Waiting in Line (aka the Engineering Career Fair)

So, today was the Spring Engineering Career Fair.

Yesterday were the Diversity Career Reception and the Engineering Network Reception.

None of those are as fun as they sound. And they don't even sound fun, do they?

A tad about each event:

The Diversity Career Reception used to be called the Diversity Showcase. It's specifically for employers to meet "under-represented demographics" and talk to them and stuff. Pretty much, if you're not a middle-class, white male, you get invited. And you have to be invited to get in. It's all very fancy-shmancy. I was obviously invited because as I may be middle-class and white, I am, alas, not male. Pun intended. There were only two companies that attended the Diversity Reception that I wanted to talk to. The first told me that I should really try to get some research experience under my belt. The second told me that no one from the Aerospace department could make it, but they would make sure my resume got into the right hands. As you can tell, neither of these conversations were very reassuring.

The Engineering Network Reception was pretty much the same thing as the Diversity Reception except for the fact that white guys could attend and that it was in a different building. I had intended to talk to the same two companies (Ball Aerospace and GKN, if anyone was wondering), but GKN decided to not show and I just talked to my friend, Brandi, who was there for Ball about her day. I had to wait in line for about 15 or 20 minutes to talk to Brandi. It was okay, though.

Then today was the Engineering Career Fair. It was in the same building as the Network Reception, but spread out through 3 rooms. There were more companies, but I still only wanted to talk to Ball and GKN. I waited in line for 40 minutes to talk to Ball. Forty. It was so hot in the room, too. Luckily, I ended up standing with a guy that lives in my dorm that I'm kind of friends with. Then I talked to the only lady who I hadn't talked with yet for Ball. She gave me papers and told me to apply online. Before today, I had applied for 3 internships at Ball, two of which I am actually qualified for. Now I've applied for 4 internships. Merf. After I talked to Ball, I went upstairs and stood in line for GKN for about 15 or 20 minutes. It might have been longer, but I got in line right behind one of the guys in my lab group. And he was right behind my really good friend, Dan, so the three of us just had a jolly good time waiting in the queue. The girl I talked to for GKN recognized me because she lived in my dorm last year. That was pretty cool. But, again, they didn't have anybody from Aerospace, so she circled my major on my resume and told me she would get it to the right people. One can only hope.