My senior year is quickly coming to a close, and I wanted to share some of what I’ve learned at Gettysburg College! Whether you’re a current or future Gettysburgian, I hope you’ll appreciate my advice.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Join Clubs!
-
Joining clubs can be a scary step at first, especially if you don’t know of anyone else who is a member. That’s what happened to me during my first year when I joined Her Campus. I knew of no one else who was a member, but it quickly became a space that I would love! I’ve met and connected with so many people at Gettysburg because of Her Campus, and it truly is such a wonderful group of members.
Clubs also offer amazing opportunities to gain leadership positions. After my first year in the Gettysburg College chapter of Her Campus, I became Editor-in-Chief, and I’ve held the role since! These positions look wonderful on resumes and can be used during interviews to demonstrate how you’ve grown and what you’ve learned. There are so many chances to take part in interesting and fun work at Gettysburg College, so be sure to take advantage of those opportunities.
- Pursue the Majors You Love
-
I am an English major with a writing concentration and a history double major. I constantly have people telling me, “Oh, so you’re going to be a teacher!” While I greatly respect teachers and all that they do, no, I am not going into teaching. Majors can offer so many more career fields than what some people think possible, and I’ve found that to be true with both of my majors.
Both of my majors are also of great interest to me, and if you don’t love what you’re studying, then that could be a problem! Students should pursue the majors, minors, concentrations, etc. that seem appealing and interesting to them. As I mentioned before, these courses of study could bring about a lot more opportunities than you think possible.
- Take Courses That Scare You
-
Within the English and history departments, there were some courses I signed up for that scared me. For instance, ENG 297: Introduction to Book History and HIST 223: Modern China were very intimidating when I first signed up for them. However, these courses were so interesting and taught me a lot about their respective topics.
Here are some of my other favorite courses in the English and history departments:
- ENG 242: Curiouser and Curiouser: Children’s Literature and the Invention of the Modern Child (with Professor Jesse Cordes Selbin)
- ENG 307: Writing the Screenplay (with Professor Kathryn Rhett)
- ENG 310: God and Hero in Avalon – The Mythology of King Arthur (with Professor Christopher Fee)
- HIST 352: Gender and Sexuality During the American Civil War (with Professor Jim Downs)
- HIST 375: Aid and Volunteering in Africa: From Missionary Service to Peace Corps (with Professor Abou Bamba)
- Spend Some Time Outside
-
This seems like an odd bit of advice compared to the others on this list, but I feel like it is so important!
During my last semester at Gettysburg College, I have made sure to take advantage of the nicer weather and enjoy time spent outside. Stine Lake and the area surrounding it have some of the best areas (in my opinion) to sit outside and read, whether that be for personal reading or reading for a course! The Adirondack chairs hidden behind Plank Gym are another great secret spot to get some work done.
- Take Advantage of Campus Resources and Offices
-
Offices such as the Center for Global Education (CGE) and the Center for Career Engagement (CCE) are there to help you!
I studied abroad during the fall semester of 2022, and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my college career. I grew so much as a person while studying abroad, and I also got the chance to attend Lancaster University in the UK. CGE was an amazing resource in helping me choose the program that I wanted and in making me aware of all the opportunities such a program could offer. Additionally, I’ve stayed involved with CGE after my semester abroad as a Global Leader, and it has been amazing helping other students better understand the offered programs to study abroad.
CCE crept up on me as a very important office at Gettysburg College. I had used it for resume and cover letter workshops during my first year but didn’t utilize the office to its full extent. During the winter break of my junior year, however, I participated in CCE’s Orlando Trek. I was granted the opportunity to travel to Orlando, Florida with a group of students to explore the family entertainment market and hear from representatives from Coca-Cola, Disney, Universal, Legoland, and SeaWorld. From there, I decided to take greater advantage of CCE’s offerings, such as their job fairs! This office is available to help you with any concerns related to the professional world after graduation, and they can expose you to amazing connections as well.
As you can see, I have loved my time at Gettysburg College, and I will forever be grateful for the opportunities and experiences this school has given me. I hope you take some of this advice and make your college experience equally memorable.
Go Bullets!