There are a number of things you can do to not remain stagnant during summertime such as. internships, side projects, community service, etc. My favorite way of staying sharp and disciplined over the summer is by taking summer classes. Summer classes are productive for a number of reasons. Whether you’re taking them at Virginia Tech, or transferring them in from some other institution, summer classes guarantee some universal benefits. Firstly, many of them can be taken from t

As an engineering student, one of the best experiences you can have under your belt is a strong engineering project. Of course, during the school year, this can occur naturally through design teams, classwork, and just venturing into the studio one day. However, over the summer, it can be difficult to add engineering experience to your curriculum. If you’re not interning or taking summer classes, you should consider working on a side project! Now that you’ll be done with you

If you haven't got an internship by the end of this freshman year, don't feel bad - a solid majority of freshman engineering students are in the same position, and many companies only take rising juniors and above. Combine that with the fact that Freshmen haven't declared their major yet, and with the minimal experience that comes with only having one year under your belt, it's no surprise. Next semester though? You can expect to have much better luck. You'll have your experi

It might seem a bit early to start thinking about Sophomore year, considering that Freshmen year is not even over yet, but before you know it, you will have taken your last exam and officially be a Sophomore in college. This will be a great accomplishment, as Freshman year is viewed by many as the most challenging year, mainly because of being in a new environment, being away from family, and having to undergo a big lifestyle change. This aspect of Freshman year is what enhan

Virginia Tech is quite a big campus. Being able to get around is important for being on time for your events, classes, clubs, or whatever else is keeping you busy. And thus, how you get around is equally important. Services like google maps are your friends with navigation but don’t tell you really what the best options are. Popular choices are riding the buses, driving, biking, or skateboarding. All of which are great options in respective situations, though lack effectivene

For a majority of students at Tech, summer is a break, but the biggest hang ups can be how you go from dorm life, or apartment to home. This transition is hard, or rather the packing is, so here are some tips and tricks to packing. Secure the valuables, first thing is first the stuff you need and the stuff that’s valuable need to go in first, computers, laptops, and calculators. Putting stuff around fragile items like clothing can go a long way to their longevity. Larger valu

Going of to summer there’s a lot of freedom, and any student should use this time to at least relax a little. But, it’s important to know what you should be doing, what you probably shouldn’t do, and especially how not to lose all the information you’ve been trying to get in your head from August to May. Here are a couple of ideas on how to make that all happen. The first things you should be doing is taking this opportunity to get back to family, talk to old friends, and enj

I decided to grab Soumo Dutta, one of my fellow Aerospace Engineers and another mentor with Galileo, to ask him a few questions. Why did you decide to major in Aerospace Engineering? Childhood fascination. The Udvar-Hazy Air and Space museum annex was a place I visited as a kid. At the time the Concorde was one of the biggest attractions there. It just looked completely different from everything else, and its overall design intrigued me. I thought that the fact that it still

It may not feel like it now, but there's really not a ton of time left before this semester is over and you're all done with classes. While I'm sure you're looking forward to a little time off, to a summer job, or perhaps even an internship, it's always a good idea to make sure you keep your engineering skills sharp and at the ready - because classes only get more difficult from here. Here's a couple of options you could explore to stay sharp and stay involved in the engineer

Things have started warming up around here. Everything’s green, and people are out relaxing and playing games on the quad. It’s starting to feel more and more like summer is on its way, but it’s not here just yet - first, our Galipatians will have to battle their way through final exams. Finals are always a bit rough - they're incredibly significant to a student's grade, and while they aren't necessarily that much harder than standard exams, they tend to be a bit longer and a