Alumni Advice for New Scholars: "We Got You"
Welcome to the family, new Scholars! Your Cookie cousins who have walked the path before you would like to share some advice as you embark on this next phase of your journey. Read below for some hard-earned Alumni wisdom and know that most of all - your Cooke Scholar Community is here for you!
“Go to the gym or make sure to exercise… I found that the semester that I exercised, my workload and grades were significantly better than the first semester when I did not do anything besides studying.” – Trung Quach, 2014 Transfer Scholar and 2017 Graduate Scholar
Carrie Moore and Dr. Promise Olomo at Scholars Weekend 2015
“Accept that you cannot do it all. Come to terms with not overachieving. A’s are not the only things that matter. Burnout is real and your health is more important than grades.” – Maria Vega Rodriquez, 2020 Transfer Scholar
“Always take the meal plan! Even if you don’t use your meal plan every time, share it with your friends that don’t have one. This is a great way to make friends and fill stomachs (assuming the cafeteria food is semi-palatable).” – Jonathan Finnerty, 2015 Transfer Scholar and 2017 Graduate Scholar
“Make sure to not burn yourself out and dedicate time for friends and being involved in the community in meaningful ways. And you don’t have to have it all figured out. It takes time to understand what path you want to take in your life.” – Leonardo Ruales, 2018 Transfer Scholar and 2023 Graduate Scholar
“’We must lift as we climb.’ You may be the only person in a room that understands struggle and adversity and it may feel impossible to help anyone else while you’re still trying to help yourself, but the journey to the top will be hard and lonely if you don’t bring others along with you every step of the way.” – Maria Fernanda Martinez, 2009 Young Scholar, 2014 College Scholar and 2020 Graduate Scholar
Cooke Scholars and Alums at Scholars Weekend 2022
“Many of us are playing from behind trying to shake the long-term effects of poverty and/or generational trauma, not to mention the effects of our own trauma. Year and years of life happening to us… But you hold more power over your own life now. And you have resources and a team behind you. An army of cousins to support you.
Need an internship? We got you. Struggling to decide between law school and a master’s in public policy? We got a cousin for that. Completely stressed and feel like no one understands at your Ivy what it’s like to overcome and beat the odds just to be there? There’s a whole community of people who get it. You aren’t alone. We’ve been there.” – Ann Marie Hormeku, 2016 Transfer Scholar and 2021 Graduate Scholar
“When things are tough and you’re starting to doubt yourself - look down at your shoes and remember where you are, you have made it this far for a reason.” - Umang Gurung, 2011 Young Scholar and 2016 College Scholar
“Find a healthy normal for YOU, not everyone else. Challenge yourself but also recognize when you need a break, to recenter, and to remember why you're doing it all in the first place. Don't overcommit. The quality of your work is more important than the quantity. Try to listen to what your body is telling you (emotional and psychological debts) even when it isn't screaming at its worst. It's a skill worth cultivating.” – Vesal Stoakley, Chicago/Midwest Chapter Co-Leader, 2015 Transfer Scholar and 2023 Graduate Scholar
Cooke Scholars and Alums at Scholars Weekend 2015
“Don’t die. You likely had to sacrifice a lot to get here and may have become accustomed to withstanding a lot. This can place you at a super high risk of either overwork-related illness or suicidal thoughts. It can feel, when you look around and see other cohorts doing amazing things, like you’re the only one slowly suffocating. You are not alone. You are valued. We will help you.” – Moriah Mason, 2014 Transfer Scholar and 2019 Graduate Scholar
“Be bold. Never eliminate yourself from an opportunity because you never thought you would get it. Make them tell you ‘no!’” – Allen Brown, 2022 Transfer Scholar