Through my new path to organization, chunks of my time are dedicated to planning out the week or just how I am going to get everything done that day. A well-planned schedule is phenomenal and while it does take the pressure off it does stop you from doing things that lie outside of your comfort zone.
For as long as I can remember, trying new things has sparked so much anxiety for me. Yet, sophomore year is where we are pushed to do so much and lots of it is uncharted territory. On our career path, we are pushed to network and discover ourselves to the point where we can a good enough decision about our lives/major. I could write a whole blog post about how your major does not define your entire life, but that would be going off track.
Back to the point.
At the end of this semester, I will declare my Organizational Studies and Theatre dual. The only complication is figuring out what I want to concentrate my Organizational Studies degree in because there is an infinite world of possibilities. My first step to push myself out of my comfort zone was to join Design for America. One day, I was on facebook and saw a fellow Scrippsie advertising for the first meeting. I could not attend, but I did go on a huge research spiral on human-centered design. Which was so great. I would never have found design thinking without being exposed to this club.
When I realized that I could not attend the meeting, I was disappointed until I got an email sponsored by the club to hear from a CMC alum, who has so much experience in product management with tech companies. I did not think that I would even be interested in tech start-ups or that his expertise would apply to me. However, it was actually enlightening to hear about his experience.
The most important thing I pulled from that session was not about tech companies or start-ups, but about getting out there. He said he’s worked as a hiring manager and he knows that college students have little to no experience at all. “Apply, even if you think you are not qualified for jobs you are not sure you can do and sell yourself later.” Ok, this is not going to work for big companies, but the fact is not to limit yourself to just the skills you’ve acquired. The average college student does not have a stacked resume, but small jobs from around their hometown or just high school leadership positions. If you find small companies that you would want to work for, then they can teach you so much which you can then add to your skills.
This semester is one for developing good habits, but I need to grow in my willingness to do things I have never done. These types of experiences will influence how I will concentrate my major and what kind of summer internships I will apply for. The last post we charged through on a journey of productivity and now we will barrel into the world of new experiences.
