3 answers
Lauren
Student
Dumas, Mississippi
2
Questions
Asked
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What are some secret tips for an inbound college student?
I need some advice on this from real college students, past or present ! Any advice would be great! #college #freshman
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3 answers
Kushaan Shah
Product Manager at NGP VAN
19
Answers
Washington, Washington
Updated
Kushaan’s Answer
Hi Lauren,
You'll probably hear a lot of different answers as college experiences are entirely anecdotal. Some things I will day:
Identify Your Own Vehicles For Success — Find what works best for you. It’s not bad to take advice and learn some new useful habits, but don’t force something upon yourself that will not fulfill you. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been recommended books or business insider articles about “What The Top Ten Most Successful People Do Daily.” If you strive to emulate your life around others, you’ll lose track of what works for you. If you write your best papers the night before they are due, don’t let people tell you that you “should be more organized” or that you “should plan better.” If you’re nocturnal and do your best work at night, embrace it. Different things work for different people. Personally, I worked best under pressure, procrastinated a lot, and was fine. Find out what you want, find out what works best for you and don’t succumb to what societal pressure tells you is “the best way”. The best way is different for everyone.
People Are Your Greatest Resources — There’s a big myth that the most you learn in college will be from classes or textbooks. The best resources for education are in fact, your classmates and other students. Reach out and learn about what interests, hobbies, and passions others have. Think back to your own life. There have probably been one or two things you’ve been really passionate about that have come as a result of a conversation or a conceptual introduction by individuals. Cherish the differences between you and your peers. Always ask yourself “What can I learn from this person?” when you meet someone new. Maybe you’ll learn something about a new country, a new background, a new food, or maybe even a new form of dance. The possibilities are endless! Not everyone may interest you and not everyone may be your best friend; there is a strong chance, however, that you will find something unique in every individual that you have never seen before. If you find yourself isolated in your room, go down the hall and ask someone about his or her celebrity crush. If you're bold, ask about their future aspirations. It’s way easier than it sounds!
Your Primary Barrier Will Be Yourself — I can’t apply to that internship because my GPA isn’t high enough. I’m not fast enough for intramural soccer. I’m too busy to rush a fraternity or join a club this semester. I’m not smart enough. I’m not qualified enough. So many students wake up and tell themselves they are incapable or unable to pursue something. I was a victim of this when I was an underclassman as well. I felt as a freshman that I was not old enough or capable enough to apply to certain programs and try new things. Tell yourself this: It’s way better to live life with “oh wells” than “what ifs”. You apply to the internship and don’t get it. Oh well. You’re nervous to participate in a business case competition, sign up, learn a lot, but don’t place in the competition. Oh well. You won’t be plagued by thoughts of what would’ve happened if you hadn’t done the competition or neglected to apply to the internship. All of our life experiences, even our failures, can lead us closer to new opportunities. Don’t deny yourself an opportunity. Take a risk. The worst thing that can happen is you saying, “Oh well, this wasn’t for me. Time to move on”.
Embrace Uncertainty — Approximately 70% of college students will change their major atleast once. If you feel uncertain about life, academics, and your career, don’t let it get you down! There is no greater graduation cliché than “follow your dream”; a lot of people will ask you your major and what you want to be when you grow up. Keep into consideration that whatever your dream is right now, it might change. It might change in a year. It might change in a week. Allow it to. You don’t have to know what you want to do and there are just as many people who embrace many different careers, passions and purposes. The hardest part about switching majors is to take a step back and admit to ourselves that what we have been doing will not contribute to our happiness. We are scared to remove ourselves from our dreams because we don’t want to admit we were wrong. Keeping our goals open to change and expansion isn’t a bad thing. Learn some cutting-edge technology. Write a blog. Pick up the game of Tennis or the art of Yoga. Embrace the possibility of change and take it year by year. One of my favorite quotes is “Not all those who wander are lost”. For someone who has changed their major close to nine times in college, this quote has resonated so much with me. As long as you are enjoying the journey, everything will work itself out in the end.
college
You'll probably hear a lot of different answers as college experiences are entirely anecdotal. Some things I will day:
Identify Your Own Vehicles For Success — Find what works best for you. It’s not bad to take advice and learn some new useful habits, but don’t force something upon yourself that will not fulfill you. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been recommended books or business insider articles about “What The Top Ten Most Successful People Do Daily.” If you strive to emulate your life around others, you’ll lose track of what works for you. If you write your best papers the night before they are due, don’t let people tell you that you “should be more organized” or that you “should plan better.” If you’re nocturnal and do your best work at night, embrace it. Different things work for different people. Personally, I worked best under pressure, procrastinated a lot, and was fine. Find out what you want, find out what works best for you and don’t succumb to what societal pressure tells you is “the best way”. The best way is different for everyone.
People Are Your Greatest Resources — There’s a big myth that the most you learn in college will be from classes or textbooks. The best resources for education are in fact, your classmates and other students. Reach out and learn about what interests, hobbies, and passions others have. Think back to your own life. There have probably been one or two things you’ve been really passionate about that have come as a result of a conversation or a conceptual introduction by individuals. Cherish the differences between you and your peers. Always ask yourself “What can I learn from this person?” when you meet someone new. Maybe you’ll learn something about a new country, a new background, a new food, or maybe even a new form of dance. The possibilities are endless! Not everyone may interest you and not everyone may be your best friend; there is a strong chance, however, that you will find something unique in every individual that you have never seen before. If you find yourself isolated in your room, go down the hall and ask someone about his or her celebrity crush. If you're bold, ask about their future aspirations. It’s way easier than it sounds!
Your Primary Barrier Will Be Yourself — I can’t apply to that internship because my GPA isn’t high enough. I’m not fast enough for intramural soccer. I’m too busy to rush a fraternity or join a club this semester. I’m not smart enough. I’m not qualified enough. So many students wake up and tell themselves they are incapable or unable to pursue something. I was a victim of this when I was an underclassman as well. I felt as a freshman that I was not old enough or capable enough to apply to certain programs and try new things. Tell yourself this: It’s way better to live life with “oh wells” than “what ifs”. You apply to the internship and don’t get it. Oh well. You’re nervous to participate in a business case competition, sign up, learn a lot, but don’t place in the competition. Oh well. You won’t be plagued by thoughts of what would’ve happened if you hadn’t done the competition or neglected to apply to the internship. All of our life experiences, even our failures, can lead us closer to new opportunities. Don’t deny yourself an opportunity. Take a risk. The worst thing that can happen is you saying, “Oh well, this wasn’t for me. Time to move on”.
Embrace Uncertainty — Approximately 70% of college students will change their major atleast once. If you feel uncertain about life, academics, and your career, don’t let it get you down! There is no greater graduation cliché than “follow your dream”; a lot of people will ask you your major and what you want to be when you grow up. Keep into consideration that whatever your dream is right now, it might change. It might change in a year. It might change in a week. Allow it to. You don’t have to know what you want to do and there are just as many people who embrace many different careers, passions and purposes. The hardest part about switching majors is to take a step back and admit to ourselves that what we have been doing will not contribute to our happiness. We are scared to remove ourselves from our dreams because we don’t want to admit we were wrong. Keeping our goals open to change and expansion isn’t a bad thing. Learn some cutting-edge technology. Write a blog. Pick up the game of Tennis or the art of Yoga. Embrace the possibility of change and take it year by year. One of my favorite quotes is “Not all those who wander are lost”. For someone who has changed their major close to nine times in college, this quote has resonated so much with me. As long as you are enjoying the journey, everything will work itself out in the end.
college
Thank you so much!!! This was so helpful to me and I thank you for taking time out of your day to answer my question!
Lauren
Nathan Simpson
Full time student part time work
31
Answers
West Milton, Ohio
Updated
Nathan’s Answer
The tip I wish I had gotten was that it's not that bad. People make it out to be some of the hardest times, but in reality, it's not. But it can be if you don't manage your time wisely. Learn to manage your time. Get your work done on time, don't wait until the end of the week to get everything done. Set small goals for yourself and accomplish them throughout the week. Good luck on your journey!
M A
97
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
M’s Answer
Hi Lauren! This is a great question! I think that as a freshman it is important to take as many classes from as many different departments as possible. By getting this exposure, you will not only learn topics and subjects that you are most interested in, but you will also meet so many different people from different parts of your school. Likewise look into your major/ major you are interested in early and join clubs and organizations related to that major. This will provide you with great resources when you are going to start looking for an internship or a job in the future. Wishing you all the best!