A day in the life of an LAS student
Thinking back to my expectations of college as a high-school senior, I never could have anticipated half of the things that the University of Illinois has been able to offer me. My picture of college almost solely reflected the classes I would take. I had no idea which, if any, extracurricular activities I would be involved in, nor did I plan on looking for a campus job. Majoring in Spanish and Global Studies, I also didn’t anticipate being able to do research in my field. Seeing as I am currently doing all of those things, I think it’s safe to say I couldn’t have been more wrong.
My typical course load is divided evenly between Spanish courses and interdisciplinary courses like Communication and Political Science for my Global Studies major. Through the James Scholar honors program, I’ve been able to work one-on-one with many of my professors to do special honors research projects in addition to my regular coursework. The project I am the most proud of is probably the cultural analysis course I took, for which I researched advertising campaigns by Coca-Cola in the United States and several Spanish-speaking countries to see which interests and audiences the campaigns tried to cater to.
I’ve also been able to get involved in research with a professor here who is studying youth participation in the United Nations and its various agencies. Between that, my classes, and my campus job in a biology office, most of my day is booked up. However, I’m still able to participate in a wealth of different extracurricular activities. Sophomore year, I was the vice-president of an organization that facilitated Spanish-speaking conversation groups for people on campus and in the community to be able to practice their oral communication skills.
The other primary extracurricular activity on campus I’ve been involved with is the LAS Honors program. I’ve served as the chair of the LAS Honors Mentoring Program, in which experienced LAS Honors students mentor a small group of incoming freshmen in the James Scholar program to help acclimate them to life on campus. This program is one of the most fulfilling things that I’ve been involved with, as it allows me to pass on my knowledge and experiences from my time here at Illinois onto other students. I’m also currently serving as the president of the James Scholar Student Advisory Board, which seeks to foster an honors community within LAS. Our group is responsible for organizing and hosting a variety of social and professional events, as well maintaining the mentoring and James Scholar Student Ambassadors programs. I’m very privileged to be able to give back to the program that has given me so many opportunities as a student at the University of Illinois.
Because of all the unexpected opportunities and successes that I’ve had here, I want to encourage each and every one of you to make the most of your college career. Go to office hours and get to know your professors. You never know where it could lead you! No matter what your interests are, there is something here for you. If you start thinking now about what you want your college experience to be, you’ll have a head start on realizing your goals, whether they be academic, social, or otherwise. See you soon!