Alumni Advice: Amanda DoAmaral
Amanda DoAmaral (SED ’08) is currently a teacher at Skyline High School in Oakland, California, but we know her through her days managing BU Central and being involved with over 200 events. After BU, she was involved with Teach for America.
We asked Amanda for some advice pertaining to current and new students who want to get the most out of Boston University.
What is one bucket list item you think every single BU student should do before they graduate?
The number one bucket list item would be to spend a summer in Boston. The city of Boston is so different during the summer without the hustle of the school year that takes over the city. I absolutely loved staying on campus over the summer. It’s beautiful out (except for the heat) and there are tons of events that are only happening in the summer. Even classes at BU are sometimes more enjoyable over the summer because they are smaller and more relaxed. It feels like an entirely different school during those months.
What one piece of advice – career, school or otherwise – do you have for current students?
It’s so easy to get caught up in the long term planning of your education and your career. I spent so much time strategizing my class schedule, my major, internships, and my career goals. It’s good to be proactive and organized, but with too much planning you can miss out on opportunities. Don’t pick a major because you think that will get you a good job. Choose a major that represents your passions and interests. The job will come. I watched so many friends decide not to study in the liberal arts because the career path was not as clear as pre-law or pre-med. Your time in college is limited and yes, it is about preparing you for your future, but it’s also about learning and exploring. Find the classes that seem the most interesting to you and follow that path. Spend your time asking questions and enjoying your learning. You’ll get way more out of that than trying to purchase the “easy career path” degree because that just doesn’t exist. The best college classes are the ones that are the most interesting to you. Take as many of those as you can and you’ll figure the rest out!
What do you wish you had known when you graduated? What surprised you about life outside of school?
I think a major surprise for me was how humble I had to be outside of school and on the job. I was in the School of Education and completed hours and hours of student teaching. Even then, my first year of teaching was a complete shock. I guess on graduation day I thought I would have an advantage in the classroom because I had been trained, but I really had to be humble and learn as much as I could on-the-job. I think its important to realize that as a twenty-two year old with a degree from BU, you still have a lot to learn and that’s okay. It’s important to surround yourself with people who will support you and find ways to gain as much experience as you can, regardless of what field you work in.
Alumni Advice is a new series where the Dean of Students office reaches out to young alumni for their quick tips and tricks about BU and beyond. Interested in being featured? Reach out to Kat Cornetta at katcorn@bu.edu.