It’s hard to believe that the seniors have just two weeks left of college. Seriously. But we grandmas learned so many lessons during our time at Carnegie Mellon and UXA that need to be shared :)
There is truly so much going on in HCI. Every time you think you have a good grasp on everything that’s happening, you learn about something new. While this is maybe intimidating, it should be twice as exciting. HCI overlaps with just about any other field you can think of, meaning there are endless opportunities and projects to get involved in. To that end, our suggestion is to get involved in as much HCI research as possible because there is seriously so much cool stuff happening.
Additionally, give yourself room to figure out what parts of HCI most interest you. Yes, this is your field of study, but being in HCI does not mean you have to be in every part of HCI. Feel free to pick and choose things that excite you!
Take advantage of CMU’s goated network, faculty, alumni, community. That’s what really sets us apart from other universities so use the resources that are provided to you! This can mean forming relationships with your professors, joining clubs (UXA teehee), talking to upperclassmen, etc. There is no better time to make connections in this community than during your four years here. As long as you are curious and willing to learn, there is no shortage of people who are waiting and wanting to talk to you. All you have to do is reach out.
There are so many amazing spaces and communities on campus that, while you can’t try them all, we encourage you to try as many things as possible. Especially underclassmen, we are talking to you! Go out and try things! Really take the time to explore various classes, activities, clubs especially during your freshman and sophomore years. Pivoting is normal… don’t be scared.
On the flip side, your “ticket” to try new things does not expire when you become an upperclassman. It can be intimidating to try new clubs and activities when you feel like you should have started earlier but push past that. There is no such thing as a community that is closed to non-freshman newcomers. If something is interesting, go do it. That’s it.
College is truly about so much more than getting the grades for the degree. Yes, you come to college to do school, but this time is also for personal development and becoming a human being. Give the personal growth side of college the time and space it deserves. We spend so much more time out of class than we do in, and you can spend that time learning about yourself! That includes everything from figuring out which of your clothes can and can’t go in the dryer, to finding passions and people that you can’t imagine being without. Slow down, enjoy it, and reflect as you go.
That’s it for our senior soapbox. Be sure to think on our advice, it’s rude to ignore your elders :)
Thanks for a great few years, UXA ❤️
Love,
👵👵👵 Gabi, Alana, Elin, Carissa, and the rest of your UXA seniors