WRITTEN BY JAMIE STANKIEWIZ (PEACE TUTOR)

What I did

Hey everyone! My name is Jamie Stankiewiz, I am a Cal alumni (graduated in 2018), was a student-athlete (2013-2017), and got my degrees in MCB and Statistics, with a minor in Bioengineering. Here are some of my tidbits on a few important things I have learned from being a student at Berkeley.

My outlook on college

Coming into Berkeley as a freshman, I was beyond excited to be surrounded by the world’s best minds and innovators of the world, to be taught by top research scientists, to be a part of one of the best athletic programs, and to be filled with constant ideas and opportunities around campus. There’s an abundance of clubs, classes, decals, and organizations to join. It’s almost overwhelming how many different options there are. It’s as if there are thousands of different paths that you can take, and I started off being in the middle, not knowing which direction to go.

I am a person who thrives on opportunity. During college, I constantly reminded myself that I am surrounded by open doors and the smartest people, so I was happy to jump right into the mess of it all. I totally remember being a freshman, scared, meeting so many new people faster than I ever had in my entire life. But even when I am scared, I am not a person who would stay indoors and watch Netflix in my spare time, when there is opportunity out there. Despite being a shy introvert, I forced myself to join a few clubs and go to events all by myself. I forced myself to say hi to the person sitting next to me in my math lecture, and I challenged myself to seize every moment of my college career.

What clubs I have joined

I started off by joining a few clubs, going to a few info-sessions, and attending random club hikes to the Big C, constantly doing icebreakers. I was so fascinated by all these different things that I tried nearly anything that caught my interest. I was actually more upset that I couldn’t put time into all of my different interests, and it took awhile for me to realize that at the end of the day, I can’t put my time into everything. I’ve probably joined around 7 clubs, which have come and gone during different times in my college career, but only 3 of which stood on my resume upon graduating. What I will say is, my interests never ceased to change. The things I was so gung-ho about during my freshman year were completely different than what I was interested in my 2nd year, or my 3rd year, or 4th, or 5th. I won’t say that I’m not focused on a certain path, but instead I’d say I am well-rounded. All of these experiences and decisions have shaped me into who I am today. My diversity of skills and interests still carry on with me today, in my career, and in life.

Research

As an MCB major, I remember hearing about all of my friends–literally all of them–having some sort of research position. It wasn’t until my junior year when someone reminded me that UC Berkeley is seriously known for it’s top research across the board. Berkeley is the #1 institute in the world for molecular biology research. This person told me that doing an MCB major and not doing research is like going to Disneyland and not riding a rollercoaster. That was the moment I realized that I had totally neglected a huge opportunity that was right in front of me. I hope to inspire that message onto other students. That no matter what major you are in, remember that Berkeley is top in research. Don’t waste the incredible opportunities that surround you.

How to study

Every person is going to have their own strategy for studying. Some people can study for 5 minutes and get a higher test score than you. Others learn best by individual tutoring. Some students must start studying 3 weeks ahead of time to barely be prepared. It’s important for you to know where on the spectrum you lie. I remember a doctor coming into the Premed101 decal (I was premed for my first semester) that told us the most important thing she learned about how to study was how to be organized. That one statement clicked in my head, and resonated with me for the rest of my college career. It took awhile for me to get the hang of Berkeley, but by my junior year, I had my study habits down pat. My biggest accomplishment for learning how to study was learning how to be organized. Once I had a system down for the best way for me to organize thoughts, my notes were like gold. I could probably have sold them for profit as they were so clean, detailed and organized. This is a tactic that still carries on with me today. In terms of teaching and presenting at my current job, it’s an important skill for me to be able to clearly and quickly rewire information into something that’s understandable.

What I would have done better

I think my biggest regret is not figuring things out sooner. Perhaps not being in the major I wanted in the end or making different career decisions, or even investing time in places that would have benefitted me more in the end. But then again, how could I have known? I went into college totally blind, trying to figure things out from scratch, and it took some time for me to figure out who I was. And yes, I missed some deadlines on switching careers because I figured things out “too late” by Berkeley’s standard. But the thing I am most proud of is my curiosity and spontaneity that stuck with me through it all. Just the fact that I am curious about different areas of what’s out there, and the drive to actually join a few clubs and classes to test my interests, actually gave me the careers I have had post-Berkeley.

Quick Advice

• Berkeley is an extraordinary place and not many people get the opportunity to be here, so take advantage of it.
• I’ve never gone out of an office hour thinking “that wasn’t worth it”.
• Showing up is 90% of the battle.
• It will be hard. But this is where you grow the most.
• Don’t be afraid to form a study group and ask for help, or just introduce yourself to a random person.
• Just be yourself! Follow your heart, and you do what you do best.
• Berkeley will be tough. It has knocked me down to the lowest place I’ve been in my life. Just remember why you are here, and never lose sight of your dreams.