I have learned more than I could have ever imagined. I am extremely grateful for all the things I’ve been through, but there are a few things I wish I knew as a freshman.
My journey from NASA Competition Team Leader to NASA Internship
By the end of my sophomore year, I had a 3.66 GPA and was involved in activities on campus, but I had no engineering work experience. In my mind, it was highly unlikely that I’d end up with an internship, much less one at NASA.
The Experiences of an Engineering Academy Student
The transition from high school to college can be rough for many of us, not only in the learning atmosphere, but also financially. With the Texas A&M – Engineering Academies program, our university is able to provide students with a practical and more affordable way to obtain an engineering degree.
Minors and Certificates: Do They Matter?
As I think about my last semester as an undergraduate student and reflect on the last four (and a half) years, I’ve been thinking a lot about what has defined my academic experience here at Texas A&M. And I can without a doubt tell you that the minor and certificate I’ve earned along the way have greatly impacted my time here and my confidence in my education. If you’re unsure about whether or not it’s worth it to add these on to what I’m sure is already a difficult course load, please take a minute to think about the possible benefits that they can hold for you!
Leaving an Impact on Campus after Graduation
College can be a huge change in direction for anyone. This is the time when you start making decisions that readily impact your future and how people perceive you. With all of this in mind, I have made it a goal of mine to cherish these few years while also making a noticeable impact on the school and my community, and I believe that you should do the same.
The Misconceptions of Entrepreneurship
The world of entrepreneurship is vastly misconstrued today for several reasons. It’s become “trendy” and a bit of a buzzword. Some envision fame, fortune and freedom while others resent the word as wishy-washy and a waste of time. The truth is that neither of these ideas represent the reality of entrepreneurship.
A Good-bye to the Senior Class
This is a small farewell to the seniors whose time at A&M was cut short.
Perseverance
In this blog post, Leah talks about how COVID-19 affected her spring internship with NASA.
How I’m Trying to Stay on Top of Things in Distance Learning during the COVID-19 Crisis
After having an extended spring break and binge-watching all the shows I was putting off during the semester, starting classes again online was a pretty big jump. While I may have trouble following these tips myself, here are some things I am doing to try and be successful during distance learning.
How to Practice Mindfulness During a Crisis
We’re prone to finding what’s wrong with our situations or lives. I’m sure there’s some evolutionary background to this, but when our primary stressors have shifted from visible hulking, animalistic threats to deadly, unseen stressors, such as COVID-19 or the next lurking deadline, many of us find ourselves in a state of chronic stress. In this post is a list of things that help me cope with uncertainty (not just related to the pandemic). I hope they help you, too.
Why I chose Petroleum Engineering
When I moved to Houston, Texas in 7th grade, I had no idea what the oil and gas or greater energy industries were. As a kid, I understood that people drove cars to get places and they went to the gas station to fill up their cars with fuel. That was the extent of my oil and gas knowledge up until high school. Junior year, I started thinking about possible majors in college and became interested in energy. My source of information, Google, helped me understand our global energy demand, energy independence and energy sources. This is where I first read about petroleum engineering.
Coping with Social Distancing
When I first received notice that Texas A&M was going to be closing for two days after spring break, I was excited. I thought “Wow, two extra days of spring break!”. but that all soon began to change. It went from two days to one week to finishing the entire semester online to complete social distancing. Since this was my last semester, my heart completely broke. I did not get to enjoy end-of-the-year banquets with my organizations, my last day as an undergraduate or walking the stage May 9, but when I realized that all of this was for a greater purpose, my thoughts changed. Is staying in my apartment for predominantly most of the day and not being able to regularly see my friends fun? No, but here are a few ways I’ve coped with it.
A little to a lot: The value of our student voice
I know that in the College of Engineering my voice is heard, and so is yours! Gig ‘Em!
Showcasing Soft Skills in Interviews
In interviews, it can often feel challenging to stand out from the crowd of other engineers, some of whom may be more technically qualified than you. In my last blog post, I talked about three strategies for excelling in the interview process; this time I’d like to drill into specific ways to highlight non-technical skills during an interview.
Managing What Seems Unmanageable
In this post, Haley discusses some tips for handling social distancing and tips for tackling online classes. Remember, we are all in this together!
Acing the Interview Process
Interviewing for a full-time job after college can be a daunting process. I’m sharing three lessons I learned on my journey to help make the process less stressful.