“With the Lawn space provided to me, I would actively work to create an environment that embraces academic and extracurricular exploration. I plan to do this through an open-door policy, and coffee chats,” she wrote. “I was so lucky to have a mentor help pull me out of my self-pressure tailspin, and into a major I love. Coffee chats would provide a chance for younger students to talk to upperclassmen or professors about opportunities they may have never considered before.”
‘What Would I Say to My First-Year Self?’
Moore, who has asked herself that question, held coffee chats in her Lawn room several times in the fall and is continuing the practice this semester.
And she’s taking her project to another level: She’s crowdsourcing input from other students at UVA. In her call for submissions earlier this month, Moore made an outline of almost all the questions first-year students have asked her during coffee chats so far. We posed some of those questions to her. Here are her answers.
Q. Why do you think new students should seriously consider joining a club?
A. If you could just pick one club that you think you like, then most likely some other people in it are going to say, “I also like this. You should also try this.” It’s really a [good way to] kickstart a network, based on something you know you’re going to like, which I think is so important to do quickly because college can just be so isolating. I think it’s just one of the best ways to meet people in a structured environment.
Q. What’s your advice for studying?
A. I use physical flashcards. I know a lot of people really like to do online studying, but I love to write things on physical cards. And then also talking to my friends about it; I feel like if you can explain it, then that means you know it. Then, I always give myself grace. If the first exam or assignment in a class does not go well, then I make sure to go talk to my professor and maybe explain how I studied. A lot of times, they will have perfect advice about something I may have been missing.
Q. How did you get on people’s social calendars?
A. I think doing things like going to athletic events – even if you’re going by yourself, or just with one other person – at those planned events you’ll see people there. Then oftentimes after that, people say, “Oh, do you want to go grab dinner?” That’s going to lead to other plans.
Q. What have been some of your favorite activities to do with friends?
A. My second year we had a “Bachelor” watch party going. A lot of my friends had apartments and we would swap apartments each week and they would have everyone over and set out crackers and cheese and popcorn. Beforehand, everyone would write down what they thought the outcome of the show would be.
