10 things I wish I knew as a frosh at Stanford

This year’s PIT Lab Exec Team compiled a list of things they wished they knew when they started at Stanford, from general college and life advice to specific PIT-related tips.

1. Ask hard questions about tech development and your role in it. Just because someone who is “influential” or “successful” tells you something is true, don’t necessarily assume it’s correct. Many alumni return to Stanford to share insights from their entrepreneurial careers, and they often bring with them a certain view about technology’s ideal role in society. However, the onus will often be on you to seek out more critical viewpoints, so that you can shape a more informed perspective on tech development and your role in it. — Nik
2. Question your own assumptions, too. During your time at Stanford, you might encounter the techie/fuzzy rhetoric. It can be really easy to think of yourself within this binary, or to incorrectly consider humanities studies as inferior to their STEM counterparts, especially since these ideas have been continuously reinforced throughout your life. But it’s important to recognize that real-world problems aren’t cleanly set in the “techie” or “fuzzy” realm; rather they exist within complex interdisciplinary systems that require interdisciplinary thinking and skills to solve. So as you explore classes at Stanford, don’t limit yourself from exploring one field over another. Explore everything and know that you can be both “techie” and “fuzzy.” — Leila
3. PIT is so intersectional — browse the course catalog! Some of the best classes I’ve taken have been ones that I’ve found simply browsing the course catalog. Sometimes classes are not cross-listed, so by browsing the catalog you may encounter a class topic you are interested in, but that takes a different teaching style than what you are used to. If you’re interested in PIT, or any other interdisciplinary subjects, this can be useful as it equips you with multiple perspectives to think about important issues and the skills to communicate across multiple disciplines. I personally recommend looking through course lists of multiple different majors and looking through past year offerings to see which courses spark your interest. — Jane
4. There are PIT programs out there designed to nurture you. We know it can be entirely overwhelming to arrive at Stanford, hear buzz words, and be totally lost, in PIT and everything else. At the same time, there are incredible people, programs, and resources programs there to help you; Stanford has lots of resources and lots of people who spend their time curating job opportunities, class lists, and clubs, just for you. These programs can be difficult to find, but are super exciting. There is no better way to find a breadth of potential opportunities to learn and grow. For PIT resources, we highly recommend Coding it Forward’s Civic Digital Fellowship, Stanford’s Public Service Career Fair, and newsletters from BEAM’s and Cardinal Service. Most importantly, get comfortable asking for advice and favors. Peers and professors know so much and are always excited to share. — Julia
5. Get off campus! In many ways, Stanford is a bubble, which can be a double-edged sword. Getting off campus during your time at Stanford allows you to take a step back, get a different perspective, and return to campus refreshed. One of my best experiences was studying abroad in Santiago, where I had the chance to engage with and immerse myself in a different culture, meet new folks, and learn more about myself. And besides study abroad, there are many ways to get off-campus whether it be through the East Palo Alto Stanford Academy, a service learning language class, community-based research, or even a quarter off. — Evani
6. Connect with recent grads early and often. One of Stanford’s many perks is its amazing alumni network. The best way to enter and get involved in the PIT space professionally is often just by meeting individuals who currently work in the field. Use the Stanford Alumni Mentoring platform to meet a wide range of accomplished individuals, conducting informational interviews about diverse careers you’re interested in pursuing. Ask about choosing a major or applying to grad school. Discuss the many options open to Stanford students post-grad and how alumni ended up in their career trajectories. Build relationships with professors (shout out to all PIT-related classes!)… and who knows? They may even connect you with a great job opportunity, whether in academia, industry, or some other domain. — Katie
7. Ask upperclassmen about their Stanford journeys. Deciding how to approach Stanford is hard. Lucky for you, there’s about 1,600 people on campus each year eager to reflect on four years of decisions — and mistakes — who are likely willing to share with you. All you have to do is ask. Ask about their favorite classes and internship decisions, sure, but don’t be afraid to get deep. Ask about when they most felt at home at Stanford (if ever), what experience they learned the most from even if it was hard, and what they wish they had cared about less. Your only goal should be to learn from their experience, so go in with an open mind and leave transactionality behind for this interaction. That intimidating TA or badass senior in one of your organizations? Reach out to them for a coffee chat — you never know what opportunity might come from it. — Constanza
8. Make time for friends. The wording here is important: it’s not about having time, it’s about making time. We’re all busy, that’s just college life. But don’t let that own you. Carve out time to be there for friends, or get together to study instead of holing up by yourself in your dorm room. College is scary and hard, and there are lots of things competing for your time; actively prioritize connecting with the people around you. The conversations you have will help you grow in ways that p-sets never will. The chance to learn about what drives other people, or how they see the world, is precious. So seek out new communities, join a club you’re not sure about, talk to people on your floor. Never again will you have a chance to interact with such a diverse group of people who are all open and interested in making new friends. And as an important final note: wherever you find yourself socially at the end of spring quarter — maybe with a budding friendship or two, maybe knowing everyone in your year — is totally normal. This is a long journey; everyone is still finding their place, and you have a whole four years to do so. — Sarah
9. Take time for yourself. As a Stanford student, you’ll probably feel pressure to do a lot. With all the amazing opportunities here, it’s hard not to overwhelm yourself with classes, clubs, social events, etc.; and the pace of the quarter system only enhances that go-go-go mentality. With that in mind, I think it’s extremely important to take time for yourself. Read a book in a hammock, visit Windhover and meditate, wander around Main Quad — whatever it is that allows you to pause, take a breather, and decompress from the Stanford sprint. And hey, everyone needs a Netflix binge every once in a while. — Ryan
10. Take advantage of the opportunities and make memories. Someone once told me that in 20 years, you aren’t going to remember the grade that you got on that chemistry exam or how much time you spent studying for it; you are going to remember that cool talk you attended that changed the way you approached life or that time you and your friends went fountain hopping at midnight. Don’t get so caught up in the little things in life that you miss out of the plethora of opportunities and memories Stanford has to offer. — Sarrah
11. Find things outside of class that you care about. You can learn as much as, if not more, from extracurricular activities as you can from classes. Instead of doing the absolute most in each of your classes, be okay with imperfection so that you can also dedicate time to finding the work, projects, and clubs that excite you. Be careful not to overextend yourself in the process of exploring. It’s okay to quit something if you aren’t enjoying it. Stick with what you love most, dive deeply into it, and see what you learn in the process. — Lola

Whether you’re starting or wrapping up your Stanford journey, we hope you can carry these pieces of advice to make the most of your time left at Stanford.

— From the Stanford PIT Lab 20–21 Executive Board