Caleb Plumb

Caleb Plumb is a transfer marketing major from Dixon, IL

Hometown: Dixon, IL

Class Of: 2022

Transfer from: Sauk Valley Community College

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you pursuing that as a major, or have you taken another path?
When I was younger, I wanted to be a filmmaker. However, I slowly realized that my love of film stems from the build-up and anticipation before release: the marketing of film is where my passion truly lies.

What is your major (and/or minor) and why did you decide on this course of study?
My major is marketing, and I chose this with the hopes of furthering my knowledge and to hopefully make a career out of what truly interests me in life.

What has been something you have found pleasantly surprising about your experience at NIU?
The community surrounding NIU surprised me; not just the students and teachers, but the town and everyone in DeKalb have been great and made transferring a great decision.

How have you connected with other students virtually to study for classes, meet new people or form new friendships?
With the pandemic, many new and interesting forms of communication came into the spotlight, such as Zoom. They all have been instrumental to my current learning experience. Group chats and video calls have helped me in many ways, not just with studying, but also to find new people to talk to.

Who has been one of your favorite instructors/professors and why? What course did they teach?
It's hard to single out one great person out of all the professors I've worked with so far. Every one of them have made the transition from in-person classes to online classes as smooth as possible, offering so much help and a slew of different ways to learn the material.

Where is your favorite spot on campus or in the community? Why are you drawn to it?
The Holmes Student Center has been a great place to relax, take a walk when I need it or to study. Its location being so close to my apartment is fantastic as it's one of my favorite places in all of DeKalb.

What advice would you give to a student who is applying to colleges?
Keep your options open. The future is a very uncertain thing, as I think we all learned within the last year. Something that might not interest you currently could end up being your new major in just a few short months! 

Coming to college, what is something that you have had to learn to do differently?
I think the main thing was how to live on my own; being able to keep on top of all the schoolwork and everything else in my life was challenging at first.

What do you do to relax or recharge?
I enjoy watching movies I've never seen before, especially if they are highly recommended to me. Getting to experience something that someone else loves for the first time can be an incredibly rewarding experience.