What are some things you regret not doing in college?

During my years in college, Human Resources, and College Recruiting I have some very important things that need attention before, during, and after college.

• Develop an appropriate career focus early
• Make prudent choices relating to creating a proper balance time/life during college
• Take care to control costs during college to prevent accumulation of unnecessary debt

Here are some tips on balancing life in college: ## https://www.unigo.com/in-college/college-experience/creating-a-workschool-balance-a-college-student-perspective

http://www.mycollegesuccessstory.com/academic-success-tools/college-life-balance.html

http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/000241/

Getting to know yourself and how your personality traits relate to people involved in various career opportunities is very important in your decision making process. During my many years in Human Resources and College Recruiting, I ran across too many students who had skipped this very important step and ended up in a job situation which for which they were not well suited. Selecting a career area is like buying a pair of shoes. First you have to be properly fitted for the correct size, and then you need to try on and walk in the various shoe options to determine which is fits the best and is most comfortable for you to wear. Following are some important steps which I developed during my career which have been helpful to many .

I did my masters in CMU. During my final year, I wasn't concentrated on career and I was totally concentrating on friends and partying. I had beautiful opportunities to get in to amazing job, but now I regret so much that i wasn't given importance to my goals. My advise is going through priorities is important. Balance your life with enjoyment and career goals.

Study abroad and join as many clubs as possible even if you only go to one meeting! I studied abroad in Italy for 6 weeks and did not know people in the school group I went with but I loved it! The school put us in groups for living arrangements so we quickly made new friends.

Super smart to start thinking about this ahead of time! The number one thing I wish I did in college was study abroad - it's one of the most affordable and immersive ways to experience another culture, and getting to do it with your classmates is an exceptional bonding experience. My sister did a package deal where they went to London, Paris, and Rome, and visited major art museums, took local walking tours, and ate at local neighborhood restaurants. They took their learnings abroad back to the classroom and wove it in to both History and Art classes, solidifying key concepts via direct experience and classroom learning.

Secondly, I echo the suggestion to join as many clubs and hobby-based groups as your schedule and bandwidth allows. I've found the easiest way to make life-long connections and friends is by doing shared activities where everyone contributes - and is engaged in what they're doing. These college friendships can also turn into future career networking possibilities, carrying the value of these connections forward.

This is a very personal question and your answers may be different because you want(ed) different things from the college experience. You asked what *I* regretted not doing so I'll share a few things that are top of mind:

1) . I regret not applying myself academically as much as I could have. The primary reason I regret it is because college is a great opportunity to test what you're made of. If I'd pushed myself harder I may have learned more about what I was truly capable of. As a result of not making this choice in college I've had to work harder and find other ways to do so in my professional life.

2) . I regret not spending more time networking with fellow students and professors. I've lost touch with most of them. My network isn't as effective as I'd like it to be to help me answer professional questions. I don't have the comraderie that I see others get from their college experiences.

I got an opportunity to travel abroad for a semester but chose to graduate early and take a job instead. In hindsight, I should have traveled abroad as those opportunities are limited when you're working full time - it is hard (although, not impossible) to take multiple weeks or months off at a time and you gain more responsibilities.