Four years is all you get at college. There is some merit to having a fun experience, but that’s not all there is to it. Being here prepares you for your future, so you might as well actually use your free resources to prepare yourself for the transition into the real world.
On campus, there are numerous opportunities that set you up for success. CORE, the Office of Student Life, clubs or even Greek life provide occupational and social experiences. Not only are these resources encouraged for students to take, but they also have free initial access.
You would think with opportunities being held out on a silver platter, students would rush to take advantage as soon as possible. While it is not true that they are used, they are not used to their full potential.
One example of this is on-campus jobs like working in the Center for Student Life, CORE or athletics. Many students take advantage of these jobs, but probably do not consider the implications of being able to have various job opportunities. According to Director of Student Activities Rey Benschop, engaging in things like campus jobs can prepare you for the workforce.
“Many of our student workers are not paid a whole lot of money. But what they are not getting in financial compensation, they’re getting a lot of just real-world experience,” Benschop said. “A lot of the same soft skills that are being taught in our clubs, organizations and Greek life are really going to be the things that students use down the road in their careers.”
Along with being aware of the effect of campus opportunities, there is also the problem of students not having the drive to show up and engage. For students who have yet to take advantage of their campus opportunities, it is not necessarily because of a lack of encouragement or ignorance.
As a generation, we are addicted to instant gratification, so much so that we wait for it to present itself. It may be because we are so used to interaction being sent to us in milliseconds online, but unless someone delivers a personal invitation to engage in these opportunities, we will be a lot less likely to want to do them.
Students need to take a second and look at their senior peers to see the success; they’re clear proof of initiative and having a purpose. In the case of senior Jamiah Riley, being engaged with campus resources led them to a career post-Augustana.
“I have been working with [career coach] Claire Brakel Packer about wanting to have a job lined up before I leave college. And she was like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it,’” Riley said. “The only thing I needed was structure. Going through the application with Claire made sure I had all my bases covered for everything.”
While you’re still in college, take advantage of your opportunities on campus. Whether they are social or preparatory, they equally support your future. Take action and practice what it means to be a citizen in the real world. Life is not easy, so you might as well try to lighten the load.