Looking back, I know why people say, “College is the best four years of your life.” While I haven’t yet experienced life after graduation, I can certainly say that college has been the best four years of my life up to this point. Don’t get me wrong -- I have a wonderful, happy home filled with loving family and fond memories. However, there is something so rewarding about living in a new place with new people and learning how to operate and succeed on your own. At college, my victories are my victories, and my mistakes are my mistakes. The freedom that allows me to make those life-defining moments are part of the reason that college is so great. For the first time, as cheesy as it sounds, I have had almost total independence and the chance to discover who I truly am as a person.
The other major reason that college is so amazing is because it has so many fantastic opportunities. Study abroad, research with world-renowned professors, free pizza every day of the week, huge career fairs, festivals, concerts, Zumba on the lawn, and anything else you can imagine are in abundance at college. There is so much happening that there have been days where I wanted to attend five different events at the same time! The best part is that all of these opportunities are for YOU! From the moment you step on campus, you become the focus of the University and all of clubs and organizations that are a part of it. Take advantage everything you can because once you graduate, you will be out in the “real world” where the focus isn’t all on you anymore. Some weeks will be really busy, and all you’ll want to do is sit in your dorm room and watch Netflix. However, make yourself get up out of bed and play in that random Capture the Flag game! Time flies by so quickly, so make the most of it.
I am so grateful for my time at Purdue and wouldn’t want to spend it any other way. I bleed black and gold now and shout “Boiler Up!” anytime I see a fellow Boilermaker. I have had so many positive experiences here that I will cherish forever, but I have also had my fair share of unideal experiences that I have learned from and will be able to handle better in the future. Through it all, I have developed my own list of suggestions of what I think every college student should do! Here’s my advice:
1. Join a professional organization and a fun organization.
It’s easy to join the fun clubs, but make sure you join one professional organization related to your major as well. I joined an Engineering club during freshmen year, and I met someone who was going to a free dinner with a company. I ended up tagging along, meeting the company recruiter, getting an interview for an internship, and receiving an invitation to participate in a conference with the company where they would fly me out to San Diego! I did participate in the conference, and I interned for the company. Now, I have accepted a job offer to work for them full-time, and all of this started because of one club I joined freshmen year!
2. Always ask!
When you go to college, people are not going to hold your hand when you are struggling. You have to ask for the help yourself. It’s really easy, but it’s something I didn’t do right away. I let my pride get in the way. Don’t be afraid to ask for help to succeed in your classes or ask a professor to work in her lab even though she only has PhD students in it. You’ll be surprised at how willing people are to help you if you just ask!
3. Go to the career fair freshmen year.
Sure, you may not have any relevant Engineering experience on your resume three weeks into freshmen year when the career fair occurs. However, it is always good to practice speaking to company recruiters, asking for jobs or sponsorships for clubs, and reciting your elevator speech. It also makes you more comfortable talking to recruiters when the next career fair rolls around. Sometimes recruiters even remember who you are the next time they see you or will hold onto your resume until you are one year older! It never hurts to put your name out there.
4. Do a fountain run every semester.
Don’t only do a fountain run, though! Make sure to participate in all of your school’s traditions. There’s nothing quite like the excitement of school pride, and it keeps you motivated and loving your school even when exam time rolls around.
5. Keep doing one thing from high school.
Transitioning to college is a big change. I wasn’t prepared for it, but something that helped me to feel closer to home was keeping one thing the same in my daily routine. For example, playing the violin every day and participating in orchestra, just like I did in high school, provided structure to my days and gave my one constant thing in my life when the rest of it was so different.
6. Only study a little bit.
NOTE: I AM NOT TELLING YOU TO BE A BAD STUDENT. In college, make sure you work hard and earn good grades because that is your first priority. However, make time for all of the other opportunities on campus as well! Watch a movie at midnight on a Tuesday with friends, take a spontaneous weekend trip to Chicago, and go to the basketball games with your face painted. Studying will get you through college, but all of the other fun activities will be what you remember.
7. Sleep.
You are not going to want to sleep in college because you’ll have serious fomo. However, it’s not worth it to sleep only three hours a night because you will be tired and cranky the next day. Make sure to get the sleep you need so that you can be productive with your homework but also enjoy whatever fun you have planned for the day.
8. It’s okay to say “no.”
This one goes along with the sleep advice. Since you are constantly surrounded by all of your friends at college who will be inviting you to do things 24/7, it is okay to tell them “no, I need some me time” or “not right now, I need to study.” Someone will always be studying when you are not (and vice versa), and someone will always be down to have fun. Do what you need to do and know that you can meet up with them later! This goes for clubs too. Do not feel like you
have join them all or devote 19 hours a day to them. Make sure to set boundaries so that you can get your homework done and relax as well.
9. Be prepared.
There is no telling what is going to happen on any given day at college. Sometimes, people will be handing out free donuts. On other days, you may walk into a building on your way to class and run into a mini-career fair with your dream company. Be prepared for whatever you may find and know that everyone visiting realizes that you’re a college student! Just walk over to the nearest computer, print out a resume, and get in line to talk to the company even though you’re wearing jeans and t-shirt. You’ll get the interview. And you’ll thank your alma mater for bringing them to you. And then you’ll thank the stars for bringing you to your alma mater.
Boiler Up and Hail Purdue!
-Emily Bartusiak
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