Student Spotlight Interview with IVY REN
Drexel University, Lebow College of Business ’23
CORE: What are you studying and why did you choose it?
REN: I’m going to major in accounting and business analytics. I chose this because I really like management and working with numbers. I’m learning to manage and operate businesses. I took accounting freshman year in high school and I was good at it, I like creating reports and working with charts. I’m a freshman so I’m still not really sure about my major.
CORE: Tell us something that you learned the hard way along your education journey?
REN: I learned that even though something is easy for me, like math, I still have to practice. That’s happened to me multiple times where I didn’t study because I thought it was easy. When I was younger I would just skim through my notes but now I’ve learned to do problems, make flashcards and notecards and make study guides.
CORE: How do you keep yourself organized?
REN:I have a planner. I have something that is similar to a bullet journal and I make my own calendars. For class, and even when it isn’t school related I have to write out my tasks. For regular day to day tasks I use the Apple reminder app.
I have a monthly calendar that I make colorful for the days of the week and dates and I keep a weekly calendar as well. I try to keep it simple because I’m not that artistic but I like to make it colorful. I also keep a page for a to do list.
How to make your own bullet journal
CORE: How have you prepared yourself for success this semester?
REN: I meditate so I can clear my mind and not get stressed. It started out simple, there’s apps that teach you to meditate properly where you close your eyes and think about nothing. During the summer I would start my morning by meditating for 5 minutes every morning. It improved my mood and made me more energetic and positive. I also plan ahead for my courses so I can have a general idea of what my classes will be in the future.
[The Daily Calmis a great app for meditation techniques and stress reduction]CORE: Any advice for other students?
REN: One piece of advice I have for preparing yourself mentally is to have a positive attitude going into whatever task you need to do. I don’t like exercising but I do sometimes. I started because it improved my mood to exercise early in the morning. Do things that make you feel refreshed in the morning. Try not to stress too much – if you think about the negatives for too long it starts to ruin your day.
