I have a few months of college left and have been reflecting on my best decisions I made in college that affected the trajectory of my life. There are so many, but I think these are my favorite.
Go out of state
Choosing a college out of state takes bravery and independence. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to branch out because I truly cannot imagine who I would be today had I stayed closer to home. I was pushed in so many different ways by going to a school knowing no one, being so far from the comfort of my home, and experiencing a new environment and culture. It was eye opening to meet so many diverse people with different upbringings than my own.
Bring my car
You don’t need a car to get around campus at University of South Carolina but you do need one to get around the surrounding area. Having my car brought me independence to run errands, go to doctors appointments off campus, and take fun day trips on the weekends. Some of my fondest memories from college are my weekend trips to Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Greenville, and Charlotte.
Live in an apartment complex and knock on doors to meet people
I didn’t become very close with my hall mates of my dorm freshman year so when I was a sophomore, I was determined that year would be different. My roommate and I decided to live in a four floor apartment complex with a gym, pool and community center so that we could meet new people in these common areas. The first week of school we built up the confidence to knock on doors and introduce ourselves to our neighbors to create a floor wide GroupMe. This small act ended up being how I met 15 of my best friends and is still my favorite story today. Long live Greene Crossing.
Get an on campus job
Even if you don’t NEED a job to get through college, I think it is very beneficial to have one. I have worked part time jobs on campus almost every semester and loved it. I have been a peer consultant for the Student Success Center, a food line worker for the athlete kitchen, and am currently a marketing intern for Undergraduate Admissions. Through these jobs I have explored new interests, made friends, built my resume, and funded both my weekend fun and savings account.
The reason I say it is important to get an on campus job versus just any position is because they really respect school as a priority. No where else will be flexible enough to allow you to work only 10 hours a week, at the convenience of your class schedule. My bosses through the years have been so supportive, understanding and are mentors to me. My marketing job even lets me take days off for important moments I wouldn’t want to miss out on. I am so grateful for the experiences I have had working here.
Have an internship every year
Don’t waste your own time and opportunities by babysitting the same family from home every summer!
Get internships.
Learn new skills.
Dive into the industry you genuinely care about.
Build your resume.
My freshman year I was so eager to jump into my career that I got an internship with a Buckeye Cruise for Cancer even during COVID. Then, my sophomore year I spent the summer in Charleston working at Kiawah Island Golf Resort which was an incredible learning experience. The summer of my junior year I applied for internships but ended up studying abroad for half the summer in Florence, Italy. After my senior year I will be leading adventure trips for the summer before heading into a career.
Speak up in Class
I had this tourism marketing professor, Dr. Martin who was awkward and quiet but so sweet. He tried to hard to engage the class and everyone just brushed him off. I decided to speak up in his class because I was bored of my classmate’s silence and wanted to engage with him. He was so kind, supportive and understanding when I was struggling outside of his class. We had formed a relationship and after the class ended, he nominated me for the SC Tourism Student Award. I was one of the nine students selected and the only one from University of South Carolina. Dr. Martin even attended my award ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion.
This award has led me to so many opportunities. I was able to meet several hospitality industry leaders who spoke at the ceremony and connect with them. A year later, these mentors have connected me with luxury travel companies who have then introduced me to their network.
It is crazy to think about how many doors opened because I spoke up in class and Dr. Martin believed in me.
Try a bunch of clubs and serve in leadership positions
Throughout college I have been involved in about 10 different clubs. I really put myself out there, explored new interests and found out what I loved, and what I didn’t. For example, intramural volleyball was not for me. However, I served in leadership positions for clubs I was really passionate about like Her Campus, College of Hospitality ambassadors and Chi Omega. Some of these leadership positions challenged me but were worth the experience.
Take a sociology class and race and gender studies class
If I could tell every college student to do one thing, it would be to take a race and gender studies class. My freshman year I took a sociology class that blew my narrow little mind. Then as a senior, I took a class called Minorities and Women in Mass Communications. This class taught about so many disparities in the United States through the lens of representation in the media. It changed my point of view in so many ways. Knowledge is power my friends. You just have to be willing to listen to the facts even if they make you uncomfortable.
Join a sorority
I found myself not feeling fulfilled by clubs that only met once a week and wanted to meet more friends. COVID changed the way I looked at things and by no means did it ruin my college experience. It made me realize I had to work harder to find my people like joining a sorority and regularly going to events.
My sophomore and junior year I really enjoyed Chi Omega. I felt apart of something, loved how funny my sisters were, found my best friend, Libby and my Chi O family that I would do absolutely anything for. I became super involved in a service leadership position helping a blind man named George. After years of visiting him every other week, George has become like a grandfather to me.
My senior year, I strived for an even bigger leadership position as parent’s weekend chair. It almost broke me, but instead built me even stronger. I’ll be honest, during my last semester I have been feeling burnt out and tired of the politics of the sorority. However, writing about Chi Omega’s impact on my college experience has reminded myself of all of the amazing people and opportunities Chi Omega has brought me.
Live in a housing complex instead of actual house
During my junior and senior year I lived in a town home complex. I did this because I love the community amenities, maintenance, and limited responsibilities. This ended up being the best decision I could have made. Not only do I love my house and didn’t have to move between the two years, but the management has been incredible. We had a terrible pest issue and they took care of EVERYTHING both financially and doing the manual work. Thank goodness.
I’ve had a pretty damn amazing college experience and it’s not over yet!
