This post contains some words of wisdom that I have gained from my successes and failures during my college years. By sharing these tips and pieces of advice I hope that I can help some younger students as they journey through college.
1. Start every semester strong.
Starting the semester strong is sometimes hard to do because most people are still in the summer/ winter break mindset. Many people tend to find it hard to get back into the swing of things and start the semester off by dragging their feet. My advice is to work really hard at the beginning of the semester so that when finals rolls around you can relax instead of playing catch up.
2. Go to as many career fairs as you can.
I did not start going to career fairs until I was a junior, which is something that I highly regret. Although, freshmen and sophomores are not necessarily looking for jobs yet, you can do an internship no matter what year you are. Even if you do not need an internship for your major, go to career fair anyway to gain knowledge about companies and experience talking to company representatives. I have had great experiences at every career fair that I have gone to and most of them resulted in an interview.
3. Get a job.
Some people may not be able to have a job while going to school, especially if they are engineering or biomedical sciences majors. However, if you think that a part-time job is something you could handle while being a student I would definitely recommend it. I did not want to get a job at first. I did so because my mom wanted me to gain experience and do my part to earn some extra money. Now that I have had one for almost a year, I can see the benefits to working while going to school. One major benefit that has influenced my college experience is what I have learned about time management. Having a job has greatly improved my time management skills. I am less likely to procrastinate because I value my free time more than I did when I didn’t have a job. Whether I use my free time to relax or to get some work done, having a job has made me appreciate my free time more and use it well. The extra money is nice too.
4. Don’t pull all nighters.
I know I am contradicting myself here because in my last post, I said everyone should pull an all nighter before graduating. Which yes, I do think you haven’t fully experienced college until you have spent the night at the library but what I mean with this piece of advice is that you should not rely on all nighters for every test. Staying up all night to study rarely ever works out well. You basically need to take the whole next day off after your tests to recover. One or two throughout your college years is okay but do not make a habit of it.
5. Make friends in every class.
If meeting new people is not reason enough for you to want to introduce yourself to your fellow classmates, then consider that having a friend in your class will come in handy if you ever need to miss. They can send you notes, let you know if you have homework, and you automatically have a partner for group work. Plus having someone to talk to/ struggle with doesn’t hurt.
6. Don’t spread yourself too thin.
When there are so many awesome organizations on campus it can be hard not to overload yourself with extracurriculars. Yes, filling up your resume with extracurriculars is attractive to future employers but what stands out more is the leadership roles and the impact you have in those activities. Being super involved in a few things is better than barely committing to a lot of things. Whatever you do, you should do it whole-heartedly and try to put as much as you can into it so that you can get a lot out of it. Find the things that fit best into your life and do those things well.
7. Get involved and grow your network.
Getting involved is a great way to meet new people and have fun but it is also a great way to grow your network. There is so much talk about the Aggie family and how important networking is and it is so true. Get involved and make connections because Aggies loves helping other Aggies. The Aggie network is a great tool but in order to make the most of it you need to put yourself out there and make those connections.
8. Plan your schedule in advance.
We don’t have full control over the schedule that we get because classes fill up fast but it’s important to do some research before registering for classes in order to make the most out of the semester. Be realistic with class times. Are you actually going to make it to an 8 am or would afternoon classes be a better fit? Ask around and see what the teachers are like. Did previous students enjoy the class or do they give 86% F’s? Do they require a lot of reading or are their tests lecture based? Decide what you are looking for in your classes and see what different teachers have to offer.
9. Go to class.
This one seems really basic but I can not stress this enough, even if a teacher does not have an attendance policy go to class. It is almost impossible to do well in a class if you don’t go to the lecture.
10. Remember that your grades do not define you.
Last but certainly not least, your grades do not define you. Doing well in school is so important but at the end of the day you are not going to remember failing a quiz years down the road. What you will remember are the memories you made with the people you love. College is about way more than just your GPA. It is about finding out who you are and who you want to grow into. Do your best, enjoy every moment and don’t sweat the small stuff.
Tatum's Aggie Adventures 