<p>I'm feeling low right now thinking about my past and future. I have the capacity to do really well if I tried just like most people but I have ADD and find it really hard to start or finish anything unless I'm working under pressure. I've gotten better since starting my junior year of college though, but wish I had done so earlier.
The reason I feel so down is because my GPA is not that great (2.8) and I have no extracurriculars and haven't done anything so far during my 2 summers except take classes while my friends are getting into fancy internships and summer research programs. I feel like if I applied to any summer program or internship I'd just get rejected because my resume is so pathetic. </p>
<p>I've had a really hard time and life while in college and do not like it. To top it off I had a very very unlucky run in with the law and got a possession of marijuana charge. I'm a public health major and most of those jobs are government related and I know they're not gonna like that charge; why would they hire me if they can hire someone without a charge? I take a lot of pride in myself for being a good person and worker (i worked hard at all my past jobs but when it comes to school work I struggle), but it's not like they're gonna know that. </p>
<p>I'm wondering what should I do to have a competitive resume when I apply for grad school? I do have an internship scheduled after my senior year in another country; i wanted to do it after my junior year but the advisor said that I need to complete all my core courses before I do my internship requirement. This summer I will be taking summer courses but I feel like I should be doing something else as well. Any advice?</p>
<p>Start by taking a serious look at yourself. You need to take responsibility for your actions, past and present. You should really try to find a paying job, even if it is something like retail or fast food or something. Get something on your resume that says you can work hard.</p>
<p>It can be tough, but you really do seem like you are ready to begin adulthood, and recognizing your mistakes will help you earn your future. Just as an example, when you say, “I’ve had a really hard time and life while in college and do not like it. To top it off I had a very very unlucky run in with the law and got a possession of marijuana charge,” you mean to say that you possessed marijuana and were caught. It was something you did, not something that happened to you. That doesn’t mean you are a bad person or anything, but in order to learn, you just need to admit to yourself that you made a mistake. From there you can come to terms with it and turn it into a positive. I promise you can do it!</p>
<p>I don’t mean to be pedantic or anything, so please don’t take this post the wrong way. I just want to help!</p>
<p>If your goal is graduate school, random retail and fast food jobs won’t mean squat. You need research experience and strong letters of recommendation, along with the best GPA improvement you can get. Pull a 3.5+ from here on out and gradcoms will take notice of that upward trend. Look for undergraduate research opportunities and internships.</p>
<p>I do recognize it was my fault to begin with for having it. I’m just saying it was unfortunate because I know a lot of people that do a LOT more risky things than me and they never got caught. I got caught because someone in my dorm was smoking so a cop searched all the rooms on the floor and I had mine in my pullout desk I did not expect to it to be a cop knocking at my door when I opened it.
Just recently in Virginia, a bill to expunge 1st marijuana offenses lost by 1 and became tabled. I’m hoping it passes before I look for jobs because I think that offense will affect my job prospects. </p>
<p>Last semester I got a 3.4 and I’m on track to get to do well again this semester so I think I have my academics down. I just feel it will be hard for me to get an research program/internship when there will probably be more qualified people applying for them but I guess it doesn’t hurt to try. I’m worried though about letters of recommendation because I’m quiet in class and don’t really have any sort of relationship with any of my professors.</p>
<p>Then you need to start building those relationships. Speak up, go to office hours, ask questions, show interest.</p>
<p>To quote Robert Tepper, there’s no easy way out. You have to make the effort to connect. You have to apply, even if you don’t think you have a shot in hell.</p>
<p>I’m on a six-month internship with the Forest Service right now, and my supervisor has a saying of his own: “Must be present to win.” Meaning, if you don’t try, your chance of success is automatically zero.</p>