U.S. Campus Life This is spring break? By Masako Yamada	フレームで見る  英文をプリントする  脚注をプリントする
皆とは違う春休み 待ちに待った春休みがやってきました。ボストンのように寒さの厳しい土地で学ぶ学生たちは、この休みを利用して、メキシコやカリブ海などの温暖な地域に出かけます。では雅子さんは、というと、なんと、いまだ寒さの残るニューヨーク州オールバニーへ行くといいます。さて、その理由は？

I stood in front of my travel bag today, folding my new linen pants and pink silk shirt, and wondering whether I should bring my hair dryer with me. I just had my hair cut for the trip a couple of days ago, but it was already looking shaggy. I knew shaggy hair would be out of the question. Dozens of other small questions came to mind, such as whether my hotel would have an alarm clock and iron, and whether I should leave my apartment extra early because of heightened security at the airport.

It's spring break this week, the vacation week that college students anticipate all year. Especially in cold regions such as Boston, it's common for students to head to warm places like Mexico or the Caribbean for spring break. It's unusual that I'll be going to New York, especially Albany, New York.

Albany is the capital of the state of New York, but it is usually not mentioned in tour books, especially spring break tour books. It's a small city in a suburban — or even rural — part of New York. "New York" usually evokes glamour, excitement and sophistication, but one must keep in mind that the state of New York is huge, and that some parts of the state even border Canada. There are a lot of farms, mountains, horses and lakes in New York.

I should explain why I've chosen to go to such a place for spring break: I have a job interview. The hordes of college students sipping their cocktails on the beach probably don't envy that I have to don a suit and give a seminar to a bunch of grim-faced researchers, but as a job hunter during difficult economic times, interviewing is the best way to spend spring break.

This is the first time I'll be visiting a company for a job interview, so in many ways, it truly is exciting. When I was in college, I briefly interviewed with a few companies that visited campus, but as soon as I got into graduate school, I stopped all recruiting activities. I've gone to a few job fairs, as well, but the casual interviews I've had with the recruiters never lead to anything more substantial.

This time it is a serious affair. The company will be paying for my plane ticket, two nights in a hotel and all meals. I will be spending a whole day there. The "interviewing" will actually start the night before, over a casual dinner. On the morning of the official interview day, I'll be having a "power breakfast" at 7:30 a.m. (I usually don't even wake up at 7:30 a.m.) and then start the day by giving a 45-minute talk about my research. The interviews will follow: a technical interview to test my science background, a personality interview to determine whether I would fit the corporate culture, a human resources interview, interviews with various managers. By the time the interviews are over, there will be no more planes flying from Albany to Boston, so I will have to leave the day after. There is no doubt it'll be an exhausting three days.

Right now, I'm more excited than nervous. It's the first — and only — interview that has come my way, and it's for a company that's my No.1 choice. There are so many things that I have to do before the interview that I haven't even had the time to become nervous. I've worked on my seminar for many hours with the help of my labmates, even learning to use PowerPoint so the talk will look professional. I have been reading a lot of stuff about the company. I've also been trying to brush up on the scientific facts that I need to know in order to perform the job. The job is in optical engineering, which has nothing to do with my doctoral studies, so I've had to buy a couple of books to catch up.

I've already started to envision scenarios of my being offered the job. Then the tough questions really begin. Do I want them to think that I am seriously considering other companies, or should I show my unbridled enthusiasm? Do I really want to live in Albany? Do I really want a corporate job? How am I going to see my boyfriend in Boston? More than once, I've found myself asleep on top of an optical engineering book, jolted from my dreams. I suppose I should be working harder to get the job first.

Shukan ST: March 15, 2002

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