Surprise – the answer isn’t ‘please’ – it’s NETWORKING.
Allow me to defend myself, at the risk of sounding like every other person you’ve ever spoken to that gave you unwanted advice about everything related to your college career.
Back when I was a terrified 17-year old about to enter my freshman year of college, I pretty much ignored every piece advice anyone ever gave me, especially if it sounded really reasonable and came from a particularly trustworthy source like my parents or high school guidance counselor. I had the somewhat unique experience of essentially being a brand-new freshman twice since I transferred schools after my first year. The second time around, as my teenage rebellion started to fade, I became less and less suspicious of advice like “Talk to your professors!” “Get involved on campus!” and “Meet new people!”
As I began to branch out more and more, I discovered that, mad as it made me, those people had been right. Networking, in each of its forms and all-encompassing grandeur, became my best friend. There are several ways to network, and not all of them are as boring and dry as the word may suggest. The age-old advice that you should form relationships with your professors is sound; a professor I had my first semester and every semester since is the one who introduced me to nationwide programs relevant to my studies, scholarship opportunities, professionals in the field, internships, and so much more. Having that relationship with her, as well as taking the brave first step to attend some of these events eventually led me to become a part of the professional workforce long before I was actually eligible for a job, and to start forming connections with people who might one day recommend me for a position in their companies.
The point is – scary as it may be, networking is an incredible skill that can help you throughout your entire life, and dipping your toe into the waters as early as your first few years in college can help to bring about opportunities even sooner. At HPU, there are several clubs and departments on campus that hold networking events all of the time – attending these on campus sessions can be much less scary than venturing out on your own, and are a great place to get started.
One such networking opportunity is coming up on Tuesday, November 14 – HPU Alumni from the communication department will be coming to MP 316 from 5:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m. to talk about anything and everything about their path from HPU to success. Students from all programs, grad and undergrad, are welcomed and encouraged to attend, and to ask questions about anything from how to run a social media campaign, how to apply for graduate school, or simply advice about life after graduating! This event is FREE to HPU students. For more information, check pipeline or visit our Facebook event.