Speaking Up in Class When Your Grade Depends on It

Speaking up in class can be extremely difficult, especially if it's a part of your participation grade. If you go to a small liberal arts college like mine, small classes where all eyes are on you when you make a contribution are commonplace, and the pressure can be immense. Coming up with unique contributions can…

Presenting at an Academic Conference Poster Session

When I was a first-year in college, I had barely taken upper division classes, let alone presented at a professional conference! So when I was chosen to be on one of my professors' research teams with the very little experience I had, I was excited but scared. My team and I had a poster session…

Ways to Get Ahead for Fall Semester Over Summer Break

Summer—college students spend the whole year looking forward to it, but once it comes around, the heat, humidity, and lack of structure might make summer feel like a drag. The lack of motivation can turn into a spiral of writers' block, laziness, and general malaise. Scrolling through social media and seeing your classmates' beach getaways…

Making the most out of office hours

Almost every article about college life advises students to go to professors' office hours, but there are very few that mention how to handle office hours. Many students feel like they shouldn't go because they don't want to seem needy. Others feel like if they are doing well enough in a class, there is no need…

Why I love going to a small liberal arts college

Attending college is a very personal choice, and you have to really evaluate what you want and what works for you. Personally, I thrive in environments that allow for ample interaction with the professor and other students. With this in mind, I thought a small liberal arts college would be the best fit for me. Here are…