1. Today’s guest post is from Kyle Grappone, a youth motivational speaker and book author. His aim is to inspire High School and College students to think differently about their futures, take advantage of their opportunities, and answer the question: “What type of person do you want to become?”.  

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Attending college is an amazing opportunity that not everyone gets a chance to experience. It’s an opportunity to learn more about the world around you, make new friends, and create a career path that will lead to success and fulfillment. It indeed is a chance at a better life. It’s customary for successful alumni to give speeches or write articles about everything they did right in college and how to emulate the success they had. High School students often have guidance counselors and family members dispensing well-intentioned but typically routine advice on how to be successful. Tips such as go to class, study in the library, and get plenty of sleep usually top this list. The issue is that the part that gets left out is the long-term impact there college choices will have on the rest of their lives. Furthermore, the well-intentioned adults giving this advice are usually the same voices this student has listened to for years and has begun to tune out. It’s time someone who wouldn’t be considered an “ideal success story” talks about these topics and the long-term impact they can have on your life.

I slept through most of my time in High School. Okay, I didn’t actually sleep, but I wasn’t fully present either. I coasted through High School and was accepted to a small school in upstate New York. When I was getting ready for college, I had plenty of people telling me all sorts of advice. I can’t recall what they were saying, because I really wasn’t listening. I was focused on being on my own, partying, and doing all the fun college stuff I saw in movies. The next four years flew by. I had a lot of fun and made a lot of friends but, just like high school, I didn’t try as hard as I could. I didn’t try because I wasn’t aware of what was coming next in life. I was unaware and unprepared for that next step called “The Real World,” and I had no idea how my poor choices were impacting my future. Without knowing what was waiting for me after graduation, I had no idea what opportunities I should have been taking advantage of.

So, while I graduated on-time as a double major, I did so with no idea how to write a resume, interview for a job or figure out what I actually wanted to do with this degree I had just paid a lot of money to obtain. I also did not realize how much left I had to pay or how those pesky interest rates on my loans actually worked. I was 22 years old and lost. I was entirely unprepared for this world I found myself in. My first job out of college was working part-time at Bed Bath and Beyond. This position was followed by a minimum wage warehouse job and a low-paying educational position. Eventually, I recovered and found my passions and better-paying positions. However, my poor choices and lack of understanding and caring regarding my future left an impact that I still feel to this day. Here are a few pieces of advice from a college graduate who knows what happens when you don’t take advantage of what’s right in front of you. 

Make A Plan

When you are older, and preparing to make a life-impacting decision, you make a plan. You decide what it’s going to entail and what you want the result to be. College is a series of life-impacting decisions, so there should be a plan regarding why you are going and what you want to get out of it. Why should an 18-year old sit down and make a plan the summer before college instead of going to the beach? They should make a plan because it will help them choose the right major, pass there classes and ultimately set them up for success in the real world. The better prepared you are, the happy you are going to be. Decide what you want the outcome of your college experience to be and right down specific actions you are going to take to make sure you will achieve the outcome you desire.

Going To Class Is Your Job

It may sound boring, but learning is the reason you are at college. If you are not interested in learning more and challenging yourself, then you should stay at home and save yourself a ton of money. Attending class is not always fun. It’s work, and that’s the way you should treat it. It’s essential that you are not only attending class but participating and learning. The more you learn now, the less you will have to catch up on when you are trying to apply for jobs after graduation. Also, developing habits such as waking up early for class, adding value by participating, and studying on a regular basis are the building blocks for a strong work ethic. A strong work ethic will be noted and rewarded with better-paying positions and opportunities. A well-paying career can often lead to a happier life and less financial stress.

Learn What Networking Is

Networking is a word that you will hear a lot when you are in school and beyond. What does it actually mean? Educators will give you an educated and sophisticated explanation, but I will provide you with a blunt one. Networking means meeting people who can help your career. It means finding people who are currently doing what you want to be doing and asking a lot of questions. It means learning from those who have come before you. It also means creating relationships with people you can count on to give you advice or recommend you for a position you are applying for. The more help you have in your job search the better your odds of landing a better position, creating a  better career, and a living a better life.

Forget The Money, Take The Internship

My last regret turned pearl of wisdom is about internships. Almost every major requires one, but most students don’t know how this seemingly menial work will help them in the future. Most students get caught up on the fact that they have to work for free. I can’t say that I blame them because no one wants to work for free. However, it’s crucial someone points out that money is only one form of payment. If you approach an internship correctly, it can pay you in ways that are more valuable than cash. It can pay you in experience. You’ll need that experience on your resume when you and dozens of other fresh college graduates are applying for the same job. It can also pay you in references. Actual people who can vouch for the type of employee you will be and the value you can bring to a company. Working for free while you can lead to a lot more money when you need it the most.

College can be a fantastic time in a student’s life, but there are plenty of people and content who can cover all that stuff. The goal today was to show the importance of taking advantage of your time in college because it will have a lasting impact on your future happiness and life. If you are a parent, I invite you to share this piece with your high school student so they may be better prepared than I was.

About Kyle

His book, To The Next Step, is an instruction manual for High School and College students to achieve the goals I listed above. You can learn more about my book here: www.publishizer.com/to-the-next-step

Website: www.kylegrappone.com

E-Mail: Kyle@KyleGrappone.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KyleGSpeaks/

Twitter: @KyleGSpeaks

Instagram: KyleGSpeaks