Thinking About Future Career? First Think Internship

Have you yet decided on your major in college? That’s a big question, and one that you might already know the answer to, or it could be one that’s taking some development. Either way, if you have an idea of what you’ll major in and what you’d like to focus on, it’s never too early to begin thinking about an internship. You know what an internship is and why it’s important, but it’s equally key to remember that, like many other aspects related to college life, if you wait and wait, it will be too late!

Most college students do internships during the second half of their college careers. This is largely due to that fact that by then, you’ll have a better idea what you’re focusing on and will have your major locked in by that point. But if you’re ahead of the game and know what you’ll focus on now, by all means, start looking for internships. Many companies run internships throughout the year, meaning you don’t have to work as an intern only during summer break.

You’ve heard that internships are important as far as confirming that you actually like the field that you’re studying. That’s true. Yet even if you discover after an internship that you’d like to change paths, the nice part is that there’s really no such thing as bad experience when it comes to an internship. An internship, from a resume standpoint, will always beat working another stretch at that low-paying, dull summer job anyway. 

Some internships pay and some do not. If you need an internship to replace your regular summer job or part-time job, then by all means, seek out one that pays, as most do pay some. And if it’s a non-paying internship, check with your school to see if they can provide any scholarships or stipends for unpaid interns. But first and foremost, start checking into these processes right away. Most prospective employers won’t turn you down simply because you’re a year younger than most interns! If anything, it will show you have drive to go out there and get a head start.

Whether it’s deciding your major, choosing your classes, or thinking about your eventual career, like most aspects of college life, looking for an internship is one task that’s best not left procrastinated. If an internship cements your interest in a field or causes a change of heart, it’s a task that provides best results when conducted early.

Have A Reflective And Relaxing Winter Break!

Now that you’re between semesters, you’re out of school from anywhere to a couple weeks to more than a month! Feels good, doesn’t it? Sure does. The last thing you want to think about is school—but hold up there for a moment. 

Fortunately you’ve finished your first semester, so there’s no lingering homework or pesky reading assignments to take up your precious vacation time. Phew. Yet don’t put school completely out of your mind…

Now that you’re one semester down, use this time to reflect. That’s right. That’s all you have to do. Just give the whole college thing some thought and reevaluation. Think about how you did this first semester. What went well? What could be improved? One of the exciting things about college is that there are so many facets to it. School and classes alone provide much to ponder on, and then there’s dorm life and more. 

Pretty soon, those big final exams will be graded, meaning you’ll have your first-semester marks in, your first barometer check on how you’re doing academically. Hopefully those grades are looking up, and if they are, give yourself a pat on the back for a first semester well done. But if they weren’t as high as you hoped, now’s your chance to really figure out why. 

College life, whether you do all your homework or you hardly study, will keep you busy. But now that you’re away from classes for a few weeks, you have the time to reflect and actually implement change if you need to. So if those grades weren’t so hot, what was the reason? Did you place partying before studying on most nights? Was college harder than expected? Now’s your chance to make a diagnosis and turn things around for next semester.

Similarly, is there any patchwork needed on the dorm front? Hopefully you’re friends with your roommate, or have an at least amicable relationship. Even if things couldn’t have gone better that first semester, think about what you’d like to do for the rest of your college career. If, for example, you still haven’t found that club or extracurricular activity that you’re passionate about, do some research now that you have the time. You’re one semester down, but that’s also one semester less to get the most out of your college career. So while time’s readily available to really think about college, use it.

Dealing With A Bad Grade: Do More Than Just Study Harder Next Time

Even if you were a straight-A student throughout high school, chances are that you’ll receive at least a couple poor marks on college. Maybe your idea of a bad grade is a B, either way, college should test your limits, which occasionally means performing poorly on a test. When that occurs, it’s common to hear and believe that you can do better next time. While that’s true, there are more ways to face a bad grade than the belief that you’ll do better next time.

But before you go thinking about how you’ll improve the next time around, first, take a step back. What caused a low score on the test? If you didn’t study, then it doesn’t take much detective work to determine the cause. Sometimes, you’ll find that you do study and a poor grade still occurs. This is when it can be trickier to figure out what went wrong and how you’ll improve next time. Remember, some classes are difficult but none are impossible. It might take some extra work, but a good, or at least decent grade, should be achievable with any class.

So, let’s get to the source. There are enough factors that can contribute to a poor grade, and you already know the common ones: not enough sleep, not enough studying, not enough breakfast, not enough concentration in class, etc. Sometimes, though, you might need to reevaluate your approach. For example, perhaps you paid attention in class and took thorough notes. When it came to the textbook reading, you skimmed over most chapters but figured you’d be fine thanks to your thorough notes. Then on test day, half the questions are from the reading leaving you with a post-test case of bad-grade blues. Just be glad you were able to diagnose the cause.

Even if you studied a lot for a test, it will do you no good if you didn’t study the right material. Studying the right material, believe it or not, is a bit more complicated than just cracking open your textbook and note book and studying as much as you can. One of the most frustrating test-taking experiences you’ll encounter is when you study a lot, only to discover the material that you skimmed over comprises most of the test! Be sure to balance your studying. Don’t just study the material you found more digestible; treat all the material the same. After studying, try to quiz yourself as you go over material. You’ll find out the material you know well, and what needs more work. Although it’s obvious, spend some extra time on the material with which you’re less familiar.

Bad test grades don’t always result from not knowing the material; sometime it’s the format of the test that throws you off. From multiple choice questions, to written tests, to open-book tests (yes, those exist, and are tougher than you think), the format can be your strength or your downfall. Perhaps you like short-answer tests better. With those, sometimes there’s a bit more leeway, since multiple choice tests have only one right answer. Or, maybe that’s why you like multiple choice tests! Either way, to improve with the format that’s not your strength, when you’re quizzing yourself in preparation, imagine those questions from different angles. For example, if it’s a simple question of fact, such as when was the Declaration of Independence signed? that’d be a multiple choice question. Then think about a questions such as what factors lead to the Declaration of Independence being signed? OK, so that’d be one long essay question, but if you can answer both styles of questions, you’ll be prepared for whatever comes your way! Also, be sure to ask your instructor about the format of the test beforehand. Most will let you know.

You know what you need to succeed. Studying, sleep, and a good attitude. Don’t let those memories of a bad grade wear you down. Stay sharp and have some confidence the next time around.

Is College One Big Party After All?

If you watched the above video with Jeffrey, you know that there will be plenty of partying going on in college and that, if you take Jeffrey’s advice, you’ll have fun even without drinking excessively.

There are really no big secrets when it comes to partying in college. There are parties and there are students drinking on every campus. You’re also not two years old, but maybe you’re not twenty one either! If you’re not twenty one, you know that drinking isn’t permitted, but it still happens. We don’t recommend drinking underage, but if you do, no matter how old you are, drinking should be done responsibly; we don’t have to tell you that, you’ve heard that a million times.

But what does that entail? You can probably figure that out too. But, here are some additional pointers aside from what Jeffrey’s mentioned above. First off, there’s no need to party every night. Do you really have that much to celebrate? Trust us, there will be a party tomorrow night, and the next weekend, and the weekend after that. You’re not missing out by staying in a couple nights.

Also, if you do party almost every night and choose to drink that frequently, get ready for some consequences! There’s simply no way you can do as well in school with that volume of fiesta-ing. Even if you can keep grades up, you won’t learn as much as you can, which in a few years will be what really matters. Also, if you’re out late partying most nights, get ready for weight gain, lower nutrition levels, and increased fatigue. Being out late means plenty of late-night munchies, not enough sleep, and the consumption of empty calories like alcohol and late-night junk food.

If you do choose to drink, hopefully you’ll aim to take in only enough needed to relax and not so much that you’ll forget all events and just how much pizza you consumed. At some point, drinking becomes excessive and taking in more won’t help you have a better time, unless your idea of a good time is spending the night nauseously expelling all your consumed beverages. Think of how sick you’d have to be to throw up from being, well, sick. It’s not a natural or healthy state to be in, and too much drinking induces that!

It’s really quite simple. Be smart. Don’t drink too much, and do so in moderation. Or, pay the prices.

Fear Not, Liberal Arts Major. There Are Jobs In Your Future Too.

When you have to select your major, and you will have to eventually, too many students think of what they can’t do with a major compared to what they can do. You’ve undoubtedly heard the question, “What are you going to do with that?” when referring to your chosen degree. Fear not. Even if there’s no super clear answer to that immediately, you can do a lot more than you think, which is the beauty of a liberal arts degree.

If nothing else, a college degree will prove that you have the diligence and work ethic to complete a task that’s long and involves a lot of work! No matter what your degree may say, you'll at least have that part proven, which counts for more than you might think. As many times as you’ve heard the question of what you plan to do with your degree, you’ve also heard it said that all jobs require on-the-job training, and that it really doesn’t matter what you studied, as your at-work training will take precedence. This is also true, to an extent of course.

Even if many liberal arts degrees don’t offer work directly in your field of study, there are more fields of work than there are college majors, and guess what? Those skills such as diligence, hard work, and ability to think critically are important in every field, meaning you’ve graduated with more work-related skills and knowledge than you might have thought. Even if graduation is a long way’s away right now, it’s never too early to start thinking about post-college life.

In fact, you’re likely more restricted (which also isn’t necessarily a bad thing) by studying a more narrow field such as nursing or computer science. Most students who go to pharmacy school, for example, become pharmacists. But those students who are English majors, as another example, go on to work in a variety of fields and learn varying specialties. This career freedom can actually be very refreshing. Hopefully you’ll like the job you do after college, but if not and if you were a liberal arts major, you can try pursing another career path quite easily, which is a beneficial freedom.

If anything, the liberal arts degree can cause some anxiety because you’ll be less certain of the path you’ll take. Again, this isn’t a bad thing. At first, you can feel a bit lost graduating with a liberal arts degree. But once you begin working, you might find it an even greater asset later on. Many students study a specialized field and will likely end up working in that field for their entire careers! That’s a big commitment. Not knowing just what the future holds can be exciting if you take the right outlook. So the next time someone asks what you plan to do with your major, tell them you’ll do exactly what you want to do and enjoy the freedom you’ve been given.

Keep That Scheduled Balanced To Keep Those Classes Under Control

Selecting your college classes is one of the greatest academic freedoms you’ll have in college. Granted, some classes will be required for your major and others will be gen. ed. classes that you have to take. Still, there will be plenty of schedule planning to do throughout college. The only drawback is that, as a freshman, you’ll be on the bottom of the totem pole. That doesn’t mean, though, that there aren’t plenty of cool classes out there. So choose wisely!

Choosing classes wisely involves more than just picking a bunch of fun or easy classes! Variety is actually the most important aspect of a good class schedule. Even if you already know your major and you love your major, there’s no quicker way for that love to dissipate than to overload your schedule. If you’re a math major and that schedule of yours is five back-to-back math classes, at the end of the day, you might just love math a little less. At the end of a semester you might downright need to switch majors! So be warned. It’s great to love your major, but don’t overload your schedule with major-related classes, at least not at first, or you won’t experience the nice balance a varied schedule brings.

Since you’re bound to come across classes you don’t like, having a balanced class schedule means you should like at least some of your classes, hopefully. No, taking a semester full of classes isn’t exactly fun, yet if you have a good balance to your schedule, it won’t be too bad either. If you have a class that you find, well, boring, hopefully you have a couple other classes on the schedule that you find engaging. Similarly, if you have some tough classes on there, hopefully some others are easier. It’s all about the balance.

While this is more of a personal preference, balance in classes can also mean keeping in check the various times of your classes. Some students stock up all there classes so they don’t have any scheduled for Friday and even have another day of the week off. This, though, means that class days will be long and quite intense. If you aim for a more standard balance, you might find you do better on a more normal schedule. Then again, some students might take their classes all at once to provide them with more days off and free time. That too is part of the balance equation, and could work out for you as well.

At some point, you just won’t be able to sign up for the classes that you’d like, and balance can’t be attained. But do your best to keep the balance in check, as it will help bring some normalcy and standardization to the crazy chaos of college life!

Work And Fun: A College Balancing Act

College life is all about balance, and that holds true when it comes to balancing fun with schoolwork. College offers plenty of opportunities for fun and plenty of times when you’ll need to get work done too; fortunately you can achieve both, as long as you keep yourself in check.

You’re probably not worried about not having enough fun in college. Let’s be honest, that’s not difficult. In fact, it’s the opposite that can be hard. Friends will always be asking you to go to the movies, head out to a party, or go to the gym. None of those activities are bad per say, but you can’t exactly study while participating in them either. After a few movies, parties, and trips out to eat, before you know it your study time has all but dried up. For your GPA, this isn’t good.

No matter how focused you are in college, the instances and chances to pull you away from your study time will be numerous. So here’s the first solution, and it’s nothing secret: schedule some study time. If you’re a procrastinator or someone who rarely makes plans, now’s a good time to get into a positive habit. If you make a schedule, you’ll feel obligated to stick to it, simply because you made it. Even the most disheveled and disorganized studier will feel some guilt about blithely ignoring a schedule that he set.

Sometimes it takes a bit of a kick to recognize that you’ll have to focus more on schoolwork. If your GPA isn’t good, it’s never too late to help it resurface. It can be enough of a motivator to make you cut down on the fun and get serious about work. While you shouldn’t feel guilty while having fun, if you really need to be studying instead, it’s a task that you won’t want to ignore. Plus, when those grades come in, it’ll be hard not to feel guilty if you know you should’ve spent more time behind the textbook.

It’s all about balance. Have too much fun and you’ll regret it. But if you become a study zombie, you’re in for a long four years. Study as much as you need to to keep your grades up and learn some good material.  After that, have some fun. College will be the most work you’ve done in your life most likely, yet will also be a time to be social and have some good times before entering the working world. You don’t want to do too little of either, or you could regret it!

The Dorm-Life Blues

Once the newness of dorm life wears off after a few weeks, college life and dorm living becomes the norm. That’s not a bad thing by any means, however, it also means that all that excited, new energy can dissipate, leaving you feeling a bit drained. A few weeks or even months at school is enough time to meet and get to know plenty of new people, yet perhaps you haven’t made any good friends yet and you don’t feel as if you’ve found your niche. Don’t panic; there’s still plenty of time left. Even so, those dorm-life blues can set in, so know how to respond.

First of all, don’t feel alarmed if you find yourself feeling blue. There are so many new things you have to take in that the abrupt lifestyle change is enough to make anyone feel anxious. Don’t think you’re alone in feeling that way, either. It’s normal. College life is good at keeping you occupied so that those feelings don’t set in as deep. Schoolwork alone, while not a very fun alternative, can keep your mind on your grades, which isn’t a bad thing by any means. Still, keeping busy through other means will automatically improve your mood and outlook. If you haven’t yet, start getting involved in some extracurricular activities. Whether you’re at a large or small school, there’s a club out there for everyone.

By joining a club or becoming involved with an organization, you’ll not only stay occupied, you’ll meet more new people who have similar interests. This in turn makes making some good friends much easier. Once you’ve made a couple good friends, the social side of college life is a breeze. The nice thing about being involved and meeting new people is that you’ll find everyone’s open and receptive to hanging out. Other new students are in the same position as you; they want to meet new people, make friends, and combat those dorm-life blues.

There might never be a time in your life again when you have so many opportunities and activities in front of you. Many students who find themselves unhappy in college likely aren’t very involved, and therefore they don’t have as much to accomplish and find fulfilling throughout college life. But by staying busy and staying involved, you’ll find your time well-spent and enjoyable. Even if you don’t go out and join a few new clubs, college is also the perfect time to pick up a new hobby, which is another surefire way to quell those dorm-life blues.

It’s common advice to hear that it’ll get better if you’re experiencing dorm-life blues, but it still rings true. Even if you’ve been at school for a couple months, it takes longer than that to really let college life sink in and to find your routine and niche. Making good friends and lasting memories also takes time, so be patient and don’t try and back out too soon. It takes a little time, it takes a little effort, but dorm living and college life should be a great, memorable experience, and it will be if you want it to be.

College Life And All That Pressure: How To Deal

There’s no shortage of pressure throughout college life, and unfortunately the pressure only changes, it never quite goes away throughout those four years! When you start college, there’s the pressure of making new friends and figuring out your major. Later on, looking for internships and preparing for graduation can cause pressure, too.

But fear not. The big thing to remember is not to let that pressure get too overwhelming, and that’s actually not hard to do if you can keep things in perspective. Even if you end up making the wrong choices, whether about your major or what you did Friday night, there’s time to correct it. Fortunately, even if you’re a senior, you have to remember that you’re still young enough to correct any errors and proceed on the path that you choose. In the case of a wrong major, you can often tack on the true field that interests you as a minor and still make it out in four years. Or, look at how many people wind up doing jobs which they never thought they would based on their college majors—some doctors studied the humanities before getting into medicine! And as for those poor Friday-night choices, there’s always time to make better choices.

Throughout college, grades and keeping up that GPA will always cause pressure. That in itself is a good thing, because it shows that you care and that you’re willing to work hard. If you’re trying your best and doing your work and studying, chances are you’ll do fine or even better than fine. Still, the pressure lingers. Even if it’s a big test coming up, no one test will wreck your college career, so keep that in mind. No single poor grade is going to tank your GPA. Succeed when you can and where you can, and those grades will take care of themselves.

Conversely, if you’re not doing well in your field of study, you can consider studying something else. There’s still time! Think of it this way: throwing on a few extra classes or an extra year at college is better than getting stuck in a field that you don’t want to be in. Staying flexible, or at least acknowledging that you can be, can help to relieve pressure too; it’s when you can’t find an out that the pressure really feels like it’s building.

Amid grades, relationships, and trying to fit in healthy meals, there are enough causes of pressure. So keep in mind the big picture: you’re there to receive an education, and that right there is something to take a moment and recognize. Many students don’t have that opportunity, and even though it comes with added responsibilities and pressure, it’s better than not having the opportunity at all.