Student Stories: Karlyn

Karlyn

What are your major/majors & minors?

I am a double major in Human Development and Public Relations and a double minor in Business Leadership and Leadership & Social Change

When entering Virginia Tech, what majors/themes were you considering?

When I first arrived at Virginia Tech, I was so lost as to what I wanted to do with my future. I knew I ultimately wanted to help people, so I decided to form my first semester schedule around the medical field.  Medicine made sense to me.  I did not end up doing anything medical or in the life sciences, but at least I could cross it off my list.  

How did you explore majors at Virginia Tech?

I talked to anyone and everyone I met. I wanted to know everything about every single major before I chose one.  The Majors Fair was also a fantastic resource for me where I could talk to representatives and collect information about each major.

When did you declare your major? (end of freshmen year, sophomore year, etc.)

I declared my Human Development major at the end of my freshman year (literally the last week of school!) and I declared my Public Relations major in the spring of my junior year after realizing I wanted to make my Communication minor a Public Relations major.

Why do you love Virginia Tech?

Their emphasis on service and leadership drew me in and the people I met here sealed the deal. I also love Virginia Tech because it focuses on the holistic development of its students. Yes, they care about academics, but they also emphasize your strengths, help you realize your place in the world, and provide opportunities to help you become the best person you can be.  Plus, there's nothing like jumping to Enter Sandman before a football game.

Briefly describe your favorite moment at Virginia Tech

One of my favorite memories occurred during the first week of school when a friend and I took a deck of cards to one of the tables outside Deets and invited anyone who walked by to play card games with us.  I love card games, so I was already having a fun, but I met so many new people and it made Virginia Tech feel like home.  I’m still in touch with some of those people today!