I started college during COVID – when everything was on lockdown and school was completely virtual. Because of that, I never stepped foot on campus for my entire freshman year. Now, as a senior, I have one big piece of advice for students at any stage of their college career: take advantage of all your school’s resources!!

As a student, you’re paying for way more than just your classes. College is the perfect time to explore your career options and get a head start on building your resume! I wish I had known all of the services that my school offered earlier on, which is why I’m here now to encourage you to get involved on campus and guide you on where to start.

Get Published!

No matter your major, getting your work published is a major achievement that will make your resume stand out. Luckily, your college has tons of different avenues to facilitate getting your voice out into the world! Most colleges run undergraduate journals and student media organizations specifically to publish students. Depending on your interests, you could: get your research peer-reviewed and published, join the school newspaper and continuously publish articles, get your poetry/short stories published and read by hundreds, and even more! For most people, this is the easiest path to getting that first publishing credit, so don’t let it pass you by!

The Writing Center

But, before you get published, you’ll actually have to get writing! The Writing Center is a great resource for free feedback on all your work. Writing is a skill that will be important in any future endeavor, so don’t miss out on the chance to strengthen it right now! The Writing Center is there to help refine any piece of writing, from essays to poetry. This is the perfect way to learn how to make your writing more effective and to get feedback on anything you’re working on. Need help on coming up with an essay topic? Struggling on a major assignment? Want tips on how to improve your writing overall? Give the Writing Center a visit!

Travel Opportunities

Traveling during your studies is one of the best ways to make lasting memories and friendships. Studying abroad is alluring but can often be too expensive or daunting to students. Luckily, many colleges offer other opportunities to explore. One common opportunity is an Alternative Break! These are trips that run during school breaks, are typically held domestically, and center around a social cause, thus providing students with an experience that adds meaning to their studies and can enhance a resume. It’s also the perfect way to meet like-minded people, learn about important issues and new places, and give back to your community.

The Career Center

Last, but definitely not least, is the Career Center! This is possibly the most bountiful resource that your college has to help you build your career. Need help making a resume? Want to improve your interviewing skills? Looking to meet and network with new people? Want to learn from alumni? Searching for a job or internship? The Career Center can help you with all of this and more!

College is the optimal platform to build a career from, but it doesn’t start once you get your degree. It starts now! Your college is there to help you get started while you’re in school– all the resources are there for you to use, so dive in now and get familiar with what your school offers you.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started!