Life Outside Sac State

Life outside sac state can be lot of fun. Sacramento is a decent place to live in, and if you know the right places, you can enjoy life here.

I like eating out and traveling. Depending on the type of food you like, you will find a few good restaurants for each kind. ‘Thai Cottage’ on Howe Avenue is one of my favorites for Thai food, while ‘PF Chang’ or ‘Continental Buffet’ is a good choice for Chinese food. If you are a fan of Sushi, I recommend ‘Mikuni’ in downtown Sacramento and it is a really lively place on weekends!

Or if you like Persian food, you definitely want to check out ‘Famous Kabob’ on Fulton Ave.
I liked these places, and hey, I am not paid to advertise for them!!

I also like the location of Sacramento, as it is quite close to different places like San Francisco or Lake Tahoe. Weekends are perfect for a short drive to Napa Valley or San Francisco. If you are an outdoor type of person, then it is amazing here. Hiking on the trail or rafting in American river is only to name a few. Skiing in Tahoe is probably an extreme thing for me, but you can try it!

A visit to Old Sacramento or the capitol area in the afternoon can be quite pleasant. I have heard of the museums here, but yet to visit those. I will probably visit one in the coming vacation.

Getting Involved: What I've done, What you can do and Why it is important?

‘Get involved’, I have heard this buzz word so many times, form my professors, advisors and peers. Initially it was just a fancy phase for me, and I ignored the call. As I somehow got involved once, I realized what a great thing I was missing.

I worked as a volunteer for United Way, and actively participated in its fund raising efforts. I got to meet lots of people, and I learnt the impact United Way makes in helping people. It was really fun, and opened my eyes beyond the often hectic academics, and introduced me to world of non-profit organizations and their work. I am also involved in my community, and try to help out when I get a chance. Whenever there is a gathering, I put my best to attend and volunteer for the preparation. These involvements have influenced my overall outlook and networking.

My current work as a Business Student Ambassador is another of my efforts to get involved. I have learnt about CBA a lot since I joined this program. There are several resources, and I am getting more aware of these.

I strongly feel that I need to get more involved and planning to join some student organizations in campus soon. Involvement in social as well as campus and professional organizations help get the big picture, establish networking and can be lot of fun.

As new students to CBA, you should try to get involved in different campus activities and organizations. I am not advocating to give up coursework and to devote all your time in other activities. School work and exams are very important, but if you can combine some of these involvements into your schedule, they will really help you to make lot of contacts, get direction in your career goals and help in the long run. I have seen several people doing this and how it positively affected their achievements, in terms of getting fellowships in prestigious schools or managing a successful career.

What I Wish I Knew...Advice for new Business Majors

There are many things to know when you are in a college. Like you are, I am also learning new things everyday. But as I am a junior right now, I probably have experienced few more things that you are yet to face. Below are the couple of my advices for new students:-
College life is fun but to have that fun you really need to manage your time well. I know you already have heard it many times before. The only reason I am saying it again because I keep forgetting about it and it gives me a lot of pain when I have three tests and birthday parties at the same week. It is the key to success!! Please prioritize your work and do not forget that bad grades will only hurt you and nobody else.

There are lots of resources in the campus that you should take advantage of. The writing center (Calaveras Hall, Room # 128) is an excellent place to go if you need help with your essay, thesis etc. Library offers classes where they teach student how to research on projects. There are tutors available in campus for business students (Tahoe Hall, Room # 3067). I personally have used all these resources and I can assure you that it will save your time and frustration. Sometimes we think that we are capable of doing things right and do not really care about getting help. The truth is you can actually perform a lot better by utilizing these resources. They are free and only dedicated to help you.

At the beginning of your semester shop for the classes you are going to take. It is not to choose only the easy professors but to get an idea what you like about other professors who are teaching the same course. Obviously, if the course is not that important an easy professor would make life less complicated. Just keep in mind that for your major classes you need to find a good professor who can teach the subject material. There is no point of having an A in your major classes if you do not learn anything. Ask your friends which professors are good. You can also get some idea from the website www.sacrate.com.

Please visit career center (Lassen Hall, Room # 2000) once in a while. They have useful information regarding internships, Co-Op, career events and many other opportunities. Just introduce yourself as a new student and they will explain you all the different types of services they have. Also, visit the career fair even if you are not looking for jobs. It is a good investment of your time. It will help you big time to look for a real job in your field later on. College of Business Administration (CBA) also offers internships for student. There are some requirements to be eligible for the internship. Please contact the Office of Student Affairs of CBA to know the requirements ahead of time so that you can plan your future accordingly.
Lastly, enjoy your time at Sacramento State University!! It is a great place to get a degree and I am sure you will like it too!