Girl's Guide to Business Trips

So I just got back from tagging along on another trip with my Boss and realized I really need to jot all this down. It has taken me 2 years of random business trips and I still forget things but I’d like to think I’ve mostly got it down to an art at this point. Here is my set of tips when packing and going on business trips. I’ll be adding to this as time goes on as well.

Pack Light

The last thing you want to be doing is carrying fourteen bags to and forth and trying to find things in them. For anything up to a week I try to stick to two bags. A backpack for entertainment/schoolbooks/laptop and a carry-on bag for clothing.

First Aid Kit

Invest in a small first aid kit. Business trips often involve a lot of walking/moving and especially for you ladies in flats/heels it can’t hurt to have band aids always at hand. I bought mine for $3 at target and it fits nicely in luggage/purses. For nights out I just take out what I need and put it in a clutch.

Plan Outfits BEFOREHAND

I cannot stress the importance of this. If you know me you realize that me and limited clothing options don’t go together. I’m the idiot who packs four bags worth before I realize I have to carry it all and reconsider but I’ve found a way around it. Plan outfits in advance. Also plan to mix up outfits so you can take less clothing. For example for a one week trip I would pack 2 pairs of dress pants (for business), 1 pair jeans (for going out for leisure) and a couple nice skirts or dresses (for going out to dinner, I’ve found that business dinners with the people I work tend to be some seriously high scale places). Then I pack a few blouses. A good plan is to get giant zip locks and pack every outfit in advance complete with jewelry/underwear/etc.

As far as shoes go you really only need one pair. I try to always have a pair of shorter heels that can go casual or dressy. For me this is a pair of booties that I can hide under pants or wear with a dress it really goes both ways and I can actually walk in them. I made the mistake a year ago of bringing actual heels (or to be precise stilettos) to a conference. I couldn’t walk correctly the next day, there is little chance to go back and change or if there is there are other things you could be doing. If you really want also bring a pair of comfy shoes for walking around to change into (i.e. converse or something).

Toiletries

Ladies as far as makeup goes you only need 2 small bags of essentials; you don’t have room for an entire cart. I choose one look for the week that I can play up or down and plan for that. For me this is foundation, powder, mascara, 3 eye shadow palettes in nude colors, and eyeliner, the second bag is for my brushes. Both of these aren’t very large. Pick one or 2 hair products you can’t function without, my hair gets crazy frizzy if I’m anywhere near humidity so I bring a frizz/nutrition spray and that’s about it. If you have curly hair include mouse as well. NOTE: if you’re doing carry on put it in a sealed zip lock bag and check the amount you can take. You can get minis of most products at places like Target or Drug Stores. Deodorant. DON’t FORGET IT. There’s nothing worse than going to shake someone’s hand and realizing they have BO. Toothbrush, you can get one from the hotel but they are cheap and you want your teeth all nice and sparkly for smiling at folk.

I always choose one heat styling tool. Either my hair is straight or curly that week and I can do other things with it too but I usually just pick one and bring it.
And last but not least if you even think you may need them bring Tampons/pads. Especially in engineering where there are few females around, it may be hard to find tampons in the middle of a huge conference where you have no idea where the bathrooms may even be. One doesn’t take up much space and u can keep it in your bag.

If you wear contacts get a travel sized container of solution.

Things You Can Leave Behind

Toothpaste, soap, shampoo, hangers you can get from the hotel. Water etc. you can get always get somewhere; it’s too much of a bother to carry. If you’re doing carry on you won’t be able to take it anyways.

Nail polish, etc. Ladies either don’t do your nails or get them French manicured, there is nothing worse than chipped nails and you don’t want to be constantly fixing them. Plus it looks unprofessional, either go with a neutral you can’t notice even if it chips or go au natural.

Always leave room in your bag

Whether this is for souvenirs, swag bags, etc. I always buy my sister a coffee mug from the places I visit so I have to leave room for that and occasionally I get random swag at events I need to store away.

Plane bag

Pack Snacks, entertainment (for me this is a book or magazine for when I can’t have electronics on). IPod/IPhone/headphones, boarding pass, wallet and ID. This is really all you need, don’t weigh yourself down. Oh and sunglasses/glasses.

Everyday Bag

I take with me 2 purses on trips. One is a cross body bag, big enough to fit what’s needed but that can’t be stolen easily off my person. I put all the important things in the clutch I bring and put it inside with everything else around it. That way, when its dinner time and all I really need is my wallet, I pull the clutch out and am ready to go.

For daytime: First Aid Kit or band aids, mints (for after lunch when you need to speak with folk), mirror (smudgy makeup or bits in your teeth not attractive), powder for touchups, snack (I always get hungry when I’m nervous), phone, wallet (NOTE: on trips always carry a bit of cash for emergencies, I rarely carry cash but I’ve found this is super helpful), building map, notepad (or just use your phone although if you’re in seminars this may be seen as rude since it looks like you’re on your phone, I usually just bring my ipad), pain killers (ladies you know why). Do not forget glasses if you wear them.

Night: painkillers, digestive supplements if you need them, wallet (cash for a cab although most take card now, card, ID), etc.

Let me know if I missed anything or if you have any questions.

Cheers!

N. Riazi

Stanford University

A few weeks back, I got an email from the Mechanical Engineering Department at Stanford University.

"Congratulations! You have been admitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford!"

The last few weeks have been so...surreal. My peers have been saying, "I knew you would get in!" "You deserve it!" "Look! You were so worried!"  But life has gone on as before. I'm grounded. I'm here in the moment. For some reason, the admission to my dream school is unreal. 

The department invited me to Visit Day to "get to know me better." So I went. They set me up with a hotel room, reimbursing my gas, and a day full of interviews and lab tours.  

But when did Stanford transform from "surreal" to "real"?  When I started talking to the 60 students around me. 

"Where are you from?" 

"MIT" "Princeton" "UC Berkeley" "Cal Tech" "University of Illinois" "Georgia Tech" "Carnegie Melon" "Cornell"

Me: "UC Davis...."

What-the?! All of these people are from the Top Engineering Schools! Sure, I go to a good school...but not that good! 

The presenters go on to say that basically 10% of applicants are admitted and 5% are invited. Most students that are invited are offered a full-fellowship for their Master's degree.  Now this must be some kind of joke; maybe it was a mistake. 

I cried on the drive home. Why me? I never would have imagined this. 7 years ago, I was talking with a NASA female engineer working on her graduate degree at Stanford. And I'm here. And I wanted to work for NASA. And I was there. And 4 years I was talking to my uncle about his engineering friend who got offered a full ride to MIT for his Masters. And I'm here.

Change

Change is not necessarily a bad thing. People change, goals change, life throws a wrench at you and forces change. The thing is, looking back, I never imagined I would be where I am now. I imagined myself on a completely different career path going a completely different direction. A quote shared with me by a friend recently is live so that twenty years down the road, you won't be where you imagined yourself to be. It's easy to depend on a schedule, to plan every second of the next ten years of your life but a little spontaneity may place you where you need to go.

I recently ran into two boys I had known back in high school. While we were talking I realized that your views of one another were based on what we had known of each other years ago. I thought one was going to be an architect and another a lawyer, but now they were on completely different career paths, as am I. I am no longer the meek, nerdy girl reading books during class. I've grown up into someone who's confident with who she is and not afraid to speak up. I'm not the girl I was years ago, and I won't be the girl I am now several years into the future. I think where I'm trying to go with this is, change isn't necessarily a bad thing, sometimes it just means better things are coming.

Cheers,

N. Riazi

Finding Help

Perhaps this is too personal, but my grandfather passed away this week. It reminded me that we all go through tough times, and you aren't alone if something similar happens to you. What do you do when there is a family emergency?

1. Tell your professors, especially if there are looming deadlines.  Some are nicer than others. Be sure to talk to (or email) them.  See if you can work out an arrangement for turning work in/ exams. Some will allow generous deadlines, others will require you to abide by the syllabus.
2. If a professor is not budging, go to the college. However, this needs  extreme circumstances, and I've heard requirements of death certificates and such. Hopefully a doctor's note will work.
3. On- campus counseling is available and FREE! Don't be ashamed. I've had to go to counseling myself.  For non-urgent matters, go to CAPS's website.  To request an emergency appointment, go here. There is also a number to call for after-hours.

This is often something that people don't discuss, and therefore, don't know how to deal with. Use the resources the university has to offer; your school fees cover the cost.

Grad School Applications (In Progress)

It's that time of year again, Graduate School Applications! It has been very stressful, and while looking over which programs to apply for, I keep thinking, "What did I really want out of grad school?"

I even asked a couple friends, "Should I even apply to grad school? I don't even know what I want yet!'  Many have replied, "I think you should." And I agree with them. However, the uncertainty makes me uneasy and afraid my application won't be strong enough for my lack of direction. (It goes along the lines of never telling an interviewer that you don't know what you want to do).  I've thought about graduate school for 3 years, and in a year, I'm gunna say the same thing. Heck, I've already taken the GRE.  

But I've narrowed down my list of fields like this:

• Nanotechnology
• Materials
• Energy/ Combustion
• Controls...maybe...
• Biotechnology...I've read too many medical ethics books...
• Aerospace

Okay, I could see myself continuing to learn about combustion/ energy. The field is growing pretty quickly, and maybe I could throw some controls in there. 

As my Lil Sis (Nassim) has attempted to remind me, "You have the right to change your mind!", I try to keep this lingering in my frontal cortex before my hypothalamus takes over with my fear response.

So I've been spending my Saturday afternoons/nights working on applications. You'll be so proud of me! Gathering information, writing up my profile, narrowing down schools, narrowing down who should give me a letter of recommendation (which is such a hard decision!), thinking of backups, and finally contacting those people.  Yesterday, I contacted them, and that's another big hurdle that we're all nervous of (What if they say no! You ask someone else, haha). Mission Part I complete.

I was also nervous about who to ask for feedback on my Personal Statement. My mom is a terrible person for this; she'll read it and say, "Yes, that's nice honey." 

BUT I NEED YOU TO GIVE ME FEEDBACK! So....in other words, my mom is ruled out.  Then, I learned that the Student Academic Success Center is willing to read your Personal Statement and give feedback! Thank goodness! Mission Part II complete.

Graduate school applications is such a long process...good thing I know generally what I'm doing...

-Serena

Current Status

It's my last quarter at UC Davis for my undergraduate degree.  About 2 months ago, I was excited to start school again.  Two weeks ago it hit me; it's my time to leave.  I've had a great 4 years.

Do you regret anything?

I tell everyone the same answer. Think back to yourself in that past moment. Would you have made a different decision knowing what you knew then? For me, that answer is, "No." Therefore, I don't regret  myself in the moment. 

Where are you headed? 

Honestly, I haven't worked very hard to "figure out" my future. You could call it depression, or maybe even laziness. I've spent 4 years worrying about things that worked out. Right now, I call it going with the flow.

The real answer: I'm applying for both jobs and master's degree programs. Which one shall I chose? That will be answered when it comes time to answer it. :-)

What are you going to miss?

I'm already sad that I won't be able to do "Science Fridays" with the local elementary school. My passion is outreach (hence, this blog!), and I'm trying to see how to incorporate it into my new life after school.

Will you continue the blog?

Of course! You can still submit questions. Just because I'm graduating doesn't mean I've lost all of my knowledge of the university, haha.

Sorry!

Hey guys,

If you haven't noticed we've been slacking a bit on the blogging front recently. We're both heading into hell week so things have been crazy (like up til 4 am to finish work crazy).

Just wanted to let you guys know we're still here! If you guys have any requests for the blog just remember to email Serena or myself. I'll try to do several blog posts this weekend and just spread them out over the next few weeks that I'll be busy.

Cheers,

N. Riazi