10 things I learned in college

Not everyone’s opinion matters

Figure out whose opinions you want in your life. Find your own voice. And know your own mind and your life to make decisions that will shape you. 

Be who you want to be and find your voice

Try what you want. Take a random class. Join a club. Try is once and if you don’t like it, don’t do it again. These all shape you.

There are a lot more jobs out there than you know, you just have to look and ask the questions

I knew I liked sports and would love to work in sports, but before college I thought the only ways to be involved in sports was to be an athlete, coach, trainer or owner. During my second year of college there were advertisements for a “team behind the team” event. I attended this event hosted by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee and many of the US national governing bodies (NGBs). This event opened my eyes to many of the jobs that are in sports and even the many that are sport adjacent (i.e. clothing brands). This was fantastic! It is amazing what you can find when when you look and ask the questions. 

Different photography styles (and that I could make money with my photography)

I continued my photography ventures into college and explore photojournalism, artistic photography, portrait photography, sports photography through class and on campus work. I enjoyed them all! Then I got paid, more than once, to take pictures. That pushed me even more to deliver and share great photos. This inspired me to continue photography even to this day.

Late nights and all-nighters are possible, but should not be done all the time

Sleep is so important. And it is even more important for a learning brain. The brain needs time to rest and process the information you take in. However, course loads and all of the simultaneous deadlines of exams and projects in college ultimately can lead to late night and/or all nighters. So do what you have to do to get it done, but it will soon be over and you will not have to do it forever. 

Coffee and energy drinks are not needed to make it through

One of my small flexes in life is that I made through high school, college and graduate school without coffee or energy drinks. I do not like the taste of coffee and I do not like the taste or all of the chemicals in energy drinks. I would work out or have a snack as a way to reenergize instead. Conversely I had friends and classmates who were addicted to coffee, would drink caffeinated coffee morning, noon and night because they liked it and it worked for them. There are many different approaches to make it through. 

Find something to do outside of classes - work, exercise, volunteer, organized social groups

Being a student, being a college kid does not have to be your only identity. While college courses demand a lot of students and seem all consuming, they do not have to be. 

Greek life is not just sororities and fraternities

Greek letters are used throughout collegiate life. In fact sororities and fraternities were original intended to be academic groups, but shifted to the stereotypical social groups. There are still some Greek groups that are only academic. Ones I found are Lambda Pi Eta (communications), Beta Beta Beta (biological research), Alpha Sigma Nu.

Commencement/ graduation is a celebration of individual success and character

Yes commencement celebrates students completing outlined course work in a particular field of study, but it is in fact also a celebration full of pomp and circumstance. To celebrate, students decorate caps, adorn their necks with cords, stolls and leis, and some have a different kind of party with flasks hidden under their robes. Each of these decorations accentuate the character and individuality of each person that will walk across the stage.

Push the limits

The atmosphere of a college campus fosters growth, change, development and genuine curiosity. Some of this is done very formally in the classroom and research projects, but others are less formal at club meetings, town hall meetings, office hours with a professor or TA or even just walking across the quad.