I'm Rhiannon, a second-year pre-medical student at Purdue University studying Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology. My life philosophy is about balance, and that extends to my college experience. I'm majoring in STEM, but I'm also passionate about public health, history, and philosophy and looking for ways to incorporate them into my degree. I've learned how to prioritize my social life, hobbies, professional development, and fitness while being a student by taking advantage of everything Purdue has to offer.

Hometown

Bay Area, California

Major(s)

Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology, B.S. History, B.A. or Public Health, B.S. (Considering)

Minor(s)

Chemistry Minor Certificate in the Medical Humanities

Clubs, organizations & involvement

Extracurriculars: Purdue MEDLife Medical Humanities Book Club Spanish Conversation Club Outing Club Climbing Team

Describe your college experience

Coming from a college-prep school, I was prepared for the academic rigor of college but not the difficulties of living on my own and learning to be independent. It's taken me trial and error to learn what works for me. I have many interests and hobbies that I'm not willing to sacrifice for academics, and learning how to best balance them alongside school is a challenge. I've learned to take advantage of the resources available to me as a Purdue student to achieve my goals and get the most out of my time here.

Tip for future students

My biggest tips come from what I struggled with most, which is dorm living and study habits. I would suggest to limit studying in your dorm. It can be cramped and you can feel isolated. I would go to study groups, help sessions, free tutoring, etc. to make friends you can study with or find a favorite study spot on campus. It helps with productivity to associate leaving the dorm with working. I would also suggest having a schedule of chores like laundry. I often let them build up and then was left with an overwhelming number of tasks.

Favorite class

Biomedical Ethics with Dr. Parrish because of the depth and breadth of the material she covers and the insightful conversations we have in lecture.

Career goals

Obtain my Masters of Public Health, do some community health work &​/​or science research, and then attend medical school!

Ideal way to spend a free night

I'm more of a homebody. I like classic movies and TV and good food, so that's probably how I'd spend my time. I also love to hang out with friends on the weekends and make memories.

High school or secondary school

The Harker School, San Jose, CA