July + August
Hey Lima Lovin' Crew! What’s up!! Thanks for dropping by :). Hope the wait for my next post wasn’t too long (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻. So, I’ll be starting college at the end of this month which is why my monthly newsletters will be short, sweet, and simple for the first couple months! It’ll be an adjustment living on campus and taking rigorous classes, but thankfully I’m adaptable, so it should be a cake walk… hopefully (✿◡‿◡)
Let’s get right into it!
I spent this month at the Academic Success Program (ASP), taking classes at Columbia to prepare me for the fall, and it was one of the hardest, yet enjoyable experiences. I was mainly focused on academia and figuring out study techniques to make way for projects I want to start in the fall.
Studying ✏📝:
I tried out the traditional forms of studying like re-writing notes, re-doing in class practice problems, and reading the textbooks.
I found that 33% of this approach was completely ineffective - I can’t do the same questions over & over again and expect a boost in performance when they’re the same questions and same problem solving approach that I’m already familiar with + re-reading the textbook, when I don’t recall information that way, was a bogus use of time.
What to really do ✨😉:
Skim the class material before lectures because you’ll be able to understand what’s being taught since you’ve gained a vague familiarity with terms and key concepts. It is a game changer when it comes to thoughtful classes like physics or chemistry.
Don’t re-do the same problems and THAT’S IT. The concept you learn may be the same, but the difference lies in how the questions are problem-solved.
Definitely wish me luck as I start Columbia very soon! I will be learning effective study techniques soon 😤.
Networking Event 🤝:
The Columbia staff put together a visit to Google Facilities at Pier 57 to meet professionals and gain insight about the professional workplace and tips to starting Columbia off with the right foot.
I spoke with Sam Greenfield, a Senior Staff Software Engineer at Google over lunch, and it was a rewarding experience. I learned the caveats of being in college, and the real benefits it has on my future like finding and having a circle of people with the same vision as you, the resources to start businesses and the many ways to raise funding for my work, and also many places to visit outside of New York ✌
I spoke with Chrissy Larson, a strategist and storyteller. My external meeting with Chrissy was one of the most necessary and unexpected meetings of all time. I received so many pieces of advice that I could have never asked for, especially as a freshman in college 🎯
🔗Self-trust: A lack of proper decision making stems from a lack of trust someone has. If I don’t have the internal ability to know the best for myself, I’m not going to make a favorable decision.
✅ Right vs. Wrong Path: The path we decide to take in life can’t be categorized as something right or wrong. Whatever path we take in life depending on our resources, goals, and aspirations is what makes up said path. It isn’t necessarily a wrong one if you’re being challenged, like taking difficult classes in a meant-to-be challenging environment, and it isn’t a right one either if you have a booming business but no meaningful family time.
🌊Life experiences: No one can live your own experiences for you except you. So, even though your family might have different views/values about the path you take in life - this should not deter you from taking the unconventional path you seek.
✨Value: The value you have is not in the prestige of where you are, what your status is, and what your achievements are. Simply being in the world, having our unique characteristics, ideas, thoughts, and aspirations is more than enough. Your own self-worth is not based on others opinions’ nor is it based on your possessions or material wealth - it’s based on your intrinsic worth as a human being.
Side-Quests during the months 💖:
I visited the MET, the top of the empire state building, and watched the beautiful sunset on a grateful universe 💎🟣
I went to watch Deadpool and Wolverine in the theaters ( probably the best movie in MCU history, but obviously second to infinity war + endgame)
I visited family for a week, went to the movies yet again, and spent some quality time with everyone, before going back to Columbia to start classes the next week!
These past two months at university was spent working on academics. But stay tuned folks, because Columbia is a sea of opportunities that I will be seizing. When there’s a will, there’s a way 😉