To be completely honest, I
have no idea where the time has gone. It seems like just yesterday I was
stepping foot on Purdue’s campus and thinking, “Yeah, I could spend the next 4
years of my life here.” So, I did. Purdue was absolutely my first choice, I felt a special connection with the campus and the engineering program had
an amazing reputation. Who could say no? I received my acceptance on Friday,
December 13, 2013, the date stays in my mind because it felt like a bad omen.
However, it turned out to be the best thing to happen to me.
Over the past 4 years at
Purdue, I have had 4 leadership positions, 3 summer internships, 2 campus jobs,
and been involved in numerous clubs and organizations. When I tell people how
much I have been a part of on campus, they look at me like I’m crazy (well, maybe
I am a little bit). To me, I saw it more as fun and excitment, and I’ve
enjoyed every minute of it. Even outside of school I’ve done some really entertaining things. In
2015, I went to Indianapolis for the March Madness Final Four Concerts. In 2017,
I went to Questival, a fun scavenger-hunt-type event. I’ve been in Indy many
other times just to shop and explore. I’ve had so much fun in and out of Purdue
that I ran out of memory on my phone from all the pictures I was taking!
Purdue has provided me with so many
opportunities that I don’t think I would have had anywhere else. Every time I
talk to a family or someone who has asked me about my Purdue experience, I tell
them this: between the Women in Engineering Program (WIEP), Society of Women
Engineers (SWE), Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), Purdue
Student Engineering Foundation (PSEF), Purdue Engineering Student Council
(PESC), and so many other organizations on campus, I have been given endless
opportunities. I’ve networked with companies, been invited to countless
interviews, and had dinners with various company recruiters. I’ve never had a
shortage of opportunities, and I barely took advantage of everything available to me – I've hardly even scratched the surface.
My best advice is this: get
involved but don’t overwhelm yourself. This is the best four-ish years of your
life. Make sure you’re focused with classes, but most importantly ENJOY LIFE AT
PURDUE.
-Marissa Marks
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