It seems
like just yesterday that I was hugging my family and high school friends
goodbye, and driving to State College to attend WEPO. I was so excited for all of the new, and I
was overwhelmed with all of the new at the same time. WEPO helped me start off on the right foot,
and it will help you, too. You are
starting your college career off right!
I’m so
excited to go back very soon for WEPO number 5, so I thought I’d share some of
what I’ve learned. These lessons have come from me doing almost
none of these things right at some point. I hope they help you avoid making some of the
same mistakes I did, and I really hope that you make the most of your time here at
Penn State.
“I
don’t have time” = it’s not a priority
In high
school, much of your life is scheduled for you.
Between school, swim practice, and homework, I didn’t have time for much
else during the week when I was in high school, and I’m sure many of you feel
the same way. While you’re in college,
you get to decide how you spend 100% of your time, including your class
schedule. This can be a blessing or a
curse, depending on how well you manage your time. After not
doing this well for some time, I’ve learned that time management is all about
priorities. If something is a high
priority for you, you will make time for it.
At this transition point in your life, take the time to really think
about what is important to you (and I mean only YOU). See if how you’re spending your time lines up
with those priorities and your goals. If
you spend 3 hours a day watching Netflix and 2 hours studying, it would seem
that Netflix is higher on your priority list than getting good grades. Ensure that how you actually spend your
precious time lines up with your priorities.
Raise your hand
I don’t
necessarily mean in class to ask a question (though if you do have a question
in class, definitely do this). I mean
raise your hand to volunteer for new opportunities. SAY YES to opportunities that come your way;
you never know what could become of them.
For example, when one of the officers of the new club you joined is
looking for help on a project, or for members for a committee, raise your hand! When your math professor asks if you will be
her grader next semester, SAY YES! Say
yes even if it is something small, even if it something you don’t know how to
do yet – you’ll learn. Which brings me
to my next point…
Gain leadership opportunities
Your
willingness to help with even the small things is key if you aspire to do big
things later on. You’ll gain the respect
and trust of the people you helped. So,
when there’s a bigger project, they will ask you to be a part of it. When you apply for a leadership position in
the organization, they’ll vouch for your character. When you need a recommendation letter,
they’ll write one for you. Leadership
roles help you develop valuable skills and learn a lot about yourself. And though this seems like it’s far into the
future (it’s not), corporate recruiters will want to hear about your leadership
roles and how you made the most of developing those skills during school.
Do something that terrifies you
What doesn’t
challenge you won’t change you, so take some risks! Do something scary, and I promise you will
learn something. I was absolutely
terrified to leave everyone I loved here in the USA and move to a country in
which I knew no one and nothing. Those 6
months truly changed my life, and I could have missed out on that incredible
experience if I gave in to my fears. You don’t have to leave the country, or even State College, to challenge yourself! Do
some public speaking, sign up for an Adventure Recreation trip to go rock
climbing, or introduce yourself to someone you normally wouldn’t. What would you do if you weren’t afraid?
Ask for help
To me, there
is nothing worse than wasting hours of time just because you didn’t ask for
help. I’m not going to tell you that
there are no dumb questions. If the
answer to your question is the first result on Google, don’t ask a live human
that question. If you’ve tried
everything you can think of and/or have spent 20 minutes looking and still have
no idea, it’s time to ask someone. Don’t
waste your precious time worrying about something, or sitting around trying to
figure it out for hours. There are so
many people at Penn State whose full time job is to help you. If you have no idea who to ask, start with
your WEPO mentor! If she doesn’t know
the answer, she can point you in the direction of someone who does. Bonus: Almost three years ago I was struggling with a Math 250 homework
assignment, so I asked the guy I sat next to in class for help. He became my study buddy, and a few months
later we started dating. We’ve been
together ever since!
Leverage your support system
There are
going to be tough days, and when you can’t see the light at the end of the
tunnel on your own, let others help you find it again. There are so many people who love you and
want you to succeed; let them support you! The entire WEPO leadership team is here for
you, and truly wants to get to know you and see you thrive. Stay connected to your mentors and rover, and
develop new relationships with other upperclassmen. I promise you this will be hugely influential
– it was for me! It’s also important to
lean on your friends, new and old. Most
importantly, call mom and dad. They are
so proud of you, and would love to hear all about what’s going on with
you. I love to call my parents on walks
to and from class, or anywhere else I’m going.
Have fun
At the end
of the day, your happiness is the most important thing. Make time for yourself to do the things you
enjoy. Go out and have fun on a Friday
night, go to that yoga class, have a Skype date with your best friend from
home, watch a movie and paint your nails, or anything else that would make you
happy. And do it for YOU!
I'm so excited for all of you to start your Penn State journey. Come say hi to me at WEPO!
Ellen Fagan is a senior majoring in Industrial Engineering and Spanish, and is the Overall Lead for WEPO'15!
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