5 Tips (plus a bonus tip) to Make the Most Out of Your Undergraduate Experience

Hello everyone! My name is Kristal Orta Martinez and I am the new All Ways Up intern for this summer. A little background on me — I just graduated from UCLA (where’s my 2017 AWU Cohort? We did it!) with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in Disability Studies. This Fall I will be heading to Vanderbilt for my Master’s of Education in Special Education and ABA (this will be my first time living out of CA for more than a month— afraid but excited!)

Thank you for reading my quick introduction! Let’s get to the good stuff. Keep reading because I will be discussing tips/advice for undergrad!

Tip#1: Take a step back and reevaluate why you’re doing what you’re doing and if you’re happy/content

I knew I wanted to be a doctor from the age of seven and my parents pushed and supported me to follow that path. My first year at UCLA, I was pre-med and came in as a Neuroscience major. Being a woman in STEM at such a huge university, I struggled more than I allowed anyone to know. Instead of evaluating my position and weighing my options, I continued to be pre-med and barely passed my classes. It was not until I took a step back and reached out to my general counselor that I realized I had other options that would still allow me to reach my goals. While I was struggling in my biochemistry and physics classes, I was acing all my history and disability studies classes (general education requirements). I was too focused on pushing through and did not take into account my own happiness and sanity. Why was I forcing myself to be pre-med if I was unhappy? Being first-generation, the careers you are exposed to are engineering, medicine, teaching, or law and having to let go of your parents' dreams for you seems like the scariest decision at that moment.

Tip #2: Be patient with your family and try to find a community in college that you can lean on

While I was struggling through many of the STEM classes, my mom did not know. When I would say that I was stressed from school, she would just say, “Echale ganas” and “I know if anyone can do it, you can.” And while that was all great, it’s not what I needed at that moment. I could not share with her my struggles because she would not understand the pressures of college. This is what it means to be first-generation. You do not have your parents to lean on for emotional support because, in my case, it would just cause them to worry— or worse, allow them to tell you it’s okay to quit from the fear of the emotional toll it was taking on you. Be patient with your family as it is not their fault that they did not have the opportunities to reach where you are. Find your community at your college to be able to discuss these things with— classes, grades, internships, grad school, research, etc., because they will help you get through and enjoy your time there as it is limited.

Tip #3: Everything happens for a reason, so enjoy your time in college

When I switched from Neuroscience to History during my junior year, it was the best decision I could have made. I was able to balance my classes with other opportunities in college that made me happy. I became passionate about research and found the career path I wanted to take. Had I stayed a Neuroscience major, I would not have had the time to join three different research labs and conduct my own independent research project. I was able to receive over 15k in funding for my research. I was being PAID to do what I loved and it felt like everything was falling into place— everything happens for a reason. You just have to let it all happen.

Tip #4: Make connections! Network! Do it!

It’s true what they say, no matter what your GPA is or what your major is, connections are the most valuable thing you can leave college with. When applying to grad school, I had over six professors that I had met during my sophomore and junior years ready to write me a letter of recommendation . The reason I had so many people I could ask for a letter was because I conducted research with them (they were my femtors), I took a class with them, or I was interested in their research, emailed them, and incorporated their papers into my research projects. It’s really that simple but so invaluable. Especially if you’re considering professional or graduate school, those letters hold so much weight in your application. When I applied to Vanderbilt, I had the option to include 5 letters, so I did. I had friends who were struggling to find three strong letter writers (strong being the operative word). I got into all my programs, they did not. Connections matter.

Tip #5: Get involved in things you’re interested in! So what if it has nothing to do with what you want to do in the future?

I cannot stress this enough! Partake in things that will allow you to develop transferable skills! I knew I wanted to continue with research (Master’s and then a PhD) but I still did things that would add to my resume/CV. Aside from research and academics, I interned at a Disability Law firm, I was a babysitter, and I was a Teaching Assistant for a wet lab. All these positions are on my CV and show that I have skills that branch away from research but provide valuable skills and experiences.

Bonus tip: Have a signature curated at the end of your email!

This is what I had all of college as my signature and it helped in setting me apart from other undergraduate students.

Best,

Kristal Orta Martinez |Pronouns: She/her/ hers

University of California, Los Angeles | College of Letters and Science

Class of 2021 | B.A. History | Disability Studies Minor

Ronald E. McNair Research Scholar | CART Sigman Scholar | URFP Scholar

(323) 222-2222

I hope these tips will help you in the future and add to the amazing journey you are about to begin/ continue!

-Kristal