Ben tells us about the the honors college system at UMD and whether there is a difference between those who are in the honors college versus those who are not.
Part 1 is here.
Transcription
Kamila
Hey college kids. Welcome back to my podcast. Who cares about college? This is part two of my interview with Ben. So if you have not checked out part one, make sure to do that. Subscribe and check out my blog, a college kid.com For more college related content on there, but other than that, I hope you enjoy
Okay, so we went through the college process, we’re done with that now you’ve got gotten into UMD. So can you tell me about the first day first week coming into you MD? And since it is a really big school? Like, can you tell us how that kind of had an impact on how you made friends went around?
Ben
Yeah, so it was actually funny. Because this is like the first week of my last semester, and I was like, looking back in my pictures from like, my first week of freshman year. So I’m in like a Honors Program. And so kind of like made a group of friends like through that, at least to begin with, just like people, I’m that kind of like through our mini orientation. Um, so that helped. Um,
Kamila
can you first before you continue? Can you talk a little bit about the Honors College in Maryland? And like, how it works? How many how you get in how it’s different from the rest of UMD students who are not in the Honors College? And are the people in Honors College? Is there like a huge difference between an average UMD student in an honors Honors College student?
Ben
Difference? Absolutely not. Yeah, not really. The difference between the two, between Honors College and kind of a general is that basically honors, there’s like, more specialized programs that you can be even though there’s, there’s University Honors, which is like General, and you just kind of have like an honors citation on your transcript, you have access to a couple of different classes, to take through that license, cool seminars. Um, then it was the one that I that I’m in called a gemstone program, which is a four year research. Capstone basically. So your freshman year, you start kind of putting together a research project and do like real, like high level research on it for the next two years. And in a year, write a whole thesis. So we’re doing that right now, which is exhausting. Um, then there’s, they just got rid of one that was like an entrepreneurship program. Um, there’s one about biology, one about computer science, and then one about humanities. And then I think one about like, graphic design, or something. Not totally sure what’s going on there. Um, so my dorm, like, the first couple floors, were all kids in gemstone, my honors program. So it was like, you know, kind of cohesive. We also like, you know, the dining hall was like, right behind my doors, we would kind of all go there. I’m like, not friends at all. With the kids. I was friends with, like, beginning of freshman year. It just like, has evolved quite a bit since then. So let’s see, like, how about Yeah, I think, basically, like gemstone, we have, like our own separate orientation. And so I think that’s kind of how I became like, friends with them. Yeah.
Kamila
And so can you first tell us how you get into the Honors College? Because I know, it’s not like you can like Mark that you want to be in a you have to like actually get into it?
Ben
Yeah, so I’m sorry. Um, you just apply to Marilyn, you know, like everyone else, and then they decide how they decide couldn’t tell you. I’m going to assume that has something to do with like sa t AC T scores, standardized stuff? Um, I assume that’s probably like, they have a certain cutoff of like, if you’re over 1200 or something, you’re going to the Honors College. Yeah.
Kamila
And having it not just UMD but state schools in general having the Honors College on your resume or whatnot, does that give you an advantage when people are like, I don’t know, looking for jobs or grad school.
Ben
It depends where you’re looking at. So like, I’m like, like, I do political work. When I interrupt really like, you know, interview for things or when I’m like talking people, they don’t really care that I’m in the Honors College. What is important is kind of how I’m framing my experience there. So again, like John’s done his research program. I’ve worked on one project now for four years. You know how I talk about that and how I say like, I’ve worked on one paper for years, and I’ve worked on a team with different people with different interests with different opinions. How we kind of always worked through problems with one another How I talk about those experiences are much more important than just saying I’m an Honors College. Okay? I think if you’re going into like medicine or like, you know, hard sciences, then yeah, it might be more important. But generally, like how you talk about the experience is much more than just like having it on the resume.
Kamila
So can you tell us a little bit about the gemstone research and like, I guess exactly how the process went and what you do your research on?
Ben
Yeah, so um, so the freshman year, there, your first semester is kind of just like an intro to research and like, here’s the resources. And this is kind of our process. And also, so about the university and kind of like getting, basically the big group of nerds. And so like, kind of how we should all be like going through university. Then your second semester, freshman year, everyone proposes a project, you can propose multiple projects, you can propose no projects, you know, to you, but like, everyone has the opportunity to present as many as they want. And then we do this little like multi tier voting system and save a couple weeks. And like, that’s how you decide which projects you’re interested in. Then they finally narrowed down to like 12 projects, give or take, there’s about 100 140 kids in the program. And so then you rank which one you want. And then you get put on a team with about like, eight to 12 other people. Um,
Kamila
wait. So basically, every student proposes a project idea or project ideas, and then they just show what does the university do like pick which one’s their favorite, or like the one that’s interesting, we
Ben
all vote. So all 140 kids in the program vote on which ones they’re interested in. Um, so you know, if your project got 10 votes, then it goes to the next round, if it got three votes, it gets cut out. So both the ones that I, I propose one on my own, and then I proposed one with a friend, and both of them did not make it. Um, so I ended up on a project doing what are we doing? It’s complicated, basically using algae to remove heavy metals from industrial wastewater. So like, when a factory like, you know, dumps their waste in the water system? How can we use biological project products to remove those chemicals and those metals from the water? Um, I can’t give you an answer. Because we are still trying to figure it out. And we’re like two months left to figure it out. Um, but it’s been really fun. And it’s like, I’m the only kid on the team who isn’t an engineer, or a stem person. And so it’s cool to kind of like, work with them. And also, like, take what all all the cool work that they’re doing, and then have to write about it in a way that like, we can actually propose it and speak about it. Um,
Kamila
tell us a little bit about the actual research part. Does UMD like, I don’t know, designate days where you guys can meet up as a team and research, like, how does it go? And where do you go to do your research? Because if it’s like,
Ben
no, I’m, what’s the word like, it’s on us to get it done. So we meet as a team once a week, and then we meet with a mentor once a week. So the program assigns a mentor to each team, you know, someone in the field who’s kind of, you know, knows what’s going on. So our mentor, she’s a civil engineer with a specific knowledge and like, Environmental Engineering. She’s awesome. Love her. Like, she’s great. And so, let’s see, um, we, you know, they guide us, they tell us kind of give us benchmarks of like, you need to have this done by this point, you need to have like, so and so. But really, the rest of it’s up to us, um, we’ve worked on it over the summer, we’ve worked on it over the winter, we worked on it over spring breaks, we work on it, you know, over the weekend, sometimes it’s really just, you know, when people wouldn’t get stuff done. Getting lab space on campus is a big, big difficulty. We only actually had this gorgeous lab space in this brand new engineering building. It was like, you know, all the equipment was brand new glass walls, it was super cool. And then we got kicked out because they wanted to use it for like some grad students or something who had more rights to it than we did. So now we’re in like a basement lab. And then we’ve got like some other space and other like warehouse, but you know, just need space. And so the work that I do is generally like, better grunt work in the lab, grinding up algae and then like measuring out one gram by one gram by one Grantland algae. It’s exhausting or doing like writing. Then we’ve got kids on the team who are engineers. And so they’re kind of building a whole system for us right now. And then we’ve got a couple under people doing also doing writing a lot of people doing like Lau analysis work.
Kamila
Is this, is this a solely gemstone thing? Or does every sort of like college, I guess, have some sort of research that they need to present by their senior year?
Ben
No, just I mean, everyone kind of, you know, if you want to research in whatever field you’re interested in, like, the opportunity exists, for sure. But, um, like, the way that this program is structured is only gemstone.
Kamila
I see. And I have a question about the UMD. Like, what what is the exact word for the colleges? Like there’s an engineering one, graphic design art, you said,
Ben
oh, sorry, the, okay, so complicated. So you get into UMD. And then there’s the Honors College, which has the general University Honors, has gemstone has the graphic design one entrepreneur one. So those are each called, I guess they’re like programs within the Honors College. Then there’s the Scholars Program. And then there’s kind of, which is like, kind of bad to say, but it’s kind of like Honors College Scholars Program, and then like, general university. Um, they don’t really advertise it like that. But basically, it’s what it is, um, and then. But then, you know, there’s like, the engineering school, there’s Behavioral and Social Sciences College, which is like, where social, like history and American politics and all that kind of things are, then there’s the music school, there’s that. There’s computer math and natural sciences, there’s like calm sigh physics, math. So there’s different schools, then there’s different programs, and there’s different colleges, but all within the university.
Kamila
That is really, really complicated. And so if you have all of these colleges, and let’s say you, Major in one college, right, let’s say your computer science, so you’re in that computer science college, can you double major in another college?
Ben
Yeah, my friend who’s doing and she sees me. She’s doing economics, which is in behavioral and social sciences. And then she’s also doing comp sign, which is in computer math and natural sciences.
Kamila
That’s cool, because I know like, I remember, I think it was Northwestern or something and they didn’t allow, like, double majoring outside of the school. Maybe I’m getting it wrong, but there’s some sort of school and they don’t allow double majoring outside of the
Ben
wouldn’t surprise me. It’s
Kamila
UMD is a huge school, how did you navigate? Was it overwhelming?
Ben
Not really. I’ve been down here a couple times, my girlfriend at the time was a year older. So like, I’d come visit her I knew the campus pretty well. Um, so like, she was a freshman here when I was a senior in high school. Um, also, just like my family, like, kind of lives around here. So we had been through campus before. Um, as for like, navigating it, exactly, like, basically, just the weekend before classes started my roommate and I just, like, went for a walk around campus and went to every building that we, but we just had a list of, you know, where our classes were citizens every single one.
Kamila
Because I mean, young is like, huge, not the biggest public school, but like, I remember I was interviewing someone from University of Central Florida. And that’s like, I think that’s the biggest public school,
Ben
really, in the US. Population or land was the population
Kamila
like, I think it’s like 70,000 students. Yes, it’s crazy. Yeah. And shoot and the girl I was interviewing, she’s like, I felt like I was in a pool of just I felt like I was surrounded by 70,000 kids and I didn’t know where to go. I didn’t know what I was doing. And can you tell me if you lived in Maryland? I mean, how far away is Merlin from UMD is from your house
Ben
Wait 45 minutes 45 minutes?
Kamila
Hmm. Most like people you know, they want to go out of the nest and you said earlier you wanted to as well. So it was a kind of like a dull and boring for you coming in.
Ben
I didn’t come home much my freshman year. Um, because you know, I very much want to like take full advantage of being a college and getting my distance from my parents. Um yeah, the nice thing is there’s the the mark train goes basically through college park and it goes up to Baltimore. So you know, if I’m for weekend, I can pretty easily take the train and my parents wouldn’t have to come drive and pick me up. So that’s nice
Kamila
UMD I know, it’s like, I mean, it’s pretty selective, and it’s pretty up there. And it’s still like a competitive school in general. So going into college, because you had a lot of APS, you went to a pretty good school, going into college was the transition hard in terms of academic rigor, in terms of managing your own schedule? Not at all.
Ben
Like I said, you know, I was pretty high in my high school class. So no, it wasn’t, um, definitely is a bit of a difficulty in like, having a much more chill schedule. Um, you know, in high school, it’s like, you know, you’re in class from eight to three, or whatever, every day and even the extracurriculars and you have to do about more things like that every single day. College is like, you know, some days you’re one class and Lazio for. Um, sometimes, you know, you wake up at 2pm have class at 3pm, and you’re done for the day and other days, you go from 8am to 8pm. Straight, like, it’s just like, it’s much more varied. To kind of know, and when you have to, like, you know, when your free time is, and then when you have free time, but it’s not actually free time, because it should be worth time, which is basically like what I’m doing right now. Um, you know, it’s kind of knowing when to balance those things is like a learning curve, but I wouldn’t say it was, like, terribly difficult.
Kamila
Oh, wake up at 2am 2pm. Is that a normal college student or something?
Ben
The let’s see. So right now, I only have class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. And so I for classes from 11 to 5pm. And then no class Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Last year, I had class Monday, Wednesday, no class, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. Um, so, you know, sometimes I have a class like, my gemstone team will have a meeting, but that’s like, 45 minutes. And so it’s not really like, not considered a class even though I’m definitely getting credit for it. Um, yeah, I mean, it’s just like, it’s real. I’ve never actually woken up and always dramatic, but like, I was like, Okay, we’re just, yeah, definitely have friends who like would do that, like, without a problem?
Ben
Is that normal?
Ben
That’s the thing is like, nothing’s like normal is like a very, like, ambiguous term. Right? It’s like,
Ben
common, common in college.
Ben
Common, absolutely. 2pm Wow. Like,
Kamila
it sounds strange to me, because I have to wake up at like, 945
Ben
my first semester, first couple weeks of freshman year, definitely, like, you know, I’d be up at like, 8am every day, no matter what. And then I was gonna like, you, like, you really realize, like, your first semester. It’s like, why am I waking up? Like, there’s literally no reason for it. And also, like a night person, like, I’m not a morning person. But you have to realize it’s like, there’s literally no point me taking a class that’s early, you’re just like, not awake for it. And like, I guess, if you’re a morning person, right now, it’s going to change I can promise you.
Kamila
Oh, is the workload in college more than in high school? Like, take out the class portion? Just the like homework? Not in class stuff? Is it more?
Ben
Oh my god? I think so. I think so. Um, but guess what, you have more time. And then also it’s kind of like how much you want to put in, you know, like, there’s like, I’ve optional readings. I’m not going to read optional readings. And like, I have the homework due next Friday. I’m probably gonna take a look at it this weekend, maybe tribal problems, but one I feel I do it in earnest until Tuesday or Wednesday.
Kamila
Okay, and I have another question that comes. And so I thought this was a first I wasn’t really aware of this. And then I interviewed a few students from like those top universities and they said this and they said, it’s not just top universities or private universities, it’s like all colleges and universities. So in high school, if you were a straight A student, you walk into a test. Yeah, maybe it’s going to be hard, but like you kind of expect to get a good grade, you’re not expecting to like fail or bomb the test. But going into college, it was much different. Like they would walk into a test having no idea what their score was going to be and having a 70 in some classes was quite good. Actually. It was at the same for you at UMD.
Ben
Absolutely. I had a class um sophomore year, where I went into the final like family going to class like straight up failing. I like a 58% in class. And then like, definitely, I think I study like 12 hours a day for like three days straight, and ended up. I don’t know what I got on the, on the final actually. But I ended up passing the class, which was like, a godsend. There’s other classes where I’ve gotten like a 65% on a test, and that turned out to be like, in the upper 10% of the class. Um, so yeah, it’s definitely harder. Excuse my language? Um, well, that’s
Kamila
fine. What about college makes it so hard? What about the test? I know there, it sounds like,
Ben
so you haven’t like in high school you have? Right? Oh, you have two semesters, basically, for every course. Yes, for more time to like break down information. And you also have a lot more time to like, go back and say like, I didn’t get this college. It’s like, like, my first day of class was two days ago on Tuesday. And we were like a ray started like lecturing and talking about, like, actual content in class. Um, so there’s just like, it’s much more much more compact, and then they also throw much more at you. Like, there’s more in front like, there’s just like, if I took like a similar class, like in high school vs college, I feel a bit just like, try to teach more for the same course in college.
Kamila
Do they leave you to learn a lot by yourself as well?
Ben
Depends on the teacher depends on the subject depends on you know, even depends on the semester. But yeah, generally, there’s a lot.
Kamila
And this is another thing that I came across. So with research universities, I assumed that with the price that you pay for some colleges, you would get like, really, really good professors, and they are good, they’re well connected, they can help you with research. But apparently, they’re there to do research, teaching is just like, something they have to do, because it’s part of the contract or something. So is that the same at UMD? Or do you have like, really good professors there? Of course, it varies. Not every professor is going to be great. But do you find that you’re more dedicated to research and such than teaching?
Ben
A really good and really bad, um, I’m trying to like run through a list now. Definitely the ones who are more published, you know, the ones who put out more books and the ones that really more famous people definitely are worse teachers. Like, I think you can definitely say there’s a correlation there. You know, like, since I’m doing social sciences, there’s less of a focus on like, the research side. They are doing research, but like, their research involves kind of, like, the tea, the teaching and the research, like, inform one another. Whereas like, you know, stem, you’re doing like, you’re trying to find something new. I’m not like make arguments or something like we are. So, I don’t know, I’ve like, seen that exact like that. They’re so focused on research that they aren’t good teachers.
Kamila
Cuz I mean, because when I was interviewing that girl, and she was like, you know, research university teachers, they don’t know really how to teach. She said, you can probably get maybe even like a better education, but like a better experience at a community college, versus like a school or state school.
Ben
There’s definitely teachers in like, who I know of, not ones that I’ve had, but like, who teach computer science, and they’re just like, famous, famous people, and they’re notoriously awful teachers. And like, my friends who are like in computer science will like tell me horror stories about them. Yeah.
Kamila
Actually, you brought up you brought up another point when asked, So in college, how much does your GPA matter? For what? Okay, so I know it matters for grad school, if you want to go into grad school, specifically, like medicine, something like stem oriented, but for the workforce, do employers employers really care?
Ben
Again, totally depends where you’re going. But if you’re doing business, if you’re doing medicine, if you’re doing grad school, yeah, they do. Um, other fields where it’s much more like based on your skill set, then GPA does not matter as much. But in fields where like, quote, unquote intelligence is like, a priority, then yeah, GPA is important.
Kamila
GPA is not a measure of intelligence, though.
Ben
make that argument to them. Um, no, I agree. Totally. Um, which is why like in political jobs, like the ones that I’m looking at, like, they don’t really, they don’t really ask for a transcript. They don’t really ask for GPA because it is much more about skill set.
Kamila
So they kind of ask for more internships, like what you’ve actually done. Exactly, you would think that in medicine, they would ask that because I mean, a medical internship, it’s like,
Ben
they look for it, they want to see it. Like, I think like, it’s not one or the other, right? Um, they definitely want to see it. But they’re, you know, if they’re like, if you’re going to med school, and they’re comparing two kids with internships, and one has a GPA, you know, that’s two points higher like, yeah, they’re gonna save them.
Kamila
So we’re kind of coming to, I guess, the end here. And I want you to do actually know, first of all, do this. And then we’ll do the other thing I was talking about. So what’s your college application process? I mean, you got into school, obviously, you got into good schools, you’re in a good school, and you’re not going for free. But you’re going for a very, like low price. Do you have any regrets on the college application? Do you wish that you had done something differently? Now you think about it, that you’ve actually been through it?
Ben
regrets? No, the only thing that like, I wish I had done differently, I would like I wouldn’t call it a regret. But I noticed like something differently. It is. Um, so like I said, I got deferred from Harvard, I applied early, and they deferred me into the general pool. And I had asked my internship boss at the time, if he would write a letter of recommendation on my behalf. And he was like, Yeah, sure. Can you like write it out for me, and then I’ll look it over, you know, kind of edited to make me and then I’ll sign up for you. And I just like, never did it. Like, partly, I was uncomfortable doing it. Partly, I was procrastinating partly, I just like was like, I don’t know, I just didn’t,
Kamila
that’s all good. Why would they ask you to write your recommendation letter.
Ben
Very awkward, but like, in a professional world, not uncommon. Um, like, they’re busy, they honestly don’t care. Um, and so like, they’re willing to sign their name, you know, like, did decent work, but he’s not like, going to take an hour out of his time to like, write a letter about some kid. Like, yeah, it’s awkward, but like, I understand. Um, so yeah, I never did it. And I definitely feel it. If I had I would have gotten into Harvard. I think so. But I’m not. Since I don’t regret coming to Maryland, like, I’m not, you know, hung up on that decision.
Kamila
Okay, how big of a part do you think recommendation letters play? Especially if it’s from someone that’s, you know, your internship boss, someone that’s a boss, someone who’s seen you in the actual workforce?
Ben
Um, I think you know, again, like, I’m sure you’ve heard this, but like, the colleges look at stuff holistically, which like, I hate that word. And I never want to hear them say it again. But like, it is true. So, you know, like, if you have a really good internship, recommendation, like, yeah, that’s going to look great, but only if they can, like, compare it to like, you know, good grades and like the appropriate. Like, if you had a medical internship, they want to see a good grade in biology. Probably, I don’t know, good. I’m not an academic officer, admissions officer.
Kamila
Oh, so yes, I’ve heard the term too. You know, we do a holistic application. But do you think it’s really holistic? Do you think a top college is going to look at someone with like a, unless they’re, like, you know, a special case like, I don’t know, an athlete or something? Do you think they’re gonna look at someone with like a 2.8 GPA and say, oh, you know, we’re not gonna we’re gonna just look at your extracurriculars and you know, essays Do you think they really do that?
Ben
I think it like private schools at smaller schools. Yes. at a big school like Marilyn Lesko. Um, like, I definitely think they, I mean, Maryland and all that gambling, they say they look at it holistically, but I am like, almost certain that they do like, say, Honors College, you need to have this certain test score. And the next thing you need to have this certain test score, and like, we’re not going to throw out anyone who doesn’t have this test score for like, the bare minimum, but like, if they don’t, they have to look like fantastic and everything else. I can’t say that they do that. But like,
Kamila
I mean, this whole time, I thought, not just Maryland, but any state school so long as you meet a certain GPA, and like sh t, or AC t score, you’re practically like in, basically, so long as you have some extracurriculars and like decent letters of rec and you’re a decent writer. I would think that you’re pretty safe there. That’s what I thought.
Ben
Maryland. No. Other state schools maybe, um, like, I don’t know, I don’t want to like be snobby. I don’t think it’s hard to get into Maryland. Especially if you live in Maryland, but it’s not like, you know, they’re not letting everyone in?
Kamila
Yeah, obviously. Because in my high school, I mean, I think most people my high school apply to Maryland. I think that’s pretty much every Maryland kid. They basically apply to Maryland, and just in my school, it’s Everybody tells it to you. They’re like, Oh, you know, if basically, if you have like almost perfect GPA and a really good LSAT score, you’re practically in Maryland. That’s what goes around in my school. You know, so long as you’re decent and everything else, so long as you have good grades and you’re like, in the top, you’re safe there. So there, that’s why I thought that because that’s what I’ve been told all my life.
Ben
Um, yeah, I mean, that’s, I think it’s a good rule of thumb, but I don’t think you can, like live off of it.
Kamila
Yeah, for sure. Cuz I’m sure not every Maryland students like 4.0 4.0. Yeah. Okay, so now we’re like actually coming to an end here. And one thing I want you to do is give two pieces of advice. And this is really good, because you’re actually a senior now and you’re almost done with college. So one for high school students who are, it can be any year of high school, or they can be in the college admissions process already. What advice would you give for them? And then the second piece of advice would be for college students. Maybe they’re just starting off and they don’t know what they’re doing. So what would you give for those two groups, high schoolers and college students? Like, early on college students don’t like a junior or something.
Ben
Um, so for high schoolers, you’ll probably hate this, but like, chill out. Um, like, I said, like, looking back now. Like, I can barely remember my test scores, I can barely remember like, any of that. It just says, like, yeah, it has an impact on where you go to school. And yeah, where you go to school doesn’t impact on life. But your test scores really don’t have an impact on life. And like, your admissions essay, like, I went over, like, 15 times, I could have gone over five times that would have been just as fine. I’m, like, there just really isn’t that much of an impact, I think. Um, so yeah, like, definitely, just like, destress. And, like, recognize that like, as big of like, a momentous deal as it seems. It’s really not. Um, which, like, I mean, even you know, you’re, you’re doing a podcast about like, the whole college process, which like, clearly, like, you know, you’re trying to find out more about it. I’m like, which is great, by the way. Like, I think it’s great that you don’t do this resource for all the people and for yourself, but, um, the whole college process like it doesn’t need to be as stressful as it is.
Kamila
You think people like over exaggerate the process?
Ben
Absolutely. I think high school counselors do I think college counselors do I think parents do. I think, like high schoolers go off of one another and make it more stressful. I have a friend whose mom like counts, how many Ivy League acceptances the high schools like the various high schools get, I’m just like, that’s just toxic. Like, we don’t need that. And she doesn’t mean any harm by it, but she just like, likes to keep track. So for Yeah, high schoolers chill out college students. Like, do you literally like the most bonkers stuff? Like, I’m a senior now and like, can’t do much because the pandemic, and I’m like, looking back now I’m like, damn, there’s really things that I wish I’d done what was in college? I’m like, I don’t know, I’m gonna go and do them. Well, I’m like, No person.
Kamila
Do you think? Are you talking about more like opportunities? Or are you talking more about experiences that you have, because you’re still young, and you’re not, you don’t have that much responsibility on you
Ben
both. Like, there’s like some internships where I look back, I’m like, I definitely could have applied and gotten that internship. And I just like, didn’t like that it doesn’t, you know, now that my resume doesn’t have it. And then on the other hand, there’s, like, you know, there’s nights where I wish I like gone out to a party instead of staying. In like, again, like, that’s kind of where you’d like, that’s where grades become like a weird thing in college because like, there’s so many other distractions, but also like, there’s other distractions, what may College College, and at the end of the year, like, those are the things you remember, you don’t remember staying in and like getting a good grade, you remember, like having a great night, or going on road trip, or trying to think like what other crazy things I’ve done, um, you know, like skipping class and just like, having a pool day with your friends. Like, those are the things that you remember, and like making sure that you do those, like, if you skip one class, like, you can always make it up. You can always make up the work. It’s not going to like seriously impact you. Obviously, they don’t skip a midterm. But um, yeah, there’s like, this is like so much that you have at your disposal while you’re in college. Like, you’re young, you’re away from your parents. You have so few responsibilities, like Yeah, take advantage of it.
Kamila
Good advice there. We’ll make sure parents don’t listen to this.
Ben
I honestly don’t mean like, stupid crazy things. There’s like there’s like I’m trying to think of like thing. I don’t know. I’m like, things coming to mind now is making memories. That’s a good way to put it. There you go. Yeah, um, no, there’s just like, there’s so many things you can do. And it’s like, college at the time do.
Kamila
Yeah, I know. I’m constantly told that college will be some of the best time of your life if you do it properly and like, you know, have your fun. Yeah. Well, thank you very much for coming today. Sounds good. Thank you have a good night. Yeah. That concludes my entire interview with Ben. I hope you enjoyed and I hope you also subscribe and check out my blog, a college kid.com But other than that, hope see you in the next one.