Curious Cardinals Blog
If Barbie Were a Mentor
Hey Mentee Barbies, Parent Barbies, and all you Curious Barbies out there,
How Anya Became a Google Engineer in One Year
From novice to Google Engineer, Anya style.
Meet Anya, a Stanford math whiz who had zero interest in coding...until she tried an intro class freshman year. That simple act unlocked a hidden passion!
From Novice to Google Engineer in One Year: Why It's Never Too Late to Learn to Code
When I first arrived at Stanford, coding wasn't even on my radar. It seemed like a foreign language, and I had no plans of delving into it. During orientation week, I stumbled upon an introductory coding class, and something about it piqued my curiosity. I decided to give it a shot, and little did I know, it would change my life forever.
Thriving Against the Odds: Empowering Women in STEM
When I first stepped into the realm of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), it felt like an exhilarating rollercoaster ride. The possibilities seemed endless, but I couldn't ignore the glaring gender disparity and gender biases. As a woman, I was often made to feel alone and out of place, but that didn't deter me. Instead, it fueled my determination to break barriers and pave the way for more women to thrive in STEM fields.
How Cardinals Became Curious
Ever wondered how Curious Cardinals got its name? In this week's newsletter, we're talking about just that!
Happy Global Parents' Day!
Read 5 Lessons Audrey Learned From Her Parents
In honor of Global Parents' Day, I wanted to share a heartfelt tribute to my own parents - and to you, for entrusting your children to us.
How I Traded Summer Camp For...
My mom was inspired to create a summer that was productive, flexible, self-driven, and inspiring for me; gone were the days of simply sending me to summer camp.
4 Things to Remember When Discussing LGBT+ Identities at Home
As part of this month's Mentor Reflection series, we asked Priyanka Aiyer (Princeton, '23) to think back on her journey in discovering her LGBT+ identity, and share meaningful insights for parents navigating conversations on this topic with their children. Read her reflections below:
From Lost to Found: How a Mentor Changed Avery's Life Forever
The lull of summer boredom confined me to my room as the nerves of my upcoming sophomore year occupied my thoughts. As the COVID restrictions lessened going into the 2021 school year, I could no longer justify my procrastination and lack of motivation; I would be starting the school year in person without the grace period of trying out new things that freshman year offered. There were so many clubs and extracurriculars that I wanted to explore, but I lacked experience in many, and as a shy student, fear of failure and putting myself out there held me back from even trying. One club that I had always been interested in was MUN; as a student passionate about history, global relations, and research, it felt like the perfect intersection for all of my interests. However, my inadequate knowledge of politics and the rules of debate made me anxious to join a club I knew would be filled with outgoing and confident student members. When I expressed this to my sister, who was a Curious Cardinals mentor herself, she recommended that I find a mentor from Curious Cardinals, a program I had completed an online Cosmetic Chemistry class with that past spring. I was intrigued. But I assumed that this would look like finding a tutor who specializes in MUN and I wasn't sure if that's what I really wanted. However, after reading the profiles of these mentors and going through the detailed matching process, those assumptions were quickly dispelled. When looking at the mentor profiles recommended for me, I was shocked at how perfect they appeared as mentor matches for me. They shared qualities and passions with me. They were impressively well-rounded, accomplished, and not too much older in age than me. One of the women, Lydia, was described as someone who loved ancient history, classics, and languages and was studying at Harvard. Lydia sounded less like a tutor and more like an inspiration for whom I would want to be in 10 years.