How To Succeed In College | 5 Ways to Set Yourself Apart
Freshman year can be one giant pile of to-do and assignments.
It can sometimes feel like how can you get it all done?! There are so many things you could be doing it can feel hard to decide what's actually gonna make a difference for your future. Where do you even start?
I’ve been there
During my freshman year, I was constantly looking for things I could do to set myself apart and make sure I was utilizing my time wisely.
Through a lot of trial and error and hanging out with people who have their shit together, I've realized what actually made a difference and what can seriously set you up for future success, here are the 5 things you can do to set yourself apart freshman year
Go to Conferences
This is one of the best ways to set yourself apart from other students. As a college student, there are tons of conferences and informational sessions and while most of these are geared towards upperclassmen, there's no rule saying you can't go.
Some of my friends have gained mentors and internships by simply going to a conference in our area.
There are tons of ways you can make the best out of going to college conference, but even if you don't get a job or mentor out of it, a lot of the information given will help you to be a better candidate when you are upperclassmen looking for those positions
Go to Your Office Hours
Ahhh the tried and true advice.
Even if you don't have any burning questions to ask I would still recommend setting a goal to go to each of your professor’s office hours at least 3 times for the semester.
If you don't have anything pressing to say, you can simply stop by to let them know you enjoy their class and ask for tips for improving or even ask them how they think you’re doing in their class.
This shows initiative and can help you to foster better relationships with your professors that can lead to better grades and even mentorship possibilities in the future.
Related: 10 Habits of Successful Students
Volunteer
Now, this can be outside of your campus but I've found it's even more helpful to volunteer for events on your campus! Not only are you putting your face out there but you're also getting to mingle with faculty.
I met my now mentor by volunteering for a luncheon at my school. To do this just check your email regularly and keep an eye out for volunteer opportunities on campus. Usually, it's not too long and they have food!
Join an Exec Board
It isn't widely advertised but for most clubs, you don't have to be an upperclassman to join the exec board! Pick an org that you like and usually after a semester (or even earlier) there will be a chance to be an exec member and you should apply.
Some pretty easy exec positions to get are like marketing manager, secretary, events coordinator, and so forth.
Just being apart from the exec board of a club is pretty impressive but being an exec member can teach you a lot of transferable skills and it can also mean free trips! I've gotten to go on 3 retreats by being apart of the student government and I've seen people go all over the country by simply being an organization exec member.
Create a Linkedin
Creating a LinkedIn as a freshman is one of the easiest and quickest ways to set yourself apart.
It shows that you take yourself seriously and you are already looking at yourself like a professional. There are tons of tips and tricks you can do to really make your LinkedIn profile stand out, but by just creating one and making it look decent you're already ahead of the game.
You can add professors and friends on there and that's a sure-fire way to keep up with internships others are doing and also learn super useful professional advice.
While you probably won't get a job from LinkedIn in your freshman year, it's still worth it for all the useful advice you from older people in your major or career field.
Related: How to set up your Linkedin Profile
And there you have it!
By strategically picking what to do your first year you can put yourself ahead of the curve and make it easier for you to get jobs and positions post-grad.
College should be fun, but you should always remember there's a reason you're there and there's no point in joining a bunch of clubs and not focusing on things that actually make a difference in your life long term.
I'll see you in the next blog.
Xoxo
