This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter.
Everyone feels busy from time to time, but some people have made busy a way of life.
Eileen Chen is a junior studying – ready for this – Business Management, Chinese
Language, and Psychology. As if three majors wasn’t enough, Eileen has held multiple
Panhelenic positions, and is an active member of Sigma Delta Tau and the entire Greek
society. She is currently a research assistant for the Schmidt clinic here at FSU, a member
of Psi Chi (a Psychology honor society), the Ignite party, and to top it all off, has
studied abroad in China.
HC: What made you decide to triple major, and why these three specifically?
Eileen: I did IB Psychology in high school so I already built a solid foundation of credits
so it only made sense to continue to pursue my interests once I got to college. I did
Chinese because of my family heritage and it has also been something that I’ve always
wanted to learn. I also travel back and forth to China to see my family so it really helps
knowing the language. Finally Business Management because it is what I eventually want
to build and own international hotels and bars.
HC: How do you manage to keep all of your time commitments straight?
Eileen: I honestly love to be busy and do not need a lot (if any free time). I probably
don’t get as much sleep as I should, but I get enough to effectively function. I sacrifice
lounge time for the chance to participate in everything I want to and in the end that’s the
most important thing to me. But school always comes first and I try to base a different
activity to do each day of the week from there.
HC: What advice would you offer freshman about time management and getting
involved on campus?
Eileen: The completely hypocritical advice would be DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. It’s
not worth the added stress. Try doing a little bit of what you need to get done everyday
and things wont seem as daunting anymore. Fill out applications. There is so much free
money out there that so few people apply for, apply for literally everything. You won’t
get most of them but its good practice and if you are diligent you’d be surprised what you
can achieve.
HC: What has been your most rewarding achievement in college so far?
Eileen: My most rewarding achievement thus far in college has been joining a sorority
and accepting my first position in the sorority as Jr. Panhellenic Delegate. It really laid
the groundwork for the rest of my involvement and gave me the confidence to get more
involved on and off campus.
HC: Would you recommend it to other collegiate women?
Eileen: I would literally pay for someone’s study abroad just so they could go. I get goose
bumps just thinking about my experience. Study abroad literally changed my life and I
wish it was required at this school.
HC: What are your plans for the rest of your college career and after?
Eileen: I plan on running to be on the executive board serving my sorority and
influencing the Greek community as best I can. I would like to study abroad once more
before I graduate but this time as a mentor for the same program that I participated in in
summer of 2012. I plan on graduating with 3 majors and a minor and from there on apply
to Wharton School of Business for graduate school.