This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FIU chapter.
Age: 19
Year : Junior
Major: Hospitality Management
What are some of your involvements around Campus?
“I think it’s safe to say that I’ve become addicted to involvements because ever since I started at FIU I haven’t been able to stop! So far I’ve been a Peer Advisor, Dance Marathon Morale Captain, Panther Camp Facilitator, Rho Gamma, and member of Order of Omega. This year I’m currently serving as a Peer Advisor Coordinator, one of DM’s Directors of Planning and Brand Ambassador for a website called The Skimm . I’m also Tau Kappa Epsilon’s philanthropy sweetheart, better known as Apollo’s Goddess and have held a few positions within my own sorority – Alpha Xi Delta.”
What have you learned from those involvements?
“T I M E M A N A G E M E N T. Over the years I’ve developed a serious relationship with my agenda. It has every single event, meeting, and study session it, plus it’s all color coded. Prioritizing the things on my to-do list is probably just as important. It’s okay to not go to every party or social event on your calendar if you have more important things to get done.
I’ve also learned how important it is to make time for yourself. Running around with an agenda stacked with things to do can be exhausting and it’s so easy to feel burned out by the things I love to do. Making time for myself to relax and breathe is essential when I have a lot on my plate, even if I have to remind myself to do it!”
If you could change one thing about your time at FIU what would it be?
“Probably the amount of time I have left. It seems like just yesterday that I was at my own orientation, picking classes and thinking about what I want to do at FIU. Two years later, I’m now thinking about graduate schools and it almost doesn’t feel real sometimes. I still have some time left, though, and I want to make sure I’m making the most of every minute.”
What is your absolute favorite FIU memory?
“I can’t pick just one! If I had to narrow it down it’d be a tie between representing FIU at the Southern Regional Orientation Workshop (SROW) while I was a Peer Advisor and running home to my sorority for a second time this past Bid Day. A moment I’m especially looking forward to is working my younger brother’s freshman orientation this upcoming summer.”
Do you have any advice for new freshman?
“If there’s one thing I can share with incoming students it’s to find something on campus that interests you and get involved in it – even if you don’t think you’d be good at it or that you will like it at first. My friends can tell you I have a huge fear of rejection, and it’s almost stopped my from applying for some of the positions that I have had on campus. Looking back, I can’t imagine where I would be if I had let that fear hold me back. You won’t get every position you apply for, but you’ll never know if you don’t take that chance!”
If you ask a child what makes a super hero, they would most likely describe a person who flies, wears tights and a red flashy cape. Although this hero does not fit into this criteria, she does embody the quote “Not all heroes wear capes.” With tremendous amounts of involvements, maintaining amazing grades, a social life, and having time for sleeping and eating, there is no possible way that Kaitlyn Woods is human.