College is a totally different animal than the cushy high-school years. And like most, I jumped straight into the curriculum after my receiving my diploma. At the ripe age of 18, I had my whole life planned out. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my future and I knew exactly what I wanted to study. I would spend my perfect 4 years in my chosen program, graduate, and go on to be successful in the field.
What I didn’t realize was how wrong I was. By the time my sophomore year rolled around, my perfect little plan took a major detour. And it was the best thing for me.
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Here are some things that I’ve learned along the way and some advice I’d like to pass along.
College is the Time to Screw Up
If you’ve never heard this one before, it’s time to embrace it. It’s true, college is a time where you’re guaranteed to make some mistakes. Big ones or small ones, it doesn’t really matter, by the time graduation rolls around you’ll likely check them all off the list. The important part is that you learn from these mistakes and learn how to better yourself in the process.
Take Your Time
Go at your own pace. During college, I’ve always tried to rush through my courses to get out as soon as possible. I’m pretty sure I’ve dropped at least one class every year simply because the course load I tried to take on was too much. That mind set can actually do more harm than good, and eventually did as my grades began to fall. At the end of the day, who cares if you need an extra semester, year or even two? No one is going to be there waiting to laugh at the time it took you to finish, so take all the time you need.
Your Interests May Change
You’ll do a lot of growing during your four plus years in college. What interested you at 18 will surely change to some extent by 22 or 23. And that’s ok because this is the time in your life that you’re able to discover what you do or don’t like. If your interests change like mine did, you have the option to change your major. Yes, it’s possible that it will keep you in school for a little longer, but wouldn’t you rather be doing something you enjoy?
It’s Ok to Backtrack
Once again, college is the time to mess up. If you’re not sure where you’re headed or that your career path is the one you want, it’s ok to backtrack. Don’t be afraid to take a step back or even start from scratch if you need to! At the end of the day, you have to do what is right for you and if that means backtracking, then so be it, you’ll be happy that you did when you make it across that stage!
Take a Break if You Need One
It’s important to realize that everyone is different, including you. We all have our own lives going on and different things to deal with. If you’re feeling burned out on school, it’s ok to take a break. If you’re not sure what you want to do or wonder if you’re even on the right track, feel free to take some time out of school to figure things out. Taking a break might even be just the thing you need to regain your motivation in school.
Intern, Intern, Intern
Internships have been so important for my education and for my career. Not only have I been able to gain a couple years of experience before I even graduate, but also I am able to use that experience to make sure I’m enjoying my field of study. Many students wait until after college to intern or try to get a job, but then you’re competing without any experience against those who have a year or two under their belt. This can make it much harder to find a job, so if you can handle working even just minimal hours and going to school it might pay off when you graduate.
Don’t Give Up
You’ve made it too far to call it quits. I know it’s hard to keep motivation especially if you’re putting in extra time in school. All you can help to think is “I should have graduated last semester.” Top that off with an internship or a job if you have one, and it can seem like you’re going nowhere. I can promise you that it’s not the case. Look past the frustration you’re undoubtedly facing today and look at where you’ll be in just a few short years.
At the end of the day, the things I faced that made me feel like a failure at times were actually the things that will help shape my career. If I hadn’t switched majors, or resisted the urge to rush through college just to get a degree; who knows where I would have ended up.
