Meet Jarod
A Passion for Helping People
I wanted to come to UT Austin because in high school l loved math and science and wanted to study engineering. Also, my brother was attending UT, and I’ve always looked up to him. Once I got to campus, though, my interests changed. My love for the sciences diminished, and I discovered a passion for helping and understanding people. I want to discover who we are at the deepest level and why we want certain things. That led me to study psychology.
“I want to help people understand each other better.”
Invaluable Experiences
Receiving the Longhorn Opportunity Scholarship gave me the opportunity to attend one of the finest universities in the world. My time at UT has been filled with invaluable experiences. The Longhorn Scholars program has helped me with so many aspects of my academic career—even applying for graduate school.
I want to study evolutionary psychology, collaborate with other evolutionary psychologists and eventually conduct my own research. My goal is to allow men and women to understand each other better and by doing so reduce conflict in relationships.
Jarrod’s tips
On studying
Don't procrastinate!
On making friends
Initiate conversations with people. Don’t expect people to just come up to you. Be social. Get out and meet people.
On where to live
Live on campus. You can wake up 10 minutes before class and still make it on time.
So Much to Offer
If you’re considering applying to UT Austin, just do it. This place has so much to offer that you cannot even begin to comprehend it. I came here knowing only my brother and one other person from my high school. I’ve made so many meaningful friendships. At the same time, I had no idea I would learn so much about myself during my time here.
More about Jarrod
Favorites
- Study locations: Fifth floor of Perry-Castaneda Library (on campus); Mozart’s (off campus)
- Places to eat on or near campus: Chipotle, Taco Bell, Quizno’s, Frank & Angie’s Pizzeria
- Class: Evolutionary Psychology with David Buss
- Books: All books by Carlos Castaneda – especially “The Art of Dreaming”
- Movies: “The Shawshank Redemption”
- Things about Austin: The lakes and Sixth Street
- Pastimes/recreational activities: Kayaking, basketball, running, swimming, socializing
Biggest challenge I’ve overcome
Getting private loans to pay for my college expenses.
Living on campus
I lived in Jester Center during my freshman year. It was great! I met new people and developed some strong friendships.
Send Jarrod an e-mail at jarod_gon@mail.utexas.edu.