Setting Yourself Apart

When you go to college, a majority of your peers in your major probably come from backgrounds that are pretty similar to your own. I know everyone says that you’ll be introduced to a whole new set of backgrounds, and this is true, but I found that there were just as many kids straight out of small town Iowa compared to anywhere else . Many of us come from small high schools where everyone is involved in just about everything. You don’t have to do much picking and choosing because if you did, the team or club wouldn’t have enough members to be sustainable. I always felt like it was easy to slide by in high school. In high school you can get decent grades, be involved in a few extracurriculars, and almost automatically be deemed as an “overachiever.” In all honesty, I feel as if only a few of my high school teachers really held students to a high standard and expected them to go above and beyond. One of my pet peeves is when people use the phrase “try hard” to put down others for putting forth effort. “Ugh, she’s such a try hard,” still echoes in head from all of the times I heard it spoken in those high school hallways. Whenever I heard this I thought, “Since when is working hard and actually caring about the task at hand such a negative thing?” I could go on and on about this topic, but that’s a post for another day. From my experiences in high school, it doesn’t seem take much to stand out from others frankly because there just aren’t that many people to compete with.

I’m just going to cut to the chase. Whatever you deem as your “thing” in high school is also going to be loads of other people’s “thing” in college. You may be the only person who is interested in graphic design or politics, or in my case, photography, but when you get to college you won’t be alone in that anymore. In college, you’ll be competing with all of these other talented people for internships and jobs. As a college freshman you may be thinking that you’ll join a club or two, study hard, and call it good. That kind of mentality just won’t cut it though. What are the rest of the freshman doing you ask? They’re joining a club or two, studying hard, and hoping that their affiliation with whatever college they’re attending can land them a solid career. Please, get off the beaten path. You don’t have to fit the mold of the typical college kid. There’s nothing wrong with getting a “normal” college job like working in the dining hall or waiting tables, however, there are so many opportunities that may be more aligned with your career goals. There’s also nothing wrong with joining campus clubs related to your major/interests. Though when you step back and look at the big picture, are these clubs the best opportunity available to help grow your skills, career, and network? For some people they are and others not, but it’s so important that you be able to identify this. Far too many people get involved in a certain job or club solely because it fits the norm. It’s what everyone else is doing, and especially as a freshman it can be so easy to follow the herd.

So as you’re thinking about what your “dream job” looks like after graduation or the type of person you want to be when you finally get that diploma, what can you be doing to set yourself apart right now? It doesn’t have to be crazy or difficult or costly, but it’s crucial for success. What can you be doing slightly differently from the person sitting next to you who has the same GPA, interests, and work ethic? It’s okay to put yourself out there. Send an email to someone wiser than you and ask if they would be willing to mentor you. Don’t be afraid to seek out a job - businesses are more willing than you think to help young people follow their career goals. You’re in control of your future so don’t wait around for someone to hand it to you, that’s never going to happen. And let me be the first to say it - it’s 100% okay to be a try hard.