Cultus
High school is an exciting time for young people. Identities begin to be established, new interests are explored, and students begin to realize what goals they have for their time beyond high school. Performing well on tests and being admitted to a college isn’t enough to succeed in the world. To make the most of your time in high school and college, and start off on the right path after your education is complete, here are several things students can focus on now:
Get involved
Become involved in aspects beyond academics. This will look good for your transcript, but that shouldn’t be your sole aim. By becoming involved in various activities at your school, you are broadening your life experience. Meeting other students, getting to know them socially, and interacting in different environments will all benefit you in the way you look at the world. Every new type of experience you gain will help you to see the world in a more complex way and aid you in the way that you approach and analyze problems.
Explore your options
This is quite possibly the best thing that you can do for yourself while you are young. A little bit of effort here and there can go a long way. More than likely, you don’t know exactly what profession you want when you are a freshman in high school, or perhaps even in college. You may think you do, but even then – your desire to follow that path might be due to a lack of information on the choices that are available to you.
Take the time to meet with your guidance counselor, go to the library (remember those?), explore the internet, and talk to people. Find out what they do for a living, and what they enjoy about it. Ask what got them into the field. The more options you have, the more satisfying it is when you commit to one.
Follow your passion
Your career is a large part of your life when you finish your education. Your life. Not your parents, your friends, or your significant others. It is important that you select something that you find fulfilling at the end of the day. Don’t settle on a job and stick with it because it seems easy or pays well. One good way to determine what you want when you are in school is to write out all of your interests and hobbies and then chart out what careers are associated with each of them.
As you enter into college, it’s best to go in undeclared or with a broad major. This keeps your options open. You can even go on to business school without having a definite idea of what you want. Just be sure that as your academics advance, you are continuously exploring your options. Take advantage of every opportunity that is presented to you. By the time you are done college, you should have completed at least 2 internships. Put yourself out there and talk to professionals. Explore social media and network online with people. You’d be surprised at the candor that people display when a college student inquires about their line of work because they are considering going into it.
Author’s bio:
Alex Holmes is an educator and freelance writer who enjoys blogging about career development.
