About Me
My name is Leo Hirukawa Aaraas, and I am a freshman at Purdue University studying Selling and Sales Management. Also, I am a student-athlete on the Purdue Men’s Golf team. I am originally from Norway and chose Purdue for its strong reputation, competitive culture, and the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of fellow Norwegian athletes.
I am highly competitive and passionate about golf, and I am committed to developing both academically and athletically. Outside of golf, I enjoy staying active, spending time in the gym, and following a wide range of sports.
Why did you come to Purdue?
I chose Purdue because of the great reputation both academically and in sports. I also love that Purdue has a great international student population and takes very good care of its international students. Also, Purdue has one of the greatest golf facilities in the nation and a great culture for sports.
Goals and Plans
My goal at Purdue is to graduate with good grades and to become as good as I can in golf. Outside of those two things I want to develop my language skills, especially in English proficiency. This is something Purdue has great resources for, and I am very glad we have a great program for international students to develop American language and cultural skills.
Experience with PLaCE classes or workshops
I have so far taken two PLaCE classes and have enjoyed both of them a lot. We have done everything from experiments in class to making our own videos and I really like the creativity freedom we have in class. Being as interactive as we are in class has helped me with confidence and skills, academically and socially.
Purdue Experiences and Memories:
Some of my best experiences were at football and basketball games, just seeing the level our school performs at and how good our culture and fanbase is. The Boilermaker fanbase is truly special.
Advice to new Purdue students
I would tell them to be patient with yourself in the first semester and not be afraid of failing. It will take time to get used to a new lifestyle and culture, so how you take care of yourself can either make or break you. You have to go out of your comfort zone and not be afraid of failing, because one day you will realize that you are capable of way more than you think. That is the one thing I wish I knew before coming to Purdue.