My favorite professor runs an open house for incoming freshman annualy...this year he has asked me to give a short speech to these kids and their parents, describing the college of engineering, and the department of CS from a students perspective. I actually found it to be quite an honor that he selected me; esspecially that he knows damn well that I like other things much better than CS.
I like giving talks, so I prepared quite well - and the speech went great....lasted around 10 minutes, fallowed with a Q&A session. Basically my advice to the kids was to do things beyond school - that school's "bare" minimum is not enough if they really want to accomplish something. I told them to branch out, join different labs and researches...and finally to get an internship. I really wish someone gave such a speech to me 4 years ago
After words I mingled and ate a great lunch.
I also received a rather nice surprise - the department gave me an iPod shuffle and a $50 gift certificate to best buy
good times
