University is the time to learn. You learn about your chosen subject. You learn who you are. You learn how to take care of yourself. You learn how to be an adult. How much value you take from your university experience depends entirely on how much effort you put in to it. If you want to be ready for a career, then you need to work on getting experience outside of university or through your university, but first, you need to take these five steps:
- Find Great Accommodation
Where you live dictates so much about your mood, your happiness, and how productive you are. Living in a great student accommodation is the cornerstone of success. This is especially important if it’s your first year living away from home. You want to have a safe space to go back to at the end of a stressful day. You also want the space you live in to have the space and comfort you need to be able to work, whether it’s a few hours a day or an all-nighter before a due date.
- Start Your New Routines Early
It takes a while for routines to become easy, which is why you should start your good habits now. This could mean waking up at the same time every day so that you have time to get up, do your morning routine, and get a head start on the day. This means that not only should you have time to prepare and eat healthy, home-cooked meals, you should also have time to ensure your skin and teeth are healthy too. Never underestimate how looking good can make you feel.
- Join Societies
Societies are not only a great way for you to make new friends, they are also wonderful to help you learn and to even further your experience in industries that you are interested in. Being active and involved can also gain you recognition from your university, meaning you’ll have an award that you can put on your CV that shows your dedication and hard work.
- Work Every Day
Though it can be annoying and tiring to work every day, you need to push yourself. Whether it’s for university, for your own personal projects, or for any societies you have joined, do a little work every day and by the time you graduate you’ll be reaching your goals and ready to take on the world of work.
- Find Internships Through Your Department
Though university cannot give you all of the experience you need, it does provide you with key resources. For instance, there are many internships that come through the department and even partnerships with your university. This means that you can get a great internship, just for being a student at your university. Take advantage of these internships, have your lecturers or seminar leaders write you recommendations, and build up your experience beyond your peers. That way, you will not only have the knowledge and the degree, you’ll also have the work experience that many industries require you to have.
Work hard, and take charge or your own destiny. Work with your parents to create a series of goals for you to reach, and work out what steps you need to take to get there.