Meet Jasmine
Name: Jasmine Ghannadpour
Hometown: Rowlett, TX
Major: Psychology
Minor: Spanish
Favorite study spot:
The grassy area below the South Mall
Choosing Psychology
I started to notice how much I enjoyed listening, and people have always told me I’m someone with whom they feel very comfortable speaking. I’m constantly watching people’s behaviors and making inferences in my mind. It might sound clichéd, but I truly want to help people live happier lives.
Stand Out in Class
I got a work-study job in the Psychology Building and it has helped me become acquainted with all of the resources the psychology building has to offer, as well as some of the professors. I still say hi to professors I’ve had for previous semesters and many of them still remember my name. It’s important to develop a relationship with your professors because it makes you stand out in class and they will be more willing to help you with advice about graduate school or even letters of recommendation.
Friendly and Weird
My favorite thing about Austin is the people—everyone is so open-minded, relaxed, friendly, and of course, a little weird.
Jasmine’s advice on…
Living on campus or off
I live off campus this year and I’m glad I have my own apartment. A separation between home and school is very important to me. I almost feel like it’s made me less stressed out, and oddly enough, I’ve been getting more sleep this year. I do, however, recommend living on campus your first year, though, because it definitely helps you get adjusted to the campus.
Studying
Don’t procrastinate. It’s not worth the stress.
Transportation
Enjoying Austin
My favorite experience has been exploring the beautiful city of Austin. My roommates and I even made a list of places we need to see before we go back to Dallas for the summer. There is just so much to do here, whether you’re chilling at Zilker park, shopping at the Arboretum shops, seeing a band off 6th, or eating at one of the many delicious restaurants around the city. I don’t want to regret not taking advantage of everything to see.
More about Jasmine
Student Organizations
All of the organizations in which I am participating have been beneficial; otherwise, I would not have stayed in them. Liberal Arts Honors has encouraged me to be more involved with community service, such as the AIDS walk and Race for the Cure. The Iranian Students Academic and Cultural Organization has united me with other Iranians who share the same heritage, and therefore a lot of the same experiences. The Texas Students Psychological Association has provided me the opportunity to meet people who share the same interests as I do, and friends who I can talk to in my psychology classes.
Choosing The University of Texas at Austin
I picked The University of Texas at Austin because it’s a prestigious school, has the best Psychology program in the state, and people always only have positive things to say about Austin.
Favorites
- Place to eat: Chipotle
- Class: Social Psychology
- Books: Hamlet, First Person Plural, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
- Movies: American Beauty, Empire Records, Playing by Heart
- Fill in the blank: I can’t ____ without _______.
Answer: I can’t live happily without watching Days of Our Lives.
Send Jasmine an e-mail at yasamine@mail.utexas.edu