The Observer, March 30, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 22
One Foot Out the Door: Get involved without resume padding
For many of the seniors, this past month or so has been packed with interviews for graduate schools and employment opportunities. Inevitable in the exchange is the construction of a grand narrative suggesting that every event up to the big day has been a deliberate preparation for that particular interview.
These recent happenings have gotten me thinking about some purposeful events that should happen in the college experience not for the purpose of an impressive interview, but rather to enrich your time before leaving Case.
In no particular order, here are a few experiences you must attempt before graduating:
Change your social circle. Go to a party with red Solo cups, go to two without. It is too easy to get into a comfortable social niche similar to that of yours before coming here. Who knows, you may spend time with a CIA or CIM student! As mentioned in earlier articles, they do not bite.
Meet graduate students. Our undergraduate student body, with the exception of a few prodigies and avid co-opers, falls within the age of 17-23. What a small window of students to see everyday! What is it like to be in school when you're 30? Don't wait until you're there to find out.
Go abroad. There is really no excuse for every student not to study abroad for part of their education. We have nearly a dozen spring break trips globally as well as numerous funding opportunities (SOURCE, Experiential Learning Fellowships) to help you explore life outside of the country. If not an entire year, take a semester or even a summer; our university has one of the most accessible and accommodating study abroad policies, so use it!
Work in the admission office. If there are things you would like to see changed on campus, one of the best serious commitments to changing that is to help recruit students who represent your interests. You may become an admission intern and interview the students who apply here or even host a couple when they visit campus.
Learn another language. With Arabic being offered now, there is no shortage of courses available. And while our university allows us to sneak out of a language requirement through a couple different humanities, don't settle!
Take one anthropology course. Particularly if you are a pre-med student, take advantage of one of the best Medical Anthropology departments in the country. In particular, take a class taught by T.S. Harvey.
For the upperclassman, this final stretch of time at Case can be taken over by senioritis, so we leave these suggestions to those taking over the reins next year.
Ibrahim is a senior Medical Anthropology major who has just returned from a year abroad in London.
