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Fall is an exciting time on Purdue campus. One of the great ways to utilize the time off from school is to spend time with friends. Whether it’s on campus or back home, having time to unwind with the people closest to you is a great way to recharge and make memories that will last a lifetime. Explore West Lafayette Area  Some fun fall things to do near Purdue campus include checking out the corn maze at Exploration Acres, going apple picking at one of the nearby apple orchards, going to the Wolf Park north of campus, or simply having a bonfire. Get Ahead on Coursework Another thing to do during the time off is to get ahead on your coursework and organize a schedule for the coming weeks. Whether that’s tidying up your dorm room, creating a study schedule for upcoming exams, or getting ahead on next week’s homework, being able to take your time and organize can help create a stress free environment for the rest of the semester. Take a Trip to Purdue If you are still a prospective stu...

Starting your college career can be an intimidating thing to think about but also is an exciting step toward your future. The friendships you make and the experiences you have in college will stick with you forever. That being said, many new students ask the questions, “How do you make friends in college?” or “How do you know how to get involved on campus?”. At Purdue, the answer to this question can be Boiler Gold Rush! Boiler Gold Rush, BGR, is an orientation program that takes place the week before classes and consists of events and activities that teach you about the traditions and resources of Purdue. It also is a great way to begin friendships with your peers! You are placed in a group of about 15 other new students and are assigned a Team Leader, TL, who will stick with your group and guide you through the days of BGR.  This helps take away from the size of Purdue and give you a close network of people to get to know who live near you in the dorms. Your TL will take you to t...

My Study Abroad Experience Do you have a dream travel destination? Purdue has study abroad locations in over 45 different countries! Last summer I used this opportunity to travel to Italy for a 4 week long program and it was one of the most impactful experiences of my life. During the four week program, I took two communications courses through the College of Liberal Arts. That’s right, you don’t necessarily have to be in a major in the college that the study abroad program is through! These courses counted as general electives for my Biomedical Engineering plan of study and allowed me to make friends in different majors. Aside from the coursework of the study abroad program, I did a lot of exploring! This specific program had classes scheduled Monday through Thursday, leaving the weekend free for extra travel opportunities. Our program was located in the beautiful Siena, Italy which is part of the Tuscany region of Italy. The program focused on communication and culture and involved ...

It is the end of 2016! And with that comes the conclusion of a busy semester for all of us Boilermakers…. And finals. Final exams receive a lot of attention in college as they are usually a significant portion of your final grade in a class and therefore require that you spend an adequate amount of time preparing for them. However, amidst the stress of final exams, it is just as important to make sure to take study breaks as it is to study. Below are some tips for mastering finals week… Take breaks every now and then to keep your stress under control and help you gain a new perspective each time you come back to study. Here at Purdue, students find it very useful to utilize old exam archives for their classes to prepare for finals. Likewise, it is helpful to calculate your grades and determine which classes to prioritize studying. Make a study schedule by laying out specific times that you will work on practice exams for certain classes to help you time manage and prepare sufficient...

During your undergraduate time here at Purdue it can feel impossible to get your hands on some real deal experience with engineering. You may be told by some professors or people in general that you aren’t eligible for such experience, but don’t let this discourage you. There are many opportunities on campus with research that professors and graduate students are looking for undergraduate students to fill. Whether you’re a freshman or senior, there is a place for you to get hands on experience in a lab if you so desire. There are a few tips I can offer to students looking for undergraduate research. I love research as much as I love taking photos with Neil!  Research the research . Look online at the different projects each professor you’re interested in working with is doing and pick out key words or topics that you can elaborate your interest on. Decide on Your Fit Decide whether you would like to do research through a program like SURF or if you would like to do research during...

As a first year engineering student, choosing your engineering discipline can be daunting. Students enter First Year Engineering form a variety of positions in terms of their certainty of major choice. I have been interested in Biomedical Engineering since high school. The summer before my first year of college, I spent a lot of time researching the work that Biomedical Engineers do and the education process at Purdue. This research allowed me to confirm my desire to choose BME as my number one choice when the survey in spring came around. (The first week of February, all of the first year engineering students receive a survey email that they fill out with their top two choices of disciplines for the following years.) A friend of mine, Allison, had a different experience with her decision making process. She explains she was cautious to choose engineering in the first place but she always enjoyed math and science. For students still exploring, it is beneficial that Purdue has the gener...