As a senior at UIC about to graduate with a BA in Psychology, I look backupon my experiences as an undergraduate with overall satisfaction.  But there are several things that I wish I had known sooner, that would have been of great advantage to me.  These are the top five things I wish I had known as a sophomore.
 

1.              Get to know everyone that you can; this includes not only professors, but teaching assistants, graduate students, and peers as well.  The more people that you get to know, the greater the possibility of networking will be.  It is important to establish relationships with professors so that they can get to know you and be of help to you during your studies at UIC, and can help you with letters of recommendations in the future.  The more professors and TA's that you get to know, who get to know you beyond your grade point average, the more fulfilling your undergraduate career will be.  It is a good general rule to get to know one professor each semester.  But it is also important to get to know people in your classes and in organizations, because joining groups and clubs can open you up to greater opportunities to get involved and get experience within a group.  Getting to know other people will also enhance the sense of belonging that you have at UIC, which can oftentimes seem like a cold, commuter campus.
2.              Another thing I wish I knew as a sophomore was how important it is to get involved in research.  I wish I had started my research involvement sooner, because it would have allowed me more time to get to know the professor and her graduate students, learn more about the project, and give me chances to conduct my own research projects.  An easy way to begin is to go to Psi Chi's Matchmaker, an event at the beginning of each semester, which showcases different faculty and their research projects and allows you to contact them about becoming involved.  Being involved in research is crucial to any psychology student, because through it you gain experience and skills that will be needed in graduate school and future careers.  It also allows you to learn what you enjoy, or do not enjoy, doing within the field, and allows you the chance to develop your strengths and areas of interest.  It also gives you a great opportunity to develop close relationships with professionals in the field.
3.              Volunteering is another thing that is important to get involved in early.  I joined the InTouch Crisis Hotline through UIC, by taking Psychology 394 for a semester, which trains students to be crisis hotline paraprofessionals.  This opportunity has been an amazing experience for me, but I did not take this class until last semester.  If I had known about this great opportunity and joined sooner in my undergraduate career, I would have been able to have more time working as a hotline volunteer.  Taking Psychology 394 as soon as possible, and becoming a crisis hotline volunteer, is definitely a valuable experience for any psychology majors interested in a career within the field.
4.              Another thing I wish I had known as a sophomore was not to put all my eggs in one basket.  There were times when it seemed like one paper, or one test, was all that mattered, but focusing all my attention on that one thing eventually took away from other classes and important activities.  One test, one paper, will not make or break your undergraduate career.  It is important to do well in school, but to also know that every paper, every class, is important, and to not lose hope if you don't ace one test, or you don't do stellar on a paper.  This advice also comes in handy when applying to graduate schools and jobs as well.  Know all your options, and don't apply only to one school, or one job, just because it is your favorite.  The more places you apply to, the greater your chances are of being able to continue on with your passion in psychology.  Putting all your eggs into one basket can end up hurting you in the long run.
5.              Join Psi Chi.  I joined the fall of my senior year, and while I am very glad I did so, I wish I had known about the benefits of joining sooner.  By joining it so close to my graduation from UIC, I was not able to get involved in any positions, or take advantages of as many scholarship opportunities, as I would have if I had joined sooner as an undergraduate.  Psi Chi is something every psychology major should strive to be a member of, and the earlier you join, the more you can get out of your membership.

             As I get ready to leave my undergraduate career at UIC behind, I look forward to my future in graduate school and beyond.  I hope that these five things can be beneficial to anyone out there who is in need of advice and guidance on how to get involved, and what to do during your undergraduate education.  These five things will be sure to enhance your education and your experiences here at UIC

Melanie D'Andrilli