Back to school? Here are 6 ways to make the best of your time in Uni.
Congratulations! You just got into university — that is an amazing milestone (and you should celebrate).
Now, it’s possible that you are super excited about this degree and you can’t wait to kill it — or you are not so excited and you just can’t be bothered.
Regardless of how you’re feeling right now, here are some points that I have put together to help you maximize your time in school beyond your degree.
Your Grades are Important
I know you were hoping I wouldn’t say this, but your grades are very important. They might not be everything you need, but good grades can be very crucial to helping you land your first job or helping you get your foot in the door. So, attend classes, be diligent with your assignments and study! Learn about the grading styles of your professors and lecturers, learn from your seniors, ask for help when you need it and give it your best.
You need to be aware of your GPA/CGPA ((Cumulative) Grade Point Average) at the end of every semester or school year. Knowing your CGPA helps you evaluate your academic standing objectively, enables you to set smarter academic goals and helps to keep you on course. You can learn how to calculate your CGPA here.
Your grades are not Everything
I know you think I just contradicted myself, but grades are not everything. Your ability to apply knowledge and add value to everything you do is far more important than the numbers that make up your grade point average.
As much as it is good to do well in school, you need to gain skills that can give you an edge even above people with higher grades. The best ways to do this are to gain practical experience; by volunteering for causes, events, leadership roles, etc.
Identify your areas of interest and start finding ways to develop yourself and sharpen your skills. There are tons of free or affordable resources to help you. Here are a few that you can start with: Google Digital Garage, Coursera, Udemy, Udacity, Digital Skills for Africa.
Opportunities Abound
Be alert: University is the land of opportunities — whether they are opportunities to learn, get scholarships, earn, join fellowships and so on.
One major source of opportunities in university is internships. Many organizations offer undergrad internships and these are a great way to gain practical skills and network with people in your industry. Organizations such as Anakle and Andela have regular summer internships. There are also a host of international organisations that have summer internships such as Goldman Sachs, Bank of America Merill Lynch etc. that you can position yourself for. Remember our feature on Tomiwa Jeminiwa who is now a VP at BAML? He started from a summer internship.
If an organization that you are interested in doesn’t seem to have internships available, shoot your shot by sending well-worded and concise emails or messages to relevant people within the organization — don’t be afraid to get denied. I landed my first internship in school by tweeting at someone who was the head of an organization.
Ensure that you have your ears to the ground and are aware of the opportunities around campus that you are eligible for. Apply for as many as you can — it never hurts to try. Joining associations is also very helpful for this as most student associations receive firsthand information about campus opportunities and share them with their members.
Follow Workaroo on Twitter and Instagram to be the first to learn about these opportunities.
Pursue your Passions:
Now is the best time to start to pursue your passions. If you have a flair for fashion, beauty, technology, writing, art, media or anything else — university is an amazing launchpad.
Take advantage of your student privilege, people are more likely to be helpful and to want to mentor you. Organizations also usually run campus ambassadorship programs or have student groups. Plug yourself in and start laying the foundation for your career now.
Remember, you’re not too young to do great things. As a student, you can start a business, publish a book, start a clothing line, make music, invent something, do social good etc. There are no ceilings, start small and push hard.
Network
I know it is cliché, but you have probably heard the saying — your network is your net worth. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but it is very true. In school, you will meet tons of people both on and off-campus that can shape the course of your life, personally and professionally.
Your friends, classmates and lecturers might be the greatest sources of opportunities for you while in school and even beyond.
Try to attend events beyond class: join clubs, associations and societies, volunteer and put in your best so that you can stand out. Here is a list of student organizations that you can join.
If you are already a member of a student organization, you can add them to the list here.
Have fun, but stay out of trouble
Don’t forget to have fun, whatever fun means to you that is legal and safe. But as much as you can, stay out of trouble. Know about the rules/laws that apply in your school and your location and act accordingly.
University is a great starting point for the fulfilment of your dreams. So make friends, study, put yourself out there, and do great things! I’m rooting for you.
P.S I’m working on an online class to help you put an awesome resumé together regardless of your level of experience. You can sign up here to know when it launches.
P.P.S We’re trying to find a volunteer for Workaroo. Click here if you would like to join us on our quest to make it easier for students & recent grads to figure out the world of work.
Editors: Emmanuella Nwosisi & Aleph Pi
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