My Final Thoughts
Over the past few days, I have dedicated an hour everyday to
reflect upon my graduate school
experience. With graduation behind me, a new job, and a new chapter in my life in front of me, its
hard to put into words what I am feeling at this moment. However, I will do my
best to give advice for those of
you who are still in grad school.
1.
Live in
the moment/ have fun- Enjoy every moment of this experience. You will
regret it once its over. Stay up a few minutes later to have that conversation
with a classmate, take more pictures at events or outings, smile more, laugh
everyday and finally, take sometime to do a little reflection.
2. Create
your own opportunities- If a colleague asks you to be on a committee and
you have time do it, go for it. If you see a need for a new initiative, create
it. If you see a job posting you don’t think your qualify for, apply for it
anyway, you never know. To gain
more experience volunteer in another office. Remember to make
your time at your institution your own, no one else is going to do it for you.
3.
Network-
I can’t stress this enough. Join a national organization, volunteer with them,
volunteer at a conference. Ask your colleagues to connect you with their
friends at other institutions, or join the student affairs community on
twitter. Here is one of my
favorite quotes about networking; “Networking is an essential part of building
wealth.” -Armstrong
Williams –
4.
Don’t be
scared to ask for what you need- This one I’ve struggled with. I found
myself the most frustrated when I didn’t ask for what I needed. Your boss or
coworkers are not mind readers. The worst thing could happen is they could say
no.
5.
Remember
to take care of yourself- Yes, it may hard to balance school and work but
don’t forget to take care of yourself.
Schedule time during the week to participate in activities that you
enjoy that are not related to your work. Maybe it’s enjoying the outdoors,
going to the gym, cooking, or even blogging. Whatever it is, make sure it
empowers you.
6.
Reflect-
I’ve found scheduling an hour a week to reflect has helped me grow. It’s also a
way to remind me of who I am as a person, who I’m grateful for and where I see
myself going in the future.
As I take a look back on my journey it’s hard to believe how
much I’ve grown and changed since the beginning of December. I have more confidence
in myself, I am more comfortable
rolling with the punches and I’ve learned to enjoy life. Thank you so much for
following me on my journey!