Colloquium: an academic conference or lecture. Have you heard of it? I certainly have. There seems to be a colloquium for every day of the week, every week of the semester. Have you ever wondered why? Have you ever considered attending?
I hadn’t, at first. I was so convinced that I would be swamped with homework and I wouldn’t have time to spend an hour listening to a presentation of which I would likely understand very little. However, you – and me – should go to colloquiums. Why? Let me tell you.
- Figure Out Your Major
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I’ve been getting a lot of questions about what I’m majoring in, and what I want to do with my life. I don’t know. I sort of doubt that I will ever really know. Colloquiums are a great way to get a taste of each different field. Most often, the people presenting are very developing in their fields, and they show many variations on the traditional topics.
- Meet Professors
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A lot of professors attend colloquium lectures, both in and outside of the specific department. It’s a great opportunity to meet professors, see your professors outside of class, and to have new conversations.
- Get Free Food
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Sometimes lectures come with free food. Who doesn’t love free food? Go for it! Eat some food! It’s free!
- Find Out About Cutting-Edge Research
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Most colloquium lectures are about present, cutting edge research. Aren’t you curious about what your professors and the people who work in the university are doing in their free time? The answer is pushing the boundaries, making new discoveries, and providing you the opportunity to see it first.
- Learn Something New
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Of course. It seems so simple, right? Right! You’re at college to learn. Colloquiums provide an opportunity to learn outside of your traditional classrooms. Plus, they don’t test you on the material – sit back, enjoy, understand what you can, and walk away happy.