I have been pursuing my bachelor’s degree for the past four years and recently was hired at Frank and Maven as an intern. One thing I learned immediately was how unprepared I was for the business world. At first, I felt shell shocked as a lot of information was flying at me all at once. I knew I had heard the terminology before, but didn’t know how it related to the practical side of business.
A college campus is its own little bubble. Your greatest concern is turning in that paper, passing that test, making it to your serving shift or night audit on time. But as soon as you receive that piece of paper, the real world comes crashing in. Suddenly, those serving shifts don’t seem nearly as valuable and you wonder how four years passed so quickly.
Three things every college student should be doing NOW:
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Shadow/Intern/Part Time
I’m not talking about a random, part time job where the only purpose it serves is filling your bank account. I’m talking about a job in your potential career field. You truly don’t know what you want to do with your life until you get a taste of it. It would be unfortunate if you found out you hated your area of study after you received your diploma.
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Be Intentional
Pursue a job where you can actively learn and accomplish new things. Be proud of the work you produce, not just because one day it will be on your resume, but because the work you produce reflects your abilities. If you have the opportunity to meet new people and learn new things, do it! Be intentional with each new contact, networking is a huge opportunity and there are a lot of people in the world with an infinite amount of knowledge and connections! It will help your career in the long run.
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Reflect
This one is a little different and it only applies when placed alongside the first two. Your studies aren’t going to be significant if you do not apply them to what you are doing. When finishing work or class, reflect over your day and find the connections between your studies, work and career choice. If you don’t make those connections you are wasting the time and money you have invested into your education, Higher education is a great tool, but it compounds when it is earned hand-in-hand with workplace experience.
