A Beginners Survival Guide to SPIA

Hi everyone! My name is Kanika Patel, and I am a third-year international affairs major at SPIA. When entering SPIA, I was overwhelmed with the amount of opportunities offered here, and I wanted to give you guys a few pieces of advice that I wish I had known.
1. Take the required INTL classes during your freshman year. I got all my prerequisites done by the end of my freshman year, which allowed me to take courses that I thought were interesting for the rest of my time here, including international law and international contract. Taking the prereqs during your freshman year opens up extra spots for other electives that you think sound fun and something you would be interested in. Doing this was a personal preference, so take this advice with a grain of salt.
2. Go to office hours and put effort into class. SPIA faculty are there to support you, they will become your champions but only if you try. I remember the minute I started participating and reaching out to my professors; I enjoyed attending class. More than that, building relationships with your professors allows you to have detailed and personal letters of recommendation for the future.
3. Apply for everything. Do not let the idea that just because you are a freshman or because you think you may not get in stop you from applying. Apply to that internship, try out for that club, and put yourself out there. You can not truly enjoy and get out of SPIA what you deserve if you do not put yourself out there and take what is being given to you.
4. Have fun, and everything will work out. One memory that comes to mind is being so focused on worrying about my midterm freshman year that I freaked out on test day and forgot everything. However, when I got the grade back, I was pleasantly surprised, and I learned that I need to trust myself and the work I put in throughout the year to participate and stay on track. I promise everything will work out in the end, and as long as you put in the work ahead of time, life at SPIA will be amazing.
Being in college is hard, but everyone at the School of Public and International Affairs is here to help you succeed; ask for help. Good luck!