A Scientista's Guide to...Academic Life!

So it’s that time of year again: the end of the semester approaches, which means finals are around the corner, and so are internship opportunities! This inevitably mean applications to write and interviews to pull off. But, HAVE NO FEAR! I’ve put together some little tips on how to take on all of these things (like a champ! I’m woman hear me roar! Cue Katy Perry- "Roar"!), and hopefully, you will use them to your success.  

Look familiar? Well if you’re anything like me, you are constantly falling asleep while reading the millions of articles/papers/essays we’re assigned each week. A good way to avoid this is to NOT READ ON YOUR BED (I’m ridiculously guilty of this). Also, no one says you have to read the whole work in one sitting – break it up. Find yourself falling asleep? Put it away. Move on to some other work and come back later. 

Mountain of books? Coffee at your side? Hands on your head? Honey, you’re stressed. A good way to avoid stress is by eating properly, i.e. nix the coffee. I love coffee as much as the next gal, but the truth is it’s only fueling your stressed out jitters. Better eat healthy fruit and vegetables. Drink a fruit smoothie- I recommend Odwalla Superfood. If you feel like you really need the caffeine kick, drink tea or Snapple: it generally has more caffeine than coffee anyway. In general, plan out a schedule at the beginning of the week and map out the work you’ll do on each day. That way, you’ll feel less stressed because you know everything has a time slot to get done (also, it’s a good idea to give more time than it’ll actually take to accomplish something – if it takes all the time, you won’t feel bad, and if it takes less, you’ll feel awesome!) 

That age old question: what should I wear to an interview? Well, all I have to say is: blazer, blazer, blazer! You really can’t go wrong with that little thing. Face it: any interview you have requires some level of professionalism. And nothing says, “I’m a professional!” like a blazer. After that the rest is easy. Pair it with a white top, and black pants or skirt. Heels, you ask? That’s really up to you. I tend to wear heels to my interviews (even though I’m 5’10”!) but it’s not a rule. Keep accessories to a minimum if you’re interviewing for a more corporate job, or conversely, tastefully play yourself up with them if you’re into the more fashion and art related industries. If you’re really not sure, don’t wear the accessories at all. Better be safe than sorry! No one said you have to look hot on an interview… you just have to land that job! 

Behind the actual sit down and face-your-potential-future-employer-moment, is lots of anxiety and nerves. I’ve been there… in fact, I was just there yesterday. But a good way to beat the knots in the stomach feeling, is to do a mock interview with your friends. Write down some questions—the inevitable ones, and then some really challenging ones. Nail them in your mock interview, and then stun your interviewer when the time comes. In addition to preparing for questions, bring along some writing samples if you have them, and casually bring them up and show them- no shame in that. If your interviewer says something that really resonates with you, pick up on it and connect on that point. You’ll be a lot more memorable that way. And most importantly: BE YOURSELF. Trying to be something you’re not will not only mess up your interview, but you’re interviewer will see right through it and you won’t get the job. And we don’t want that!

Applications. Well…there is no way around them, sadly. But again, this is something that you should start on well in advance of the deadline. Applications that show in depth thought and unique answers will always fair better than those that were thrown together before the night it was due. The Barnard Career Center is a good resource for apps. They have tons of sample answers on all different kinds of work related documents. They can help you craft an answer. The Writing Center is also a very good resource to utilize for this. Whether you decide to use these resources or not, it’s always a good idea to have someone read your answers before submitting it. Other people can always spot out something that you can’t. Pick someone you feel comfortable with so you won’t be offended when they tell you it needs work (more of a reason to start in advance!). Remember: they only want what’s best for you!!

Most importantly, just remain cool, calm, and HAPPY! College is meant to be a fun experience. Don’t let it go by too quickly! I hope this helps - Good luck!

XX, 
Much Scientista Love


Written by Rachel Furst, BC '15.  Click here to read her bio!