Hey guys! I hope you all are having a wonderful summer, and feeling ready as school is about to kick back off. As always, there are lots of big decisions to make as we head into another semester!
I have spent this summer being all around the world—I spent a month in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on a mission trip. This was my first time out of the country, and I can say it was one of the greatest decisions I have made in my life. The picture below is me after I finished drinking a whole glass of avocado juice. I learned more about another culture on a global scale than I ever have before. In fact, the entire experience has made me eager to study abroad somewhere. After talking to one of my friends who had recently traveled to Spain, I have better insight into what the study abroad experience is like. I have absolutely no idea where I want to go, but the U of A offers so many great resources on their study abroad website to learn more. I encourage anyone reading this to push themselves to places that are uncomfortable. Oftentimes, I learn more about myself when I am put in situations that put me out of my comfort zone. Also, the international experience is excellent for anyone looking for a job, as the immediate immersion allows those interested in new languages to learn quickly.
Smith with avocado juice during his mission trip to Ethiopia
This semester, I’ll begin taking some more advanced classes in the biomedical engineering discipline. I am so excited to begin, especially now that I have more experience under my belt. Funny story: my first day of class last year, I sat in the wrong section of my physics lab for about half an hour before I realized I was in the wrong lab! In case you’re nervous about your first day, here are a couple of suggestions for any new freshman: firstly, just relax. I remember being super nervous about my first college classes, but I quickly realized that professors are really nice and reasonable people. Secondly, get involved. I can’t stress enough how critical it is to get involved about something you are passionate about. Finding a group of people that are passionate about the same things as you are makes the transition to college much easier. For example, I really found my niche in the band because I found people that are as passionate about music as I am. Some of my best memories of freshman year were those that I spent playing with my friends in the band. BME students might also be interested in the Biomedical Engineering Society, or the U of A chapter of Engineering World Health.
Thanks for reading guys, and good luck starting the semester!