Episode 1 – The Start of Success

[0:00:00 Speaker 0] Hello and welcome to the sounds of success. Podcast. My name is Phil Butler. I’m Christina Buoy. And we’re going to be your co host in this audio journey in tow, learning all about everything that u t Austin has to offer students. We’ve got a really great interview lined up for you. You wanna talk about that, Christina?

[0:00:30 Speaker 1] Yeah. So our first episode we’re bringing in some really, really awesome friends of ours from the O. S. S, J. R and Giuliana. We’re super excited to share with you what they have to say about your first semester of college.

[0:00:43 Speaker 0] Yeah, we are.

[0:00:44 Speaker 1] Yeah. Yeah. We hope that this is something that will really help our listeners and adjusting not only to college, but also the virtual aspects of education.

[0:00:52 Speaker 0] Without further ado, let’s transition over to our interview with our friends. Shall we? Yeah, that’s good. Okay. Okay. Okay. Today we’ve got some really amazing guests lined up for the sounds of success. Inaugural episode. We’re really excited to have them here with us. The first guest is Giuliana Lindsay. She’s been recognized with the Academic Counselors Association for dedication. The students, she’s also the program manager for the Foundation Scholars Program. She got her bachelor’s degree in child development and community health from Tufts University and her master’s degree in social work from right here in the University of Texas at Austin. Welcome, Giuliana.

[0:01:31 Speaker 3] Thank you. Welcome.

[0:01:32 Speaker 1] And our second gas is Jasmine Rose Schmidt, also known as J R. Jr. Is the program manager for the Pace program. And under her leadership, Pace was awarded the 2017 Outstanding Institutional Advising Program Award by the National Academic Advising Association. What a mouthful Jr earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology at Cal State Chico and then her master’s degree in education from U. T. And she is an amazing person toe have in the O. S S. She was also awarded themed James Vick Texas Excellence Award for academic advising and the Presidential Outstanding Staff Member Award. So lots of great qualifications from our two guests today, and we’re really excited to talk with you all about the things that they have to offer on Valuable Resource is for first year students this year. Hello,

[0:02:27 Speaker 0] Hello, Jr. Welcome. So we’re all stepping into a semester unlike any other. What all have you Juliana and Jr have been doing this summer to get ready for our students this fall?

[0:02:39 Speaker 2] Mm, I think, personally, I have been working on managing expectations a lot. Obviously it’s a different semester for everyone, for students, but also for people who work with students and love this job. I’ve been trying to remind students that you know, we’re grieving, too, and it’s a loss for us is well and so really all of us, they’re going to have toe work on managing our expectations of what this year or semester is going to be like and figuring out how to make the best of what we’ve got.

[0:03:16 Speaker 3] Absolutely. Um, I think I’ve also unlike maybe some other semesters where you feel like you’ve gone through this before. We haven’t eso allowing myself to trust the process to, um, learn as we go and modeling that for our students and showing that everything will be alright. In the end, we’ll get through it. So, um, allowing myself to feel all the fields with something learning new technology or the new way we might be doing something. And then, uh, you know, being able to lean on that when I’m working with students, whether it’s during the summer and the fall. Coming up?

[0:03:53 Speaker 1] Yeah, absolutely. Something that I heard ah lot over the summer from advisers is how much they enjoy meeting their new students at the beginning of every school year. And that just looks quite a bit different this year. Definitely managing expectations is a great way to spend your summer. Do you all have any advice for students that are taking their causes online this year, especially for first year students who might not have had that experience before?

[0:04:20 Speaker 3] Absolutely, I would say, um, definitely utilize the resource is that are still available. Three. Ut We know that a lot of the formatting has changed from in person of virtual, but don’t hesitate to utilize those resources. They’re still available, and it’s their job to still make it effective. So give them feedback as well. Whether it’s just saying you’re learning center, um, or career services, we’re all here to help. So while classes are online, we still have our duty as staff members and faculty to make sure that you all are getting quality education so still take advantage of those. Resource is even though the presentation is different, the other advice I have for students taking classes online is, um, understanding What kind of learning environment works best for you. So whether that sitting in a corner and being able to have that corner be your learning corner or whether it’s you need to diversify where you’re reading versus where you’re looking at a lecture, you want to think about what? That what works best for you. And one thing I’ve also been talking to my students about has been creating a routine. Whether it’s creating a morning routine that works well for you and afternoon and then an evening routine or ritual that works well for you. Um, whereas on campus you get physical cues of okay, time to change classes and okay, getting nighttime or whatever it may be. Um, you don’t have those physical cues anymore, So you’re going to have to take ownership of that and find out what works well. And all of this is new. So we’re not expecting folks to figure it out in the first week of classes. Give yourself grace and trust the process. It will probably take a whole semester to figure out what works well for you. Um, and know that we’re here. These programs that here is a resource to help you through that.

[0:06:15 Speaker 2] Yeah, I agree. A lot. Absolutely. With what? Giuliana side? I think you know, one of the biggest pieces of advice I have for students taking online classes is get organized, reorganized to stay organized. Right? So start from the beginning. Like, you know, You know what you have ahead of you. You have all of your silly by an advance. Make sure that before classes start to the best of your ability you’ve logged in, you can see what the expectations are. Um, and from minute one, like, get yourself organized, get a calendar. If you’re somebody who wants to use a physical calendar Great. If you want to use Google Calendar at UT, Um, Gmail is the host for your at you Texas address, which I’m sure you all have. And so, you know, figuring out which calendar system keeps you organized and start from week one, like planning out. Okay, what are my assignments? What am I looking for? Um, you know, and And how do I want to schedule that? Like Giuliana was saying, Like, make a routine and then every. Maybe Sunday or Friday or Saturday, whatever day works for you. Kind of reflecting on what worked well for you this week. What didn’t work well and then making adjustments. Like Like Giuliana said, we’re gonna Everyone here we’re all learning as we go. So nobody has done all online classes during a pandemic yet minus when we were all kind of forced into it. But this time we’ve had a little bit more time to prepare, so hopefully it will be less dramatic. But yes, I would say I think the best The best piece of advice is get a routine. And don’t be afraid to change that routine.

[0:07:48 Speaker 0] Yeah, I really like that piece about a routine. You know, I’m trying to remember back to what it was like back in March when you know, all this started. And, you know, it wasn’t until I established a daily routine that I started to feel more normal on a little bit more sane. And, um, I think that’s that’s pretty key Thio to being able to get organized. I mean, as somebody who struggles with organization myself, I can appreciate that advice to do it.

[0:08:14 Speaker 1] Yeah, absolutely. I remember when I was still a student in the spring semester when everything started getting shut down and I tried my absolute hardest to set up a new routine in the middle of a semester at a beginning of a pandemic during my senior year, and it was really hard. And so I think that it is super duper important. Have a routine, yes, but also be okay with yourself if that routine breaks if it needs to change. If you need to take the time to grieve, there’s a lot that’s going on. And if you’re not on your A game all the time, if you’re not following exactly what’s on your Google calendar to the minute, that’s okay. Um, a routine should be like a sort of guideline. Thio how to go about your day. It shouldn’t be an exact minute by minute planning, agenda type of thing. So have a list of things that you need to do in a day, have an order of things that you need to dio, but forgive yourself. If it doesn’t happen, it’s going to be okay.

[0:09:10 Speaker 3] Yes, yes and yes,

[0:09:12 Speaker 0] This next question kind of gets us there, right? Like asking for help. I’m not one who likes to ask for help, like I want to figure it out. I want to do it myself. I feel better about it when I do figure it out or do it by myself. But sometimes I do need to ask for help. And, you know, I know that both of you and your programs that’s your job is to help students, and you see it all the time where students come in and they asked for help. But sometimes they ask for for help. When it’s too late, right, like it’s too late for you to help them. A deadline has passed or, um, you know, they didn’t read a critical email or something happened where they need help and it’s It’s too late. What advice do you have for those students for how they can get help before it’s too late?

[0:09:51 Speaker 2] I think maybe the first thing to do is to, um, dissolve yourself of the illusion that everyone else has it figured out because I promise you they don’t. You know, one of the things that you hear a lot is like your education. Specifically, your college education is like something that you do for yourself. And that is true, right? It’s yours. Um, but it’s not something that you do by yourself. That is absolutely not true. Never has been and never will be. So really, really making sure that you understand that whatever you’re going through, I guarantee you other people are going through it. And that is why we have so many resource is created. Toe assist you, um and you pay for them and your student do so You’ve already paid for them. Make sure that you’re using them. But I think one of the biggest things that you can really do for yourself if you’re, you know, concerned about asking for help, is like I said, like hell. Like understand that you cannot do this alone. You are not meant to do this alone. You’re not supposed to know how to study automatically. I promise you. Right. And that has nothing to do with how much you deserve to be here or don’t deserve to be here. You You’re here. You made it your at ut. But that doesn’t mean that you know how to college correctly. No matter what you’ve done. None of you have ever college before and you’re going to have to learn that And whether that means that you’re gonna have to learn new study habits, new time management habits, new communication habits. You will be learning new habits. Yes, you will. I promise you, you are not supposed to know how to do this. And because you’re not supposed to know how to do this, you must get help, right? So whatever it is, you’re going to need help. It’ll be different areas that maybe some of your friends. So even if some of your friends seem like they’re doing really well with studying, I promised, something else is going on right? There’s always something going on. And so it’s not a matter of if you need help, it’s going to be when you need help and what you need help with. And that is where you know all of the resource is like your your faculty. And, you know, your advisers and staff and all of the resource programs that we have on campus come into play. So again, start with, I’m going to need help and just figuring out when that ISS

[0:12:07 Speaker 3] yes, try to establish a relationship before you need that relationship, so I’ll encourage them, whether it’s Sanger and it’s tutoring or whether it’s office hours. Um, try to establish a relationship with your instructor with your mentors where they should be doing that ideally, um, with a staff member before you actually need something. So by the time you get to the point where you need something because you will, um, it’s comfortable you already have done the basic introductions. Uh, you have something to build off of as opposed, responding from scratch. And we’ve incorporated several things in the classes that we teach like l a one on one, um, To help you get used to that to help you get used to communicating. Um, with whoever will be the best resource for whatever need that you have,

[0:12:55 Speaker 2] Yes. Don’t make it hard on yourself, right? It’s like, even if you can get through it by yourself. Even if you’ve somehow managed, I promise it would have been, ah, lot easier had you just asked for help, right? The amount of time you spend staring at a screen attempting to start a first paragraph of your paper, you could have just gone to the you know, writing center and have them help you draft an outline, right? So things don’t have to be as hard. And with that extra time that you would have spent staring at your screen, you can then, you know, do things that air more relaxing and that you enjoy. So using the resource is actually gives you more of your own time back toe. Be able to do what it is that you you’re wanting to dio, right?

[0:13:37 Speaker 1] Absolutely something that I’ve been talking a lot with my students about iss that, um, the tuition money that you pay isn’t just so you can listen to your professor and so you could do homework and take exams. That money also pays for all of these on campus. Resource is like the writing center tutoring center, the library. There are so many different places on campus to go for help. A lot of the times, however, I feel like students are often each other’s best resource is making those connections with your peers really important. Dio, Either of you all have a time that really sticks out when you witness the strength of students working together and building that relationship with each other. One of

[0:14:20 Speaker 2] my favorite things is the, um, endless line of students that will come and sit down, Um, in my office for an advising appointment. And each one of them is like it feels like everybody else knows what they’re doing. Except for me. Everyone else has figured everything else out except for me. And then that happens probably 15 times in a row, right? And I’m like, Why aren’t you all talking to each other to help each other, Understand that? I promise you, no one has it all figured out. I promise you. And so, um, I’ve definitely seen really fun good examples of, you know, connecting those students to each other and being like, Hey, each one of you is saying that you feel like you don’t kind of have the community that you want here at U T. And

[0:15:04 Speaker 1] it might take you a

[0:15:05 Speaker 2] minute to find your community here atyou t right, so you can be prepared for that. But sometimes and one of the things I think I really liked, what I saw was students finding community in each other that felt like they hadn’t previously had other people who were experiencing the same, you know, or you know, similar issues as they were. And so having mentors or even just students amongst themselves, like finding each other on campus and creating that community has been really awesome.

[0:15:34 Speaker 0] Yeah, I like that a lot. You know. We know what we know. Students know what they know, and it’s not always the same. So to get the best of both worlds, it’s really important to establish good relationships with staff and faculty. But also, you know, upper class students who have kind of been in your shoes and, um can lead lead the way or early skied the way in some some way, shape or form.

[0:15:57 Speaker 2] But yes, another thing that’s really good in making those connections especially, you know, with other students who might have similar interests or professional interest is I’ve seen students once they graduate, help other students get jobs right and help guide them through the process, or even like the interviewing process and helping them understand. So, making those connections about, um, you know, different fields that you’re interested in, or particular professions that you’re interested in starting just in your major I know Christina, you did a lot of work with organizing I R G students around different areas of interest.

[0:16:29 Speaker 1] Absolutely. I When I was an undergrad, I felt like the best relationships I formed on campus, where with other students, I really enjoy it. When I was a freshman and sophomore, talking to upperclassmen students was what helped me figure out a career path that helped me find Resource Is and internships organizations, things to do, to really work on my skills. And then when I was in upper cost meant I found that having that relationship with the younger students in my student Org’s was extremely fulfilling, and it always felt really nice to see them go beyond what I told them to dio and really take that advice and just run with

[0:17:08 Speaker 0] it. And

[0:17:09 Speaker 1] I think something else to emphasize as well is, uh, making friends that are your age is also very beneficial. You don’t need to go out and seek upperclassmen to help you figure out how to do your freshman year or your first year. Um, you can just find another first year student in your student order in your costs and that camaraderie and that, um, struggle that you’ll have together with your freshman year is extremely, extremely organic as well. And those friendships are also very important.

[0:17:45 Speaker 0] Okay, so you both manage really successful programs for first year students. Um, what is it about the work that you do that allows your students to be successful? What successful about your programs?

[0:18:00 Speaker 1] I know Jr can go for days on pace E do love

[0:18:05 Speaker 2] pace. Um, I do think that pays Students are the best students and the existence of all students that have ever been students so fully unbiased on that one. I think what makes our program successful is finding community right and finding that common ground and pay students specifically, but also students again, who are at at UT Austin liberal arts students. You’re all going through a very unique, interesting experience together. And so we spend a lot of time in the pace program working with students and talking to students about finding those commonalities, right, and, um, learning to be resourceful. That’s my my favorite thing. I always say the number one skill you will ever have in life is learning to be resourceful, right? Figure out how to figure it out and especially in College of Liberal Arts, because there is so much flexibility in the degree plans and what everyone wants to do, right? No to liberal arts degrees are ever going toe look the same, Um, learning how to be resourceful in learning how to apply your knowledge and your experience, um is really important. And so really building that community and getting excited about the possibilities and the opportunities I think that’s what really helps set our program apart is spending a lot of time helping students learn how to be resourceful, Right? So what it is, what is it that you want out of the this experience and how do you get that? And so we focus a lot in the student success programs on helping you understand how to college and then very specifically, how many different things that can mean for different people. It’s not supposed to look the same, but how do you figure out what you want it to look like for you? And how do you make the most of every opportunity that you have here while you’re at UT while you’re in the College of Liberal Arts

[0:19:55 Speaker 0] and no one experience at UT is is the same, and they’re all they’re all valuable, right? Like everybody finds a different path, and if everything was the same, it would be boring. That’s one of the things

[0:20:08 Speaker 2] I love about our school. You two always say with the liberal arts students and choose your orange adventure. Like what? What do you want it to be? It’s and I and I think that’s yeah, and what I think makes it successful is like really helping students understand how many ways you can put that together. But also how many people and resource is our here and available to help you along the way, Because again, you are not supposed to do it by yourself. You are not, and you can’t and even if you do, it will not be as rich and fulfilling as if you get assistance along the way, right? So and I think that’s a lot of in the pace year, Um, and in the Office of Student Success, what we focus on, how do you How do you put that together? How do you make the most of it? Because if you can dream it, you can do it here at U T. And that is a fact.

[0:20:56 Speaker 0] Yeah, it’s like the most, the most beautiful, biggest buffet you’ve ever seen, right? And it’s all you can eat. And there’s every food that you’ve ever wanted to try or eat there. But if you eat too much, you’re gonna have a bad time, right? Like all good things in moderation, like. And if you eat too little, you leave the buffet being like man, I didn’t really get my money’s worth right? And so I think we’re trying to find that, like, happy Goldilocks space, where you have enriched yourself as much as you possibly could without over exerting yourself to the point where you’re just not having a good time. What about how you Juliana, What were some of the things you feel like you do in the Foundation Scholars program that helps students be successful?

[0:21:41 Speaker 3] Absolutely. Um, so one thing that I know we’ll talk about is our own experience, our own experience, the first year programs, remembering, or at least our first year experience that are whatever undergrad we went to and understanding the struggles that happened. Eso being able to relate to our students. We’ve been there with the caveat of times have changed. That was a while ago, so that’s also why we have mentors. But I think one thing that makes it successful is just being very transparent and validating and that it’s not easy. It’s not going to be easy, is not supposed to be easy, but it will be an adventure and it’ll be fine. So I think there’s something to be said about that, um on everything that’s made fsp successful. I think it’s setting the tone like it’s setting the atmosphere that we’re welcoming that were warm, that we appreciate everyone’s background and everyone’s ability to learn and grow as a human person as a citizen on this earth. So we put that out there and people love that and it energizes I first year students that come in when they could grow from that as well. Um, sometimes students feel that UT is very competitive. I think in the College of Liberal Arts were more of a community feel and we have shared goals, right, so we’re doing it together and, um, in our program, I I say we a lot as opposed to I or you when it comes to goals or when it comes to intentions of what they want to get out of the program out of the semester, it’s to let you know that we’re here to support you. You are not doing it alone. Um, so I think that helps a lot and then one big thing that I think that we do a little differently. It’s just the amount of time that we spend with each other. So we do see our students. Yeah, for our L. A one on one class, we see them every week. Our mentor see our students for group meetings and one on one meetings. We have events, we have socials. So there’s a lot of time toe, learn and grow, and I’m get to know each other. And I think it’s those small moments. Some some of them are planned, but a lot of them. It’s unplanned moments where you just have a really funny thing happened and then you learn a lot. And I think those little moments to that maybe we don’t record, um, make a huge impact on our students.

[0:24:06 Speaker 0] So not everybody eyes in the foundation scholars program. Obviously, not everybody is in the pace program, they can’t be unfortunately. So what advice do you have for students who maybe aren’t in one of these programs for how they can still get the best out of what the university has to offer for them?

[0:24:26 Speaker 2] Yeah, I think again, like we’ve been talking about, is making sure that you’re using the resource is, um your first and best resource for your class is your faculty member, right? Who is teaching that class like, make sure that you’re reading through the syllabus that you’re seeing what they suggest that you’re going toe office hours, office hours is one of the most powerful resource is you have in your entire collegiate experience, right? So making that connection with faculty also your academic advisor, that’s huge. If you don’t know the answer to something your academic advisor does, and if they don’t, they can point you in the right direction. So your academic advisor is a huge, huge resource for students. That is exactly what they’re there for. And there are, you know, like we’ve discussed, there are an intimidating amount of opportunities, and resource is here at the institution. You don’t have toe wade through all of them. Um, you have your academic advisors there to help you kind of understand what it is that you want that you’re interested in and pare it down for you and give you something a little bit more manageable. Thio deal with, um, but But the resources are there for all students, right? It’s there for you. And I think that even if you aren’t in a specific you know, Office of Student Success program, you absolutely can have the same experience of support. And resource is here at UT, particularly in the College of Liberal Arts.

[0:25:49 Speaker 3] I completely agree with J R. Explore your options early on, lean into some student org’s because you’ll be surprised what students are able to get into. And, you know, those students also have faculty contacts as well. So maybe it’s not the class that you’re taking right now, but it’s a class your friend is taking that they recommend, and they can get you connected with a faculty member. I completely agree. That’s the way to

[0:26:13 Speaker 0] go. So this question is, uh, we’re working from home. Most of the staff on campus, a lot of our classes air online. These these are unprecedented times. We can’t wait to get to precedented times, but until that happens, I’m kind of tired of this conversation where, like, uh, this is what we’re missing. This is what we won’t have. What are some things that this new reality has kind of been good for you, Uh, you know, how are how are things changing in a way that are allowing you to do things that maybe you couldn’t do before you didn’t do before And are hopefully going to be beneficial?

[0:26:51 Speaker 3] Yes. So I brought this up earlier today with our leads. I’ve been trying to use the phrase my cove. It come up on bond on The theory is behind it like creativity. Right? So this is allowing space for us to be super creative and thinking about how we can meet the goals that we have, um, get the outcomes that we’re looking for in a brand new way and being flexible with that. So there’s going to be a lot of trial and error. There’s going to be more assessments at the end of whether it’s events or in advising, meeting or whatnot. Um, but it’s it’s a beautiful thing. And I think the, you know, keeping in mind the glasses still have full. We still have classes and an institution. You still have a community that you can go to. Um, it’s just different and learning what’s nice about that learning what you appreciate about that. And I’ve been trying to model that with our mentors. So we’ll, we’ll see. Um and then I think, like being open and embracing. I say that I’m older, but being open and embracing some parts of technology and finding the fun parts for me sharing that with students and, um being open for them to give me feedback as well. So I think overall, it allowed me toe learn and grow again. And maybe this is a place where I can really relate to the students because, like we’ve all said, we don’t live in a bubble where we’re not feeling what’s happening, whether it’s with the pandemic or the climate nationally or being an election year, we’re all feeling it so we could all be human and showing that to our students, um, this in a different way. I think they appreciate that even though we’re not there in person, like I might just add an extra blurb or some sort of positive affirmation in an email or something like that. That helps out that Maybe I wouldn’t have done in an email. Maybe it’s something that they could get in class in person.

[0:29:05 Speaker 2] Yeah, I don’t have all of that. Um, I think one of the things that I try to remember about everything being different and unprecedented is what a beautiful opportunity it is for a closer look at how we do things, why we do things and what we’re doing, right? Like what a beautiful opportunity, Because there’s not as much, I think, noise right? And so that should give you so much more space to stop, breathe, slow down and say, OK, I’m going Thio, you know, look at these particular majors or classes or things because I find them interesting, not because it X is gonna lead me to Why dizzy? And if I take these exact classes, I will get this exact job, right? That’s not that’s never have the equation has worked, but I think now we have more space and time and flexibility. Like Jonah, Juliana was saying, We just have so much more flexibility. Thio curate our life and time and decisions and community. Um and and I think I’m in a very meaningful way. So

[0:30:12 Speaker 1] because it’s it’s weird, you know, like nobody knows what the world is going to look like in three or four months. We shouldn’t be expecting 18 year old 19 year old first year students to know what they’re going to do when they’re 35 like figure out right now. So, like, that’s never the point. Now, you absolutely, I changed my mind so many times. But, like take the classes that are interesting to you, take them when you want. Thio. There’s so much flexibility nowadays, Um, that was what I wanted to talk about like, and I think that focusing on the positives, the things that we do have is really, really beneficial. Thio getting through this as a community, there’s so many cool things to look forward to. There’s so many new technology and, um adaptations and accommodations that are coming out that there were definitely gonna be doing things differently from now on. And I think being able to look forward to that is a really great way to look at a global pandemic quality

[0:31:10 Speaker 2] over quantity. I think it’s forced us into a into quality over quantity in a way that we hadn’t been before.

[0:31:18 Speaker 0] Well, thank you all so much for being the first guests ever on our podcast for our first episode of sounds of success. Is there anything else you wanna share things you want to talk about or leave us some final wise thoughts? You wanna leave us with

[0:31:35 Speaker 3] seasons change, right? So I think just bringing us back to that, too, Like remembering that we’re in this space now. We’re in this uncharted, unprecedented, um, territory of a way of being, But knowing that at some point it will change and seasons change and reminding ourselves the opportunity of being in this season together and just like Jr said like, we this job and I don’t even know it’s like a purpose, right? So this purpose, this passion that we all have right now that we’re able to share with students, I’m so appreciated that I could be in this role during this season. Um, yeah, who knows what it look like later on, but I want to take complete advantage of it, and, um, I hope our students feel that support as well. But also feel that, um, you know, during this hard time that UT was there for them and that they belong here. And but, yeah, that’s the goal.

[0:32:40 Speaker 1] Well, we really appreciate having you all on our podcast. It was a really great experience to hear all of the things that your programs were doing to hear about the work that you’re doing and your students. It’s been a really great experience. Thank you all so much. It was wonderful. I felt so relaxed. It was really fun.

[0:32:59 Speaker 0] Thank you all for putting which together, Um, I’m excited to see what more Thio? Wow, What a great conversation. I really enjoyed that.

[0:33:16 Speaker 1] Yeah, I know what they had so many great things to say. Like I when Jair said your college education is for yourself, but you don’t need to do it by yourself. I think I if I were to go back in time and look at my 18 year old 19 year old self in the eyes, I would just scream that into her face because it is so important to realize that no matter how important it is for your college education to better yourself and the people around you. You should still work with the people around you and find your resource is find the people that will be there for you for the next four years or however long it takes you to graduate.

[0:33:59 Speaker 0] Yeah, I like her. She was talking about being intentional and having intention. And, you know, I know from my own experience and even in college, like, I didn’t really have an intention as to why I went to college other than it was like you were supposed to do it right, Like it’s

[0:34:12 Speaker 1] just like what

[0:34:13 Speaker 0] you do. Like you’ve been told all through high school, like the whole goal is college. So you go, Um but I really like that. That piece where she was talking about having having intention or being intentional about the choices that you make sure there’s classes that you have to take for your degree plan. But you could be intentional about the other classes you take right, like so, whether it’s exploring or, um, electives, or whether it’s trying to double major or trying to pick up a new skill, not just taking things just because you have to take I’m like doing doing the things that you’re doing in college for a reason. And if you don’t know what that reason is, like spending the time that we now have, right, because you’re not driving to and from campus, you’re not

[0:34:53 Speaker 1] gonna have

[0:34:53 Speaker 0] to walk across campus from class to class. Um, we do have more time, thio be with ourselves and be with our thoughts. And so, you know, if you’re doing something and you don’t know what the reason is spending some time to kind of figure that out?

[0:35:08 Speaker 1] Yeah, absolutely. I definitely had a lot of time to do that myself to even at the very beginning when everything was happening. Um, just in that time period where everything was on pause and we were working things out with our professor, I had quite a bit of time to really sit down with myself and think, What is it that I want when I graduate like graduations right around the corner? What else is there left for me to do? How can I better myself during this time? And I think that is one of the biggest perks of this unprecedented time is flexibility and extra time and extra creativity that you have because you’re pouring all of that back into yourself. You don’t need Thio get up super early and get ready and drive to campus and then walk to class and spent all day walking around in the sun. I used to call it University of Texas. That back sweat you no longer have to experience. That s so you could just University of Texas at your bed and think about what it is that you want to really, really focus on yourself and be intentional with your studies and your activities.

[0:36:17 Speaker 0] So with the positive side does also come this like, I don’t want to say negative, but like the other side of where, you know, things that were easier before or a little bit tougher now. And I think one of the big ones is developing these relationships with faculty members and staff members Onda again going back to this idea of intentionality. You kind of have to have an intention to to do that. Um, you know, and I don’t remember who it was. It was Jr Julianna. Or maybe it was even you, like don’t Don’t let the first time you interact with the faculty member being be a time that you’re asking for help, right? It’s so much easier to ask for help if you’ve established that relationship. And I think that’s such cornerstone advice for U T students. Um, you know, I I know I have my own experience with that. Like, do you ever have to ask help from a professor and how that went down? Or did you ever have toe to phone a friend?

[0:37:09 Speaker 1] I don’t know. I remember when I was an underclassman the first day of every semester after class, there was always just a line of students waiting thio like shake hands with the Professor and talk to the professor after class. And I realized that that may not be the best way to introduce yourself to your professor. If you’re just a student in the line of 20 other students trying to meet the professor on the first day of school right after class ends, they might not be able to remember you as well as if you were to go to their office hours. Every professor that I ever had as a freshman sophomore, especially those first two years. They really, really emphasize going toe office hours. Um, that is where you have one on one time with your professor is where you can have a really conversation with them and introduce yourself and you have to know them. And actually, when I was a sophomore, I was a mentor for Foundation Scholars program, and one of the lead mentors told me that she went to office hours for a professor and she was the only person all year to have gone to his office hours. And it was October at this point, and he was so excited he ordered a pizza and the two of them just sat there and ate their pizza and like play board games.

[0:38:23 Speaker 0] That’s an adorable story

[0:38:24 Speaker 1] because your professors, they are there for you, like they’re not just there to lecture and then read your essays and go home. They want to build that relationship with their students. They want to find, um, they want to find that passion within their students. You know, like professors or teaching. They go through years of academia in their specific fuel because they’re passionate about it. They would love to talk to you about it, too. So, like introducing yourself to your professor is really, really important, not only because they could be a resource later on, but also because they’re just really cool people. They’re really excited to talk about whatever it is that they teach. And so I always introduced myself within the first week or two of class, and honestly, sometimes after that, I would come in and make up questions just like a actually,

[0:39:17 Speaker 0] not a bad strategy.

[0:39:18 Speaker 1] Yeah, I e took the introduction Thio International Relations class my freshman year, and I wanted to do the honors program for my major in my senior year. And, um, my grades weren’t super hot freshman year, and so I was really worried. And so every single week, I would make up a question and goto office hours and asked that question. Even though I knew the answer. I was just looking for any excuse to go build that relationship. And then after that, every single semester until the time uh, came for me to apply, I would drop in every semester and I say, Hey, Doctor, blah, blah, blah like this is what I’ve been up to lately What if What about you? How are your classes going? Just so he would remember who I waas. It worked.

[0:40:02 Speaker 0] Keeping that relationship there? Yeah, it Z Mart. That’s really smart. Well, I think we’re just about out of time for today. So how you feeling about our first

[0:40:14 Speaker 1] episode? I feel great. I think that between Phil and I, we have quite a lot of jokes, quite a lot of different experiences. And we love to share what we have to say. We love toe. Look for other people with different views and different experiences to share were we are really just your biggest cheerleaders. And we hope that this podcast reaches you in a way that maybe an email might not. And so, um, if there ever any suggestions for topics or guests or anything at all, we would love to accommodate

[0:40:54 Speaker 0] that. Yeah, I agree. We’re figuring this out. There’s been a lot of fun, and I look forward to doing this again real soon if you made it this far in the podcast. Thank you all for sticking with us to the end. We really appreciate it, and hopefully you tune in for the next episode. Thank

[0:41:11 Speaker 1] you. Everyone had have a great