If you want to be something, then act like it. You can't just half ass it. This goes for everybody, but I know this can especially be useful for my fellow undergraduate college students. If you're a post grad and you're not fully committed to what you're studying, then I don't know what the f!@# you're doing.
Let me elaborate what I mean when I say, "act like it." In order to act like it, you have to be fully committed. This means doing everything that a professional would do. For example, if you are studying computer science, you need to read up on current news in the computer science world. Not only that, but study things that have to do with computer science that you didn't learn in the class room and constantly study what you learned in the classroom. Hell, practice coding programs too, if you have time. I guess this all goes back to passion. The only way you're going to be great at something in the long run, is if you're passionate about it. In addition, the only way you're going to be committed to taking the efforts to be great, is if you're passionate about it as well.
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I want to give some background about my situation. My situation actually made me realize the advice that I'm providing in this article. I used to be a computer science major my freshman year. I literally had no clue what computer science was; I didn't even know what coding was. I just chose the major, honestly, because it was on the list of the highest paying majors of 2014 in Forbes Magazine. I was also good at math and technical related work, so I figured that would also help. I went through a year of it, and I struggled in the actual computer science classes; I still maintained an average of a B between the two classes I took, though (B+ first semester and C+ semester). I was doing amazing in all of my other classes, though. I probably would have had a 4.0 my freshman year if it wasn't for those two computer science classes. By the way, a 4.0 isn't necessary, you can still be successful without it, I'm just adding to the story.
Anyway, once summer came (between freshman and sophomore year), I did some serious soul searching in deciding if I really wanted to pursue a computer science degree. I somehow ended up speaking with people who knew about and/or studied computer science. They all either seemed very passionate about computer science (while I was dreading the next semester of computer science classes coming up) and they told me that I needed to be prepared to code for hours a day while talking to nobody once I actually start working in the real world as a "computer scientist." Obviously, the "coding for hours" part made me decide to switch my major (I am a social person). I realized I had no passion for it, and that I should switch my major to something I am truly passionate about that can also make me money (because at the end of the day, I don't come from a rich family and therefore don't have the luxury of only focusing on what I'm passionate about; I need to find a balance).
I decided to switch to finance and marketing. By the way, this article is getting kind of long and I don't want to bore any of you to death, so I'm just going to skip a few parts. Anyway, I chose finance/marketing because it was the perfect mix of me being a sociable, people person and a technical math person. Also, as I took more classes, I gained a passion for politics and economics; finance fit very well into this passion, too, for many reasons. Anyway, that's not the point. Let me continue...
It wasn't until recently that I realized in order to be the best at what I am studying -- or what anybody is studying, for that matter -- I must do what professionals do. With finance, this consists of reading different articles daily from the Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, Fortune Magazine, etc., and constantly memorizing my notes from class (even though I'm on summer break), looking at different definitions, terms, methods, etc., in finance and practicing trading. I have been doing this, as of recently, and it is not only helping my understanding of finance, but also increasing my passion for it. I plan to continue this habit.
Anyway, I just want you all to think: Do you ever find yourself studying and looking at information, or even just thinking about studying and looking at information related to the kind of career you want to pursue, or the major you are studying? If you answered no, then you either need to switch your priorities and focus, switch the major and career you're pursuing or you are just plain lazy and need to switch your lifestyle.
