Charlee Dolin is a junior Food Science major from Hurricane, WV

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What are your top 3 study tips?

  • Studying CAN be fun. One of my favorite things to do is take my notes & try to make them relatable. One of the best ways to learn material is to use schematics. They can be music related, or relate to your favorite TV show, or you could even make a TikTok related to your notes. It’s all up to you!
  • Don’t study at home! If you can, try to study somewhere you don’t go everyday. Even if it’s just across the hall, being outside of your bedroom eliminates a ton of distractions. Even if you don’t get much work done that day, it’s nice to have a change of scenery once in a while.
  • Create an incentive for studying. Sometimes the desire for good grades just isn’t strong enough to get us to the library. Having a little treat or fun activity associated with studying can help persuade you to get to work! My incentive of choice is coffee, and it certainly helps that there’s a Starbucks inside of Willy T.

What advice would you offer an incoming freshman in the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment?

Don’t be afraid to be yourself! I struggle with this all the time. It’s easy to get consumed by what other people think, especially when you’re moving to an entirely different environment. My advice is to remember that everyone is scared, and everyone is worried about how other people perceive them. One time, I tripped as I was walking to the bus stop, and it happened in from of an entire bus load of students. I was mortified, and thought everyone was laughing at me. When I finally got on the bus, nobody gave me a second glance. We exaggerate things in our heads to a point where it makes us feel embarrassed for silly things that don’t really matter. Don’t let the little things make you feel small! Relax! There are so many people you haven’t met yet that are going to adore you.

Why did you choose your program, and how does your program contribute to your career goals?

I chose Food Science because I like learning about things that apply to everyone’s day-to-day lives! I’ve always liked my science classes growing up, but I knew I didn’t want to go into a broad scientific field after high school. When I first heard about the Food Science program, I figured it would be a good fit because I was able to learn about the behind-the-scenes work that goes into our favorite foods. I’ve also learned throughout my curriculum that I enjoy being in the lab, so I think research and development would be a suitable choice for me following graduation!

What's been your favorite course and why?

I loved my Nutritional Biochemistry course. Dr. Norman has a way of explaining topics in a way that’s relevant but not overwhelming. I LOVE when professors aren’t afraid to be themselves, and the environment in that class made me feel comfortable being myself too. I also genuinely liked the material we covered.

Considering all you have learned in your area of study, is there a common misconception or something you wish everyone knew about the subject? 

Food Science is not just about nutrition! The CAFE has other programs that are more specifically suited for students that want to be dietitians or doctors someday! That’s not to say someone can’t be a dietitian with a Food Science degree, (because they totally can), there’s just so much more to the program than nutritional science. A bulk of the curriculum is actually geared towards the food industry, and what happens before food enters the body. This can include food processing, food chemistry, packaging of foods, general agriculture practices, different biochemical mechanisms involved in food prep, etc. It’s very much a STEM degree, but unlike other STEM degrees, the Food Science program gives students a better sense of how the information given inside the classroom can be applied outside of the classroom.

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