A college must become a takeoff platform of our career, but for lots of graduates, it’s rather a time of missed opportunities. Only after graduation, they start understanding what exactly they should do differently. But the time machine is not invented. So if you want your college investments to pay off, you’d better ponder on your study time right now. Let’s consider the most common regrets shared by college graduates so you could avoid the same missteps.
#1. I wish I’d studied more/less
A suchlike grudge is shared by the most of the former students. Some of them regret they’ve spent all the time on books. Others admit that constant partying wasn’t a right option. Frankly speaking, you will hardly manage to avoid this kind of disappointment entirely. However, you should try to maintain a balance between your studying and a social life.
What to do:
- Don’t limit your life solely to academics. Remember that college is not only a place to get knowledge but to form your social connections. And, believe you or not, socializing is even more important than studying itself. But just in case, learn some money-saving tricks before starting partying with all your might.
- Don’t give up on your academic progress. Despite your unbelief in a relation between good job chances and your GPA, that’s a fact. Imagine yourself in an employer’s shoes. How else could you evaluate a potential and work abilities of a candidate who has no relevant work experience? Of course, by his/her academic results. I suggest you to use a cumulative GPA calculator to keep track of your study progress. Precise numbers will tell you where you are heading at the moment.
#2. I wish I’d gained more work experience
According to Pew Research Center report, half of bachelor graduates regret not gaining any work experience during their study. The matter is that professional experience is the most valuable metrics for future employment. So those students who have kept their focus solely on their studies turn to be in a lose-lose situation. They lack both professional skills and understanding of a working process.
What to do:
- Check the extracurriculars options available in your university. Lots of schools universities offer industry internships for students. An internship becomes a part of a student’s study and may result in an academic project or a case study.
- Take language courses. Foreign language will help you to widen your communicative world and boost your chances to get a better job after college.
- Volunteer. It will help you to get a sense of working ethic and responsibilities.
- Freelance. Job experience of any kind will take you a long way when looking for your first career.
#3. I wish I’d chosen other major
Different sources give different numbers but in avg up to a half of recent graduates regret their choice of major. Just imagine that people spend about 5 of their most active years on studying what they don’t like or what is not in demand on a labor market. This statistics looks just sad. And there is not much to advise. Since very few of us at the age of 18 know what they want to do professionally for the rest of their life.
What to do:
- Find a subject at the intersection between your passion and what is in demand in society.
- Chose your minor from a different sphere of knowledge. For example, languages, especially Oriental ones, make an excellent company to technical majors.
- Develop a habit of learning during your college years. Being a fast-learner is one of the most valuable skills. Having it, you’ll be able to direct your professional life in any way you want. Don’t choose philosophy as your major.
Remember that college years don’t just pass quickly, they run away in no time. So be mindful about it from the very start. And relax. All you need to do is to combine working hard and having fun in more or less fair proportion.
Originally Published on University Primetime
Feature image via Nikolas Noonan on Unsplash
