High school's over and college is here. I'm about to state it bluntly. Time to grow up, take responsibility for your schedule, buy a planner (I have a post about that by the way), and start going the extra mile... in everything. These next few years determine your starting salary, your friends, and kind of the rest of your life. No pressure. Don't get me wrong, college is also a time to have the time of your life. I've loved college more than any other time in my life (thus far). That's of course in between the break downs I had when 10 assignments were due on the same day within a week (never take 18 hours online, lesson learned). But seriously speaking, from two years experience, here's how to set yourself APARTat your college campus.
STEP 1: Get a job on campus
I speak from experience, this is great way to make connections with numerous students and meet the 'big fish' on campus. Not only will you be meeting peers (and usually positively influential ones) but you'll be working alongside adults that care about your school and the students. Also look at being an Orientation Leader each summer at your college. I've had a blast doing it the past two years. It's great pay for pretty much socializing with incoming freshmen and showing them around campus. In the photo above, we're with UALR on the road to Fort Smith helping recruit.
I've grown to love my college even more by telling others about why I enjoy investing in my education here. You have countless opportunities to meet students and connect with them as they grow to feel at home on campus. Not only will you meet students but professors and leaders within your college. This could serve as a perfect opportunity to get the Dean of Students to write you a killer recommendation letter that could help you get that job or internship you've had your eyes on. Recommendation letters are also great from professors, which brings me to my next step...
STEP 2: Get to know your professors
Don't worry, not every single one of them. Make it a goal to become close to at least one each semester where they know you on a first-name basis. At UALR, I've been blessed to have small class sizes of about 14 so I know 8/10 of my professors closely. If you're at a larger campus or you're not very outgoing, this may be a bigger challenge for you. The answer: office hours.
And no, they won't think you're annoying, that's what these miracle hours for. I guarantee you, if you've been in and out of class all semester and haven't stepped foot in their office, brace yourself for a mediocre grade. Now, let's say you've been in and out of class but when you're there you actively participate and you've visited with your teacher outside of class, you've got much higher chances. In an intro to web principles and design class I took last year, I was absolutely clueless in class. That's why I met with my professor during office hours... A LOT. And guess what? He loved it. I don't know how he stayed sane explaining the same thing over and over to me, but teaching is truly that man's passion and it shows in and out of the classroom. I would have made a 'C' if I hadn't have put in the hours outside of class.
STEP 3: Make a Linked In
I'm still developing mine, (you can check it out here) but this is the equivalent of Facebook in the professional world. It isn't called 'the world's largest professional network' for nothing. Linked In keeps track of your accomplishments... making the Deans List for three consecutive years, clubs or scholarship organizations, projects, leadership roles, even the Prezis that I've made. People you know can even deem you credible for different professional skills by endorsing you. Another great thing about Linked In is you don't ever forget anything. With so much material to remember in college, your brain is fried before finals even get close. Making a Linked In gives you one less thing to worry about. Just don't forget about keeping your resumé up to date along with your Linked In. If you haven't paid your resumé time in a while, be able to refer to your Linked In so you get it back on track.
STEP 4: Know what you're paying for
As a tour guide at UALR, I'm always sure to point out those hidden places around campus that somehow no one told me about. These hidy-holes had the potential of saving my life during finals week of my freshman year (bad memories). I always tell incoming students that you are paying a lot for college... shouldn't you know what you're paying for? The answer is YES! Look on your student account and you can see where every one of your 8precious dollars is going. This includes the writing center, library, fitness center, even tanning beds!
"Know what you're paying for so you can USE IT!"
Be able to locate the Writing Center along with other tutoring that's available. In our writing lab, we have free Macs to use, FREE printing (FREE is GREAT), and tutors that will tell you what the heck proper Chicago format is for that final paper I wrote for my online Intro to Principles of Marketing course I took in the spring.
STEP 4: Use Rate My Professors
If you're taking notes... write this down. This website will literally save your life. The way I explain it is when you go see a movie, do you just cross your fingers it's good without checking out the reviews online? NO! You could be wasting your money. Before, if you didn't catch that, BEFORE you take a class -not after- check out your potential professors online. Rate My Professors has millions of ratings of professors from each college all over the country along with what to expect and answers to questions like, "Will I need the textbook I spent $200 on?" Kind of important right? In my case, 9.5/10 times Rate My Professors is extremely accurate, just trust whatever it tells you and consider it your personal fortune teller of what the upcoming semester will hold. You can also get an idea of what kind of assignments are to be expected along with attendance expectations, and even how hot your professor is. You'll probably have a crush on at least one professor before you graduate, just a heads up.