There are many things under the sun that a young and outgoing college student can do during the summer: lie out at the beach, go to concerts, sleep, go dancing, and sleep. But no, you are a pre-professional student. This is not the time to wait idly before the start of next semester to develop and excel in your classes; excel this summer! If you are staying near the vicinity of Lexington after your spring semester passes, there are limitless way to get your hand dirty. Since the majority of the campus will leave for vacation, take advantage of the greater availability you will have to your advisors, admissions officers, and volunteer coordinators. One of the main places I am referring to are the vast amount of hospitals still looking for students to volunteer after the semester expires. I personally recommend St. Joseph Hospital’s Emergency Room Shadowing Experience. This gives you the chance to volunteer and shadow for 10 hours straight in there three different branches…probably the easiest way to tell if you want to be in the health care field in the first place.

This next tip is more of a preparation for the future, but many pre-professional students invest their summer time into summer research internships. The buckets of opportunities for you to work at any university runs rampant if you stay ahead of the ball in applying. Most research internships, by now, have made their selections so the key work during your 2013 summer would be in preparing a game plan as to which program you wish to apply to for summer 2014. One of the most competitive and prestigious programs is the REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) program supported in various institutions all around the country. Applications for those usually open up in late January or early February; in other words, once your spring semester is already in full swing. You simply will not have the time to make a conscious effort while managing your classes and more pressing matters so having the top 3 or 5 programs you will solely focus on is the best idea. I recommend beginning with a stock essay discussing your goals in doing research, lifetime professional goals, and any current projects you are involved in to use as a foundation for the majority of essays asked with these types of programs. Additionally, have in mind a list of 3-5 faculty members you believe could write a strong recommendation letter for your application to these programs. You will rely quite extensively on this list of people so be thoughtful of their time and make them aware of your request for a letter at least 2 weeks in advanced from the program deadline. Yes, volunteering and intense research preparation may not be the most exciting things, but just make great use of those short 123 days before beginning your fall semester. 

The original plan was for me to discuss tips in avoiding sickness during the 1^st winter weeks back at school, but I think WebMD and other sites have babbled enough on this topic. Instead, I wanted to share and perhaps get some advice on a proper timetable and action plan for financing my future academic year in the fall.

For those that are dependent in funding from sources besides your parents, I highly recommend looking into your next semester ASAP in the following ways:

1. The FAFSA application has already been released for the next academic year. Priority deadline to apply is February 15 though my financial advisor says to finish it quickly because most pools of funding dry out quickly so apply early to have a greater chance in receiving more financial aid.
   1. NOTE: Make sure you have your financial paperwork and those of your parents (e.g. W-2’s) at your disposal ASAP! This is a huge timesaver.
2. Pay attention to campus politics. Not only would you get involved with the institution you are spending 4 or more years at, but increasing prices on tuition is becoming a habit. Knowing how much your semester would cost you is the first step in realizing how much aid you will need to come up with.
3. If you were honored with specific academic or need-based scholarships ensure you will fulfill the necessary requirements to keep the funds coming back for next year.
4. Many departments in your major/minor are offering scholarships relating to your academics, extracurricular (e.g. research), or financial need. The College of Arts & Sciences is one of the biggest sources for these types of scholarships so be sure to do your own research!

Ciao,

Roberto 

Since I am only in Germany for 4-weeks, my program is jam packed with activity after activity. In most occasions this is great, here are some ex’s:

Ø  Berlin Zoo (ooooh a plecostomus)

Ø  Wittenberg

Ø  Potsdam Adventure Park/Rope’s Course (feel the burn!)

Ø  Open Concert by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

The last activity on the list, however, carried a pretty interesting evening. After awkwardly smashed against Berliners in the rain for 30 minutes, I proceeded to enter the OUTDOOR Olympic stadium where the groups annually play. Before the procession of beautiful music, I spent my time arranging the perfekt tent using my umbrella and a few pages of Deutsch Vogue. Although showers of rain or neighbors grunting to my overwhelmingly intrusive umbrella constantly interrupted me, I enjoyed a glorious hour of orchestral gold that was simply unforgettable. Such a sad/annoying/awesome time! (picture is me wiith another lovely member from the trip, Brooke Wilson)

Hello fellow Arts&Science’ers! I am studying abroad through the Discover Germany Program at the University of Kentucky, an exchange program that offers a 4-week introduction to studying abroad and emersion of German culture in Berlin, Germany. Therefore, I have decided to create a smallish blog series on my adventure to not only share in my hopefully interesting entries, but to catalog this life-changing experience. Thus far, my trip has begun with a set of already new experiences. The journey commenced with a lesson or two on how to navigate air traveling in regards to packing and proper etiquette (it’s kind of awkward to sleep/eat/sit next to a stranger for an 8 hour flight). After flying for a total of 12 hours, I can confidently mark that off the bucket list.Till next time! (The picture below is myself with a fellow member of the program—Tisis Shalise—after our painfully long flight…don’t we look great!)

If you have read my bio, which I assume you all of course have done, I briefly mentioned my longing for any good reads and the lack of time that always prevents this need from being fulfilled during the semester. Through the glory of seasonal breaks, however, I was given a morsel of precious time that I willingly sacrificed for some recreational reading. Although I read this book some time ago, I felt it was due a revisit so that I may be able to share the brilliance I found it to be with all of you eager minds. The book is called "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks." Please neglect its long title because it is totally worth a glance for those that are interested in entering the medical field or cellular research. So now that it's summer time, I encourage all of you to pick up this book and delve into this truly riveting story.