The California Tech [email protected] VOLUME CXVII NUMBER 4 PASADENA, CALIFORNIA TECH.CALTECH.EDU OCTOBER 21, 2013 Caltech’s Fall Career Fair: Frosh perspective SHANNON WANG and be judged. You are and stop with the arm-flailing Contributing Writer free to judge, too. So works about as well as staring. judge away, because 4) Bring a whole stack of Let me get this out of your opinion of a your resumes, because there are the way: I’m not an avid company should be opportunities for freshmen. Even fan of career fairs and this just as important as those who aren’t outright hiring piece isn’t an advertisement their opinion of you. are still handing out business cards for future fairs. Jobs are the 2) You will and telling you to keep in touch. proverbial carrots in most screw up. You will You will be talking to recruiters of these events, and even fumble through from Microsoft, Intel, Goldman when the opportunities the conversation Sachs and the like. Not all of them are real, the fairs can still and you will wince were willing to take freshmen, but be nightmarish. Career whenever you recall it’s worth a try. fairs aren’t designed with that particular booth Even more importantly, don’t introverts in mind and and hate yourself for go into the fair with an attitude they’re just as dreadful for being curious enough as pessimistic as mine. I won’t even the most outgoing to inquire about that natter on about the fair being a and vivacious applicants, company, but if you’re great opportunity to network and because no one is safe from socialize, but I will being The Poor Schmuck – say that it gives you the one who’s been standing perspective. It goes third in line forever as the without saying that volume of the recruiting Techers are brilliant conversation ahead soars and resourceful: to all-time high and the recruiter offer me a job. I hadn’t prepared we can carve out launches into another speech a thirty-second self-introduction our own niches in with furious head-bobbing and because one look at my name the world if there wild gesticulating. But despite all badge told the recruiters all they aren’t ones already this gripping drama, I still believe needed to know about me: year waiting for us. But a that attending the career fair is a and major. I had never felt more career fair serves to worthwhile experience. socially inept — I drew blanks on remind Techers that I was that poor schmuck during career fair etiquette. Do I continue there is a place for us Tuesday’s career fair, feeling standing here? Or should I move? in the world where horribly out of place as I waited Will it look bad if I stop waiting in our talents are both behind a graduate student who line? Where do I move to? How wanted and needed. had much more business standing do I start up a conversation when It reminds Techers there than I did. I had no resume. I everyone looks busy? And the of all the good they didn’t come with high expectations most important question: How do dreamed of doing of landing an internship, because I keep from being judged? and helps bring all it was painfully obvious I was a I suspect that this is what most of those dreams to kid fresh out of high school and the freshmen present at the fair felt. fruition. Perhaps nobody in his right mind would I suspect that this is what the other Caltech students talk to potential employers about internship and job opportunities. some of the jobs freshmen will feel when -Bob Paz are still carrots, and they attend the upcoming have learned how to make their perhaps you’ll still fairs in winter and spring. future job-hunting as painless as lucky, you’ll leave with a free t-shirt find yourself as The Poor Schmuck. In this issue And I suspect that at the possible. For the frosh who didn’t and an armful of brochures anyway. But there will be opportunities that end of their experiences, attend and are curious, here are the 3) Don’t stand in line. Come suit you and there will be at least they will have declared the conclusions I have drawn: back later if you must, but don’t one enlightening conversation — whole ordeal to have been 1) Career fairs are judgment waste time staring plaintively at the and really, what else are you going NEWS worth it, because they will zones. People are there to judge recruiters. Willing them to finish to do in that hour? New events from the Caltech Y 3 News briefs from around the globe Helping readers burst out of the Caltech bubble OPINION Brad urges us to Need to know < 100 words about the world this week – topics sorted from good to bad stick to our sizes4 by The Tech Eds FEATURE Hostages arrive home 9 Lebanese citizens captured by rebels in Syria in 2012 were released [BBC] Interview with Pro- Titanic violin auctioned $1.45M was the price the violin (played as the Titanic sank) fetched [BBC] fessor Nets Katz 5 US to donate to Pakistan $1.5-billion assistance package planned for programs in Pakistan [NYT] Gay adoption approved 1st woman in France allowed to adopt her wife’s biological children [TIME] SPORTS Toyota recalls faulty cars 885,000 vehicles were recalled due to water leakage from AC unit [BBC] Women’s volley- ball team earns 7 Bushfires wreak havoc 200 homes and 91,400acres have been burned in New South Wales [BBC] two victories Deadly earthquake hits 7.1 in magnitude, an earthquake in the Philippines killed at least 183 [CNN] EWS 2 OCTOBER 21, 2013 N THE CALIFORNIA TECH Last week’s ASCIT Minutes* Food with Mannion! *(Since ASCIT didn’t send us any) Do you like eating food? Minutes for October 9, 2013. Taken by Catherine Jamshidi How about free food at nice restaurants? Ever want to tell the world exactly what you think of President’s Report (Zach): said food? New important times: ASCIT will meet every Wednesday at 10pm in SAC 15. The Tech will be beginning a new column to chroni- ARC will meet every Sunday at 3pm in the SFL MCR. cle the foodie experiences of new writers every other IHC meets every Tuesday at 12pm in the house dining week...The Catch: They’ll be going head-to-head with halls. Tom Mannion who will be reviewing the same restau- Officer’s Reports: rant. If you have ever thought you were more of a gour- V.P. of Academic Affairs (ARC Chair: Malvika): mand than our resident master chef, now’s your chance The ARC is looking for students that are interested in advising the to prove it! Faculty Committee about what to do with the 9th floor space in Email us for a spot on the list at [email protected] Millikan Library. Anyone interested should contact Malvika at [email protected] Should we not let students view grades until they fill out TQFRs? There was an Ombuds Training Session on Friday at the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Outreach that geared towards The California Tech freshmen and sophomores to prepare them for their roles as ombuds. Caltech 40-58, Pasadena, CA 91125 The ARC is looking for 2 frosh ARC reps. Interviews will be this advertising e-mail: [email protected] Write editorial e-mail: [email protected] Sunday from 3-5 pm on campus. Editors-in-Chief V.P. of Non-Academic Affairs (IHC Chair: Connor): Jonathan Schor articles for Stanford Schor Rotation happened, and it went well. News Editors Neera Shah In light of recent events, the IHC is looking at more formal Nehaly Shah the Tech procedures for approving Rotation activities. Photography Editor The South House RLC search committee has made a Alex Hsu recommendation; we are hoping s/he will start near the beginning of November. Director of Operations (Connie): Would like to have more ways of advertising clubs (more than just the club fair and a list on Donut). Staff Club (re-) registration is going on now. More information can be Brad Chattergoon Malvika Verma found at www.clubs.caltech.edu ASCIT Inventory: Working to standardize the process for lending equipment out to houses/GSC for parties and checking it back in in a timely manner. Treasurer (Monica): Club Funding Day is October 27th. Would like to come up with a system where people requesting reimbursements for purchases must meet with Monica at a specific time/place so as to lessen the amount of back-and-forth emailing happening now to meet up with someone. Circulation Manager Michael Paluchniak Will send out details regarding new reimbursement procedure. Advisor Richard Kipling Social Director (Michelle): The Tech is published weekly except dur- ing vacation and examination periods by End of Rotation party was cancelled, but Page is working to the Associated Students of the California Institute of Technology, Inc. The opinions reschedule it (tentatively this Friday). expressed herein are strictly those of the authors and advertisers. The Carnival was last Saturday and went well. Letters and submissions are welcome; e- mail submissions to [email protected] as Fleming Frosh Party is happening this Saturday, October 19th. plain-text attachments, including the au- thor’s name, by Friday of the week before publication. The Tech does accept anony- mous contributions under special circum- Secretary (Cat): stances.