Are you ready for summer? 

Now on YouTube
“Optimizing Your Upcoming REU Experience”
Summer is finally here and after months of applying it’s time to begin your summer undergraduate research experience.). Nervous? Excited?  Not sure what to expect?  Join Tiffany Reardon, founder of REUFinder, as she gives tips and guidance on making the most out of your upcoming REU.
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It’s not uncommon to go into someone’s office and find fun and inspirational quotes.  Whether it be handwritten on a Post-It Note or hung up as a canvas photo. I love quotes, however, as always I like to put my own spin on things. On that note, let’s talk for a moment about the iconic character Gordon Gekko and his contributions to higher education that you may not be fully aware of. Gordon Gekko? Who?  Read on.

I’ll never forget the day a student walked into my office and said “I have a question for you but it’s for a greedy reason.” I immediately looked up at him as it piqued my interest.  Greedy?  What is it?

“I want to get into graduate school, but I don’t know how to ask for a letter of recommendation”
“That’s not being greedy!” I reassured him.
He told me that for him it felt greedy because for a lot of his time in college he was focused on helping others out.  I grabbed a black marker and wrote on the whiteboard in my office “GREED IS GOOD.”  I left it there for months to remind myself and anyone who came into my office the powerful underlying message of my conversation with this student.

Greed is Good. If you’re of a certain age that phrase conjures of images of the Gordon Gekko the iconic character immortalized by Oliver Stone in the cult classic Wall Street. I love that movie more than you can ever realize but it’s not for the reasons you might think.  Why do I love this film? To start with Gordon Gekko and I have a connection in that we both have the same birthday which is May 6.

We’re both Taurus’ and May Taurus’ at that, meaning that we like stability, are stubborn, and can sometimes be our own worst enemies. Spoiler alert this is clearly illustrated in the Wall Street film. However, Gordon Gekko’s words of wisdom and quotes are wonderful fodder as I work with my own students.

Now if you are a student especially a first-generation college student I urge you to put an imaginary shell up to your ear because you are about to hear something very different than the diatribe of the film.  Are you listening?  Good. Now do you think I’m going to talk to you about Insider trading? Corporate Greed?  Charlie Sheen? He’s also in the film, too.  I’m not going to tell you about any of these thing because remember I work with college students.  I’m not on Wall Street I’m on a university campus and I’m a higher ed blogger who interacts with students from all over the world.  I can tell you that whether or not you want to believe it Gordon Gekko was really on to something with his quotes in the film.

Take for instance these wonderful gems that he imparted on my generation, and I would like to impart this wisdom on my own Gems.  I call all the students I work with Gems because they are Gems. So if you’re a student reading this, Hi Gem!  Disclaimer: my interpretations of these quotes might be slightly different that of what Oliver Stone intended.  Michael Douglas won an Oscar for his interpretation of these quotes and while I may not win an Oscar I’m telling you there’s some sage wisdom going on here as it relates to college students.

1. “What’s worth doing is worth doing for money.”One time beach cleanup? Sure. Occasional go talk to your old high school or community college?  Yeah, go do it. However, if it’s something you’re doing to be doing on a regular basis whether it’s research, tutoring, etc. then you should be getting paid.  But it’s for the community!  Hello, aren’t you a member of the community? Guess what, you and the community have rent to pay, groceries to buy, tuition, and if you drive include gas in there.  Oh don’t even get me started on that one.  You are a college student and college is expensive. So please, if something is offered to you and it’s unpaid seriously consider what’s in it for you?  Ask if there’s money to pay you a small stipend or an honorarium and let them know that you’re on a budget. I’m not taking about just a financial budget because you also are on a time budget, there are only so many hours in a week.  Saying yes to one thing means say no to another thing.  If it turns out that you cannot get paid, consider what’s in it for you besides the good karma. Also remember that when you do eventually apply for jobs, internships, or summer research programs whoever is looking at your resume is going to expect to see paid positions and if you’ve got a full resume of unpaid positions then they might not be willing to pay you what you’re truly worth.  I’m just being honest here, think about it, if you’ve seen that someone is willing to do all of this work for free then why would they be eager to pay top dollar?  I’m just saying.
2. “The most valuable commodity I know of is information.” Another one of Gordon Gekko’s nuggets of wisdom. You have that information which is why it’s very likely people are asking you to do things.  Whether it is teaching or tutoring math or helping with a coding project.  If you notice that people keep asking you to do things it’s because you have skills my friend, and guess what these skills are valuable, and you should be getting paid for them.
3. “Buy a decent suit you can’t come in here looking like this.” Another controversial conundrum. Yes, I know in some tech companies’ office attire isn’t an issue but guess what?  I guarantee you there will be a time when you will need a suit.  More and more schools now have professional clothing closets that provide clothing lending programs to students that need to borrow professional attire for interviews, networking, or other professional events.   Here are some examples:Cal Poly’s Professional Clothing Closet
   University of Northern Colorado
   Columbia University

   If your school doesn’t have this type of service why not advocate for one?  Start off by contacting the Career Center on your campus. You might find out that a) that your school has this type of service already, or b) you might walk away with a job as a result of your forward thinking! Even if you don’t wind up with a job you can continue to be involved and this could be an outstanding illustration of your forward thinking and leadership both of which are great things to highlight to future employers or graduate schools.

4. Greed is Good.Repeat after me: What’s in it for me? Seriously WHAT IS IN IT FOR YOU?  When that student asked me to help him navigate applying to graduate school, he was practicing something called self-advocacy.  He knew he liked math and that he also liked computer science. He knew he had a keen interest in pursuing graduate school but he had no idea what applying to graduate school entailed.  He knew nothing about the unwritten rules and the self-advocacy that no one teaches you up front.  If you’re not a first-generation college student than many times this self-advocacy is instilled in you.  But if you are a first-generation college student often times its touch and go yet it doesn’t have to be.  When this student came into my office and said he was being greedy but was he really? He was taking up my time because he realized that I was someone who could help him.  The way I look at it he wasn’t being greedy he was being resourceful.  However, sometimes when we go after things, say no to things, or we take time for ourselves people might say “You’re being greedy.” When we protect ourselves and when we look after ourselves people might view this as being greedy?  So what do I say to that?  Greed is Good.I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, this is what it’s like being a first-generation college student.  Its like the entire time everyone else takes the elevator and you must take the stairs.  Some days it seems like someone has added a couple of extra staircases.  Some days you stumble and are out of breath.  At some point you reach the point of no return and think to yourself, “Bring it on there’s no way in Hell I’m giving up.” After a while those stairs get easier because you have built up the stamina.  Once you get that degree you will celebrate but it’s not about the degree it’s about the realization that if you can climb those stairs you can get through anything that life throws at you.  But here’s the deal, there are people who will help you such as mentors, staff, alumni, and just people who want to see you succeed.  However, before you do, please read the next quote.

   5. “If you’re not inside, you’re *outside*!”  Although Gordon is talking about something completely different, he’s right on this end in terms of commitment.  In this context I mean you need to do what it takes to succeed in college.  This is by asking for help and advocating for what you need as a student.  I am surprised by the number of students who don’t utilize resources that you are paying for.  I have known far too many students who have not reached out because they either a) don’t know what’s available. or b) are shy about asking for help.  Please look at it this way, you are paying tuition so utilize these resources. I am specifically talking about things like:

• Campus Disabled Students Programs. Test taking accommodations, note taking services, reduced course loads, etc.  Every school has this resource.
•  Lending Libraries.  This could be everything from Textbooks to Technology. Can’t afford a textbook?  Is your laptop on the fritz?  Guess what? There are programs specifically for students to help.
• University Health Services. Whether it’s an eye exam or counseling services you are entitled to these services so please make your health a priority and make those appointments.
• Gymnasium.  As a student it’s very likely your school has one or more gyms. As you take care of your physical and mental well-being fitness is very important. Whether its swimming at your campus pool, playing tennis with a classmate, or hitting the treadmill use this resource.  After all, if you were paying for a gym membership you would want to use to use something that you’re paying for.
• Food Pantries both on campus and in the community.  If you look up food insecurity on college campuses it is a common issue that does not get enough attention.   If you are a full-time student you may qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program administered by the US Department of Agriculture.  It’s free to apply!!
• Financial Aid – Again every single school has an Office of Student Financial Aid.  Even if you do not receive a significant portion of aid sometimes having even a small amount of unmet need will allow you to be eligible for outside scholarships. You can also consider filling out a cost of attendance adjustment.  For instance, take a look at some of the Cost of Attendance Adjustment Appeals that Baylor University allows such as the one time purchase of a computer, expenses due to participation in a study abroad program. or dependent expenses. I can pretty much almost guarantee that Baylor is not the only school that offers a Cost of Attendance Adjustment Appeal.
• Menstrual Supplies. Period Poverty has recently gained more awareness in the past few years, so much so that there is now a Period Poverty Awareness Week in May. The cost of pads and tampons is an issue and according to a recent study 1 in 10 college students cannot afford pads or tampons. To address this issues a number of schools have created programs for students to receive free menstrual supplies.  If you attend one of the 23 campuses in the California State University system or a California Community College it is required by law that schools provide free menstrual products in at least one central location. However just because it’s the law a lot of other campuses are doing this as well.  Again, if your school doesn’t have this then this is an issue worth exploring and a worthy cause to invest your time into advocating for.

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As always thank you for your support hosting this site and taking the time to maintain it can be costly and as Gordon Gekko says: “Money Never Sleeps.”

You’d be very surprised at how little there is to guide students on the essentials that they need for college.  College is expensive enough as it is so if you’re living in the dorms this fall here is a listing of the basics things you NEED to bring.

The two most important things to bring with you are:

1. Confidence. Be confident enough to communicate with your Roommate or Roommates. 
Be sure to let them know what you need to help make your upcoming year a successful one. Be open, be honest, and be genuine.

2. A Good Attitude. What they say is true, you never get a second change to make a first impression so be positive and be open minded.   

Beyond that I have composed a listing of items that you will need if you’re living in the dorms this fall and  disclaimer REU Finder gets a small cut if you buy any of these items on Amazon or Macy’s.  But trust me the amount we get is very small.  This site is a labor of love more than anything else plus if you’re not an Amazon fan then you can  likely find many of these items at Walmart, Target or even the Dollar Store.  We also are a Macy’s affiliate so if you shop at Macy’s that works too. 

Bed
So what do you really need?
Usually all dorms will have a mattress and the standard size is Twin XL. 

Pillow case vs. Pillow Sham. What’s the difference? 
Usually the pillow case is what covers your pillow.  A pillow sham might be used in addition to a pillow case.  It’s basically for decoration over your pillow. 

So for bedding at the absolute minimum you need the following:

Pillowcase and a pillow
Flat sheet
Fitted sheet
Comforter or a quilt
If you’re buying a set pillowcases usually come in two

Those are the basics that you need.  Everything else is extra.  If you are that person who is always cold, maybe you’ll want an extra blanket or a throw blanket.

We found this sheet set at Macy’s for 21 Dollars!!
Printed Microfiber 3 Pc. Sheet Set, Twin XL, Created for Macy’s

Want something a little more Basic?
Try Amazon Basics Essential Cotton Blend Sheet Set 

Bath

Two bath towels, two face towels, two hand towels.
If you plan to swim or go to the beach a lot then bring two more.
Towel sets on Amazon 

Shower Caddy this is to bring your shampoo, body, wash etc with you to the showers.
Shower Shoes because yeah you have to be clean.
House shoes or slippers for when you walk around the dorm otherwise you will ruin your socks and being barefoot isn’t cute around the dorms.

Own Your Style at Macy’s! Shop Back to Campus Essentials!

Beyond

Earbuds to not annoy your roommate
Noise Cancelling Headphones for when your roommate is annoying

Reading Lamp also when’s the last time you had an eye exam?  Your university likely has an eye clinic and since you’re paying for the benefits use it!!

Surge Protector

Charger for cell phone Don’t borrow your roommates

Laundry hamper
Laundry bag be sure to see if the on site laundry takes quarters or if yo

u need to use a debit card.
Detergent (including fabric softener) be sure to fold your clothes immediately after you dry them otherwise you’ll need an iron. If you have sensitive skin use fragrance free.

Desk Lamp save even more space by getting one with a USB port 
Being in a dorm is all about saving space so you might opt for a foldable portable computer tray.
Closet organizers are helpful as well.

Dorms will usually have wastebaskets but check with your specific dorm to see.

Don’t forget to follow REU Finder on Instagram for even more updates!!

The most common question I get from students this time of year is “So what do I need to bring with me?”   Here is a quick checklist of what you should bring and why.

1. Pack clothing that is comfortable and appropriate for both the program and the weather
   
   West Coast. Weather can fluctuate so dress in layers.  Coming to the San Francisco Bay Area? You’ll meet Karl the fog. Going to SoCal? You won’t meet Karl the fog but you will see smog.  San Diego or Santa Barbara? June gloom, it does get foggy but then it clears up quickly and it’s gorgeous you won’t want to leave. Going to Arizona State or the University of Arizona? it gets hot!!! You may have heard that you can fry an egg on the sidewalk in Arizona in the summer.  Well, actually no you can’t.  Eggs need 158 degrees to cook through and sidewalks although very hot usually reach out 145 degrees. Although with global warming I could be wrong…
   
   Canada, Washington State or Portland no umbrellas pack a light raincoat instead.  You don’t want to look like a tourist, right?
   
   East Coast hello humidity and possibly rain but it won’t be cold, just humid.  If you’re in the middle of the country or in the South East you’ll find that humid weather means it can rain at any moment so it’s not terrible to pack an umbrella.
   
   Somewhere in the middle is hot and/or humid.  Regardless of where you are, bring sunscreen and possibly a hat and definitely sunglasses.  
2. Business casual clothes for the poster session/networking events.
   Chances are you’ll give a talk at the end of your REU. It will likely be a poster session and possibly a technical talk so be sure to pack something to wear.  You might even have an additional outing where business casual. What is business casual?  Collared shirts or dressy blouses.  Dress socks!  Don’t be that person that wears dark dress pants  and white socks.
   
   If you decide to invest in a suit or a blazer be sure to cut those strings off.  The white strings on the back of the jacket,  When you see these you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. 
   
   Close toed shoes!! This is a big one. I’ve had a lot of students say but I’m not working in a wet lab or this isn’t a requirement in my lab.  Okay, I get it but sometimes you may be touring a lab and imagine you get to the lab and this is a requirement so guess what everyone gets to go into the lab and you’re stuck waiting outside because you don’t have closed toed shoes.  It happens and it’s not fun for that person.
   
   
3.  A shower caddy!! Yes, a shower caddy.  If you’re staying in the dorms then you’ll likely be happy you brought one.  Don’t forget flip flops too. 
4. Maybe a pillow (or not).  Check and see if the dorm or housing you’re staying in has linens (sheets, towels, pillowcases, pillows) they probably do but ask just in case. Fun fact: one year I had a student complain because he didn’t like the thread count in the dorms! I’m not kidding.  Don’t be that person! Unless you have severe eczema and need cotton sheets or a breathable material don’t be that person who complains about the linens on the first day. 
5. Travel Laundry bag and quarters!! Yes, at some point you will have to do laundry and the likelihood is you’ll have to pay in quarters.  Sometimes you’ll get lucky and they’ll take a debit card but you never know so bring quarters just in case. 
6.  Packing cubes.  Did you know that some airlines charge baggage fees?  As someone who travels a lot packing cubes are a game changer for me. Maybe right now you have plenty of room in your suitcase. Changes are after a ten-week summer research experience you’ll have more stuff.  Admit it, you know you’re planning to buy a college sweatshirt from whichever school you’ll be visiting this summer. Buy the packing cubes so you don’t have to pay the extra money on baggage fees. You can use that money on Boba instead! 
7. Your Driver’s License or other official Identification.  This might be a
   no-brainer but believe me I’ve had students forget this.  You might be thinking,” I’m not driving this summer.” Although this might be true you’ll still need identification.  So please be sure to bring this!!  Passport? If you have one, why not?  Again, if you’re going to any high security labs and such you may need to provide this. I once had a student who forgot his ID, his brother wasn’t too happy when he had to drive to drop it off and with gas prices these days… 
8.  A reusable water bottle. You’ll thank me for this one.  Many campuses either a) don’t sell water because they want to be eco friendly, or b) do sell bottled water at a huge markup.  Invest in a water bottle and if you’re a coffee drinker like me buy a tumbler.  You’ll save a lot of money and stay hydrated and awake! 
9. A lock for your e-scooter, bike, etc. If you are bringing a car be sure to let the program coordinators know and ask for a permit if possible.  On the subject of locks the school you’re at probably has a gym so if you plan to utilize the gym you may want to BYOL Brink your own lock.
   
   
10. Confidence. You’re really excited to begin but as the date approaches good old imposter syndrome can start to kick in. Don’t let it happen.  You got this!!  You have the aptitude and the drive to succeed in this new and amazing experience. Also fun fact: they do not expect you to know everything!!  Believe me, it’s an undergraduate research experience so don’t be shy about asking questions.  If you don’t understand something just ask. Remember the more confident you are the easier it will be for you to ask questions and to reach out for help when you need it.
    
    Oh wait, since you’re going to be working with people all summer long be sure to check out my audio book (also available in Kindle or Paperback) “Rose Colored Lenses: A Survival Guide for Navigating Personalities in the Workplace.”Good luck!!

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