Making the Most Out of College

College is one of the very few years of your life entirely devoted to learning and finding your passions and interests. Here’s a few tips to make the most out of your college years:

1. Be a pro-active learner

Every semester in college, you will be exposed to many different subjects in various fields. Try exploring each of these subjects past the offered curriculum and see if you have some hidden interest you might want to make a career in. An amazingly simple way to do this is to be pro-active in class. Ask questions wherever possible and always try taking away some golden nugget of knowledge from every class. Learning more allows you to add more dimensions to what you already knew, helping you along your path to be a 21st century critical thinker.

2. Approach teachers for guidance

Most of your professors in college will most likely be domain experts with quite some experience in the field. Make sure you utilise their office hours to ask for guidance and feedback from class. Your teachers can guide you to a learning method which is more practical which might serve you in good stead for the future. Should you really fall in love with their subject/domain, it is extremely likely they refer you for an internship opportunity.

3. Learn a new language

Learning a new language during college is helpful in more ways than one. Apart from being an extremely useful and attractive skill, it can help you scope out job opportunities abroad. When seeking job opportunities abroad, being proficient in the local language can make you a preferred candidate. Employers even in your county might appreciate the fact that you can communicate with someone not speaking English.

4. Utilise campus facilities

Your tuition fees cover access to all college facilities. Use the campus facilities like libraries, computer labs, counsellors and gym rooms as much as possible. Making use of all the different facilities made available to you will greatly enhance your college experience.

5. Eat well and sleep well

When you eat well and develop an exercise routine, you feel better. Handling your course load, your study routine and your active social life will not be so difficult if your mind and body are happy and healthy. Take care of yourself (and your body) and you will be much better off handling everything life throws your way.

6. Try studying abroad

Though it can be expensive, studying abroad is an experience unlike any other and one you need to experience to understand. The advantages are the opportunity to learn new ways of doing things that they would otherwise not consider, learning a new language and culture, and learning cultural humility than goes far when you join the workplace.

7. Look for different opportunities

There are many opportunities on campus and off that are not 'hidden' but require some research to find them. There are always posters on notice boards scattered all around campuses ranging from competitions to work experience opportunities. Once you find out what you want to do, then being assertive about what you want to do is not only good practice for the workplace but also makes you a more suitable candidate for whatever opportunity you are seeking.

8. Keep your class materials with you

Especially while you are still in college, it’s wise to save some of your past course materials. They can be incredibly helpful when it comes to refreshing your memory after winter or summer break, specifically when it comes to major-specific courses. Actively take notes in each of your classes and save them for future reference. Also, keeping textbooks related to your major classes is a good idea since you will be studying many of the same concepts for higher education, and may need a refresher at some point.

9. Ensure a good work-life balance

Yes, you are there to learn but learning can be fun, no matter how challenging the material. You also need to have some fun to relieve some of the stress that goes with midterms, finals and getting your reading done on time. Know that no matter who you are, constantly being buried in textbooks is not a sustainable way of life. Get out there and take a load off you occasionally and make college a memorable experience for yourself.