Students blog

Late nights with your friends from all over the world, cramming for exams, going to on campus events, laughing, crying, and spending college are all things that will be tough to leave once graduating from college. College has been a time filled with very high highs and low lows, but the experiences that college has brought for me is something that I will always remember and be grateful for experiencing.

Planning Ahead

As graduation draws near, college seniors are soaking up the last minutes to make the most out of their college experiences. For myself, there are many things that I am doing to preparing for the nerve-wracking time that is rapidly approaching. Here’s what I am doing to prepare from a social and professional standpoint which I think are both important.

Staying in Touch

As for the social aspect, I want to maintain the friendships I have created throughout my college years. The friends that I have made along the way are truly like no other and have been there with me through the ups and the downs of my college career. I don’t want to let the last few stressful months diminish any relationships, so I am making the most out of the time I have left of being able to see some of my very good friends every day.

Thank Your Employer

College was a time I prepared in many ways for my life outside of college. Working jobs and internships have been some of the ways I have gained professional experiences that have changed my life. As a senior, I have been preparing to wrap up my time as a college worker for my two jobs that I have had. From this I think it is important to thank your employers for the experiences that they have assisted you with and may have provided you with. This can be an email or handwritten letter, but I think maintaining professional relationships can be very powerful and no matter what the job was make sure they know it was impactful for you as a student. I have been reaching out to my past employers and making sure I am able to stay in touch with them. I believe jobs can give you experiences that can affect you as a person no matter how small or large the job or internship was.

Everyone has a different story when it comes to their higher education story, and this can determine how you wrap up your time as an undergraduate student. Making the most of your time at your university is important and don’t forget to cherish your last few weeks as a college student.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started! 

College is a stressful time for many freshmen as establishing a new group of friends can be a difficult thing to achieve. Expression and discovery are two things that every college student will look at when arriving at school. These things can be very hard to come by and it can be difficult to even start to think about how to put yourself out there. Here are four ideas to help you find your niche in this new environment.

Have Some Variety

Build some variety into your course schedule. This will encourage you to meet many types of people throughout all your classes and can lead to different types of connections.

Join Some Clubs

Club involvement is crucial to getting connected to a new school. At Michigan State, we have something called Sparticipation in both the fall and spring semesters. This is a giant club fair for all the clubs on campus. Your school most likely has something similar. Attend the event and talk to the people representing different groups. You can also see if they have an information QR code or a signup list to sign up for emails from that club! In connection with this, look at any school-related social media accounts and posts to discover clubs you are interested in. Reach out to them through their direct messages or see if there is an information link in their account.

Speak to Your Advisor

Have discussions with your advisor. Advisors can often open your mind to your options and give you advice on good clubs and organizations to join to make the most of your college experience. Getting to know your advisors can improve your college experience and enhance job opportunities for the future.

Be Yourself

My final tip is something that may appear to be basic but be yourself. While going around campus just be true to yourself and be open to new opportunities. Just do what makes you happy and positive experiences will come your way.

There will definitely be challenging times during college, but many very fulfilling times as well. Try everything you can, have a good time and enjoy some of the best years of your life.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started!