About Me
My name is Charlene Lin and currently a freshman studying business analytics and information management at Purdue’s Daniel School of Business. I have been living in Taipei for my entire life before coming to Purdue. I graduated from an international school in Taipei. My biggest hobby is baking, especially cookies and cakes.
Why did you come to Purdue?
There are a lot of reasons I chose to study at Purdue. First, Purdue has a great reputation among the world. Also, the major I got accepted at Purdue is my favorite major overall. For other schools, I either got accepted to economics major or data science major. However, I would like to pursue a degree in business but with some technical skill which makes BAIM the perfect choice. As a result, I ended up coming to Purdue. It turns out that I have made a great choice and I do not regret it at all because I met a lot of amazing people and gained a lot of great experiences throughout the year.
Goals and Plans
Currently, I am not sure what I will be doing in the future after I graduate but I believe I will find a career path soon. In the short term, I have several goals for myself. For the academic side, I hope I can do well in all my classes and stop procrastinating. Specially, start reviewing for exams a week prior and complete homework and assignments before the day they are due. For the social side, I definitely wish I can make a few new friends and join one more club. For myself, I hope I can maintain a healthy sleep schedule and start exercising regularly.
Best memories and favorite spaces at Purdue
I have had a lot of good memories and experiences at Purdue. I guess picking out from all the amazing memories, my top three will be meeting my good friend, joining TSA, and taking SCLA 110 and 111. In the beginning of the semester, I met one of my best friends. We hung out a lot together, ate a lot of good food, and joined clubs together too! I also joined the Taiwanese Student Association as an officer during my freshman year. It was a fantastic experience. My favorite part was going on the ski trip on the first weekend of the second semester. It was my first time skiing in the states and I had a lot of fun. My favorite spaces at Purdue are my dorm room, WALC, and the Corec. I can always rest alone and do whatever I want in my room. For WALC, I love to study at the computer spaces. I can always study productivity there without being bothered by phone or other stuff because all people in WALC are always very focused. It also makes me want to focus on my work instead of going on my phone or chatting with my friends.
Experience with PLaCE classes or workshops
I have taken SCLA 110 and am currently taking SCLA 111. Although I took these classes because of course requirements, I found them interesting and helpful to me. I get to learn about American culture and meet great Professors. Since the classes are small, I get to have one-on-one interaction with the professor. In these two courses, I worked on projects that I can express my thoughts freely and reflect on the details of my Purdue life. If I did not have these projects, I do not think I would have time to do the actual reflection and make those ideas into a report.
Advice to new Purdue students
The two biggest pieces of advice I would give to new international students at Purdue will be “never be afraid” and “always try.” It will definitely be hard when you first come here, but be brave and reach out to people when you need help. Join clubs and attend events to expand your network and make friends. Interacting and having conversations with people will definitely improve your English speaking and communication skills! Also always try to volunteer to share your opinion during classes, especially in SCLA 110 and 111. Your instructor and peers are always there to listen to you and would love you to share your thoughts and opinions! Whenever you feel lost or depressed, do not hesitate to seek help. There are plenty of resources here at Purdue to help you overcome your challenges. You can go to the On-Campus Writing Lab to have people check your resume or essay. There is also the Academic Success Center you can visit when you are having trouble with academics. They offer different services to assist and improve your academics. There is also a lot out there waiting for us to discover! No matter what kind of problem you have, Purdue has a place to solve your issue.