Taking Chances

Freshman year I was afraid to try new things.  My WEPO mentor convinced me to join SWE.  It was the only activity I did outside of my normal school day.  I was afraid to try to get an internship because I did not think I had a chance.  I was afraid to join clubs because I thought they would take up too much of my time.  Well, guess what happened?  I ended up stressing myself out over schoolwork and did not enjoy all of the amazing opportunities offered to Penn State students.  

Towards the end of freshman year, I realized I needed to start taking chances.  Your extra-curricular activities can be just as important as your GPA because they help you grow and give you valuable experience.  So I started applying for every opportunity I could.  Even if you don’t think you are the most qualified, you can get useful feedback for when you apply the next time. 

So network with every employer you meet.  Even if they don’t give you an offer, they know your name.  The next year when you want an internship with that company again, they’ll know you’re serious about the company.  You can tell them all the things you’ve worked on in the past year to make yourself a better candidate.

If you’re interested in joining a club or volunteering somewhere, just sign-up!  Most organizations understand the busy, erratic schedules of college students.  You are not expected to attend every meeting or every event they offer.  The more you put into it, the more rewarding it will be.

If you need or want a scholarship, there are thousands of opportunities if you look.  Yes, most of them are competitive, but if you work hard on the application you have a great chance.  Developing relationships with your professors is also a great idea since most applications require a recommendation letter. 

If you get nominated for a competition or position you never saw yourself doing, what is there to lose?  You just might prove something to yourself in the process.

Opportunities are everywhere at Penn State: career fairs, involvement fairs, you name it!  There are resources to help you with each of them, just like there are resources to help you with your courses.  Possibly the best thing to remember, you are not alone in any of this.  Chances are one of the members of the WEPO leadership team have been in your shoes; don’t be afraid to ask us for help.

So if you want to do something, take the chance.  You never know what will happen if you don’t try.

Nicole Gallegor is a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering, and is a Mentor for WEPO'15!