Meet Tepera
Name: Tepera Holman
Hometown: Whitehouse, Texas (Whitehouse H.S.)
Major: Government
Minor: African American Studies
Favorite study spot:
A coffee shop on Lake Austin called Mozart's.
A "Real Life Experience"
I grew up in the country just outside of Tyler, Texas, which is located in the heart of East Texas, and I honestly did not know too much about UT Austin before coming here. My two top schools were Baylor and UT, and my deciding factor was really the cost of education. Also, Austin is such a great city that offers so much for college students, that I could not pass up this opportunity. The university offers so much that other schools in Texas do not. The diversity of this university is like no other. Coming to college here is a real life experience.
Family Away From Home
The friendships that I have formed since coming here are stronger than friendships I have had my whole life. The people surrounding me here are now my family away from home. I see them a lot more than I see my real family, so having them to lean on has been extremely important.
Making an Impact
I feel that getting involved on campus early on helps you to feel important here at a university like this. Do your best to make UT better than it was when you came. Also making friends and balancing social and study life helps in the process of not just feeling like a number. You must get to know other people.
Thoughts and Opinions
Tepera's thoughts and opinions on…
The size of UT Austin
One of the biggest misconceptions people have about UT is that it's this huge school and that you will just be a number in the system. That is completely not true. Many professors really do make an effort to get to know their students. Professors want you to come to their office hours so that they can get to know you on a one-on-one basis.
Going to law school
After I complete my undergraduate degree, I would like to attend Law School, (hopefully UT Austin's School of Law). That's why I chose government as my major. I would like to work as a business/corporate lawyer and also do pro bono work for juveniles who cannot afford attorneys.
Student Government
Student Government (SG) is a great way for students to get involved on campus. It's an opportunity to meet people from every area of campus and talk to people you would not normally talk to. We each have our bubble, but with Student Government, you have just about every bubble coming together and trying to make a change for students.
I think freshman students should get involved in student government early on. Many students think that Student Government (SG) does not do anything for the student body; I disagree with that. SG does so much for students that they will never know about. Join a committee or agency. Work on projects. If that is not enough, then run for a position in the assembly.
Living on campus
I do not currently live in a residence hall, however during my freshman year I lived in Moore-Hill Dormitory. I liked the location of the dorm and the fact that I was living right here on campus. It is just so much more convenient living on campus. Right now, I live at Crossing Place Apartments off of Riverside.
Getting around campus
If you don’t need a vehicle, don’t bring one because it is not needed.
Random Thoughts
- Favorite place to eat: Trudy's (Tex-Mex restaurant a few blocks from campus)
- Best professor: Tasha Philpot (Government 370K: African American Politics)
- Favorite things about Austin: Playing Ultimate Frisbee with my friends in Zilker Park or Clark Field; Cliff diving at Pace Bend Park on Lake Travis.
- Fill in the blank: I can’t ____ without _______.
Answer: I can’t imagine being here without the friendships that I've made.
Send Tepera an e-mail at trh2007@mail.utexas.edu.