Looking ahead pays off!

Now that I am seriously considering what I will be doing after graduation, I’ve noticed how much looking ahead has paid off throughout my time in college. I don’t just mean applying to grad schools before the application deadlines or making sure your next semesters schedules works out, but those are both part of the bigger picture. Time in college goes by really quickly, and a major lesson I have learned in these short years are the benefits of looking ahead.

To prepare yourself for a successful career at Duquesne, make sure to stay on track during freshman and sophomore years. Be sure to choose your major with care. Many people change their majors, and some (like me) decide they don’t really want to a pursue a career in their major. No matter what you decide, be sure you stay on track for graduation. It’s easy to drop a class here or there, and quickly fall behind.

These first few years in college are also the perfect time to get involved in activities that are related to your major or career goals. There are clubs and activities for almost every major. Here is a link to a listing of all student organizations on campus. If you like to write, apply to be a blogger for the College of Liberal Arts blog!

During sophomore, junior and senior year, look for internship or jobs in your field. I worked as a Development Intern for Big Brothers Big Sisters the summer after my sophomore year and learned that I was interested in working in the nonprofit sector. I have learned just as much about my future career goals from the jobs and internships I’ve had during college as I have learned from classes and professors.

If you are even considering going on to graduate school, look into it early! It’s never to early to request more information about a program and see what the requirements are for acceptance. I have already run into speed bumps when applying to graduate schools. Sometimes they require specific classes (like a specific Shakespeare class, British Literature doesn’t count!) and if I had known earlier, I would have tried to fit them into my schedule last year.

College is fun and these are years you’ll never get back, so enjoy them. I also recommend taking some time out to consider your future after Duquesne because it comes up fast and you will want to be prepared!

-Brittany