To Freshman, From Seniors

The beginning of a new school year brings in a flood of new talent, better known as freshmen. This talent, although
raw, merits some attention and this article is dedicated to aiding them through their college experience and to ensure them a successful four, five, six or seven years at Georgia Tech.

As the ones with the most experience, CoC seniors were asked to provide some counsel for Computer Science and Computational Media first years. Much of the advice was academically related; Antonio Salazar(CS) recommends that you, “Take classes you need early so you can take classes you like later.” while Matt Gwaltney (CS) says, “Get to know the advisors.” Some seniors offer more specific advice for classes. Donna Yoo (CS) encourages you to “Take Morley for Combo. Take Morley for any classes he teaches if possible”, while Carlos Rios (CM) says, “For CM, I suggest User Interface Design as a CS specialty course because it deals with both visual and interactive
design, which is relevant to our major.” When dealing with academics it is important to be aware of degree requirements and where they are located.

Our academic advisors (Kathy Earwood and Cathy Dunnahoo) are very helpful and are located in CCB 119 and 115 respectively. Other resources regarding academics include the Georgia Tech catalog, Oscar and the SGA course critique; all of which can be found online. Besides focusing solely on academics like many Georgia Tech students are inclined to do, Doug Morgan (CS) recommends that you “Don’t take classes too seriously”, while others, such as Brian O’Conner (CS) are more persistent in that regard with his recommendation “Get a life. Do something else besides CS.” What is important to remember is that in college, besides growing intellectually, students should also grow socially. Being social introduces a balance between work and play; which leads to less of a burn out from all night coding sessions( current known record is 34 hours).

The best way to be socially active is to be around people; this includes joining an organization, going to events or taking an options class. Advertising for options classes and organizations often happen at the beginning of each semester. Most options classes have a deadline for registration but fortunately, most organizations are happy to accept members any time of the year. Events happen throughout the school year and it is helpful to keep an eye out for any flyers or chalkings that might be in the area.

Vinutha Prabhakar (CS) says “Try to meet as many people as you can. Make a lot of connections!” Networking is one of the most important things that one can do. Make acquaintances and build relationships; you never know when you’ll need them. In the vein of professional development, Johannes Liem (CS) recommends that students should “Start researching or working early.” Whether you are heading off to graduate school or jumping right intothe work force, research and work experience are important assets to your resume. Besides giving a boost ahead of other candidates, it shows employersthat there is an initiative to do more than what is required.

For work opportunities, be aware of upcoming career fairs and such through the CareerBuzz website. Besides those resources, look into the Co-Op Program which interweaves three semesters of work into four years of school. Research is a popular option with many Georgia Tech students and CoC students should look at UROC (Undergraduate Research Opportunities in Computing); the research program devoted to computing.

College will be one of the best chapters of your life and while Georgia Tech is an institution of academia, it does have other things to offer. If you’re not sure what you are passionate about, join some extracurricular activities because the time to discover that is now. Challenge yourself because after you leave, you might not have that chance. Dare to push yourself further and do something different but also know your limits. At the end of your undergraduate years, I hope you would have found your life’s direction. Good luck and have a great