Plan for the start of college

Have you noticed the school buses are back? Although it’s been happening for years, I’m still surprised each August by pre-Labor Day school starts.

For college students, the big yellow bus is more symbolism than reality, as most students arrive at their classes by car or bike or public transportation — or by mouse. Computer mouse, that is.

If you’re one of the “college kids” this fall, I’d like to give you some tips that apply whether you’re pursuing a vocational certificate, a Master’s degree or anything in between.

That said, there are some differences for students entering programs directly from high school and those returning to school after some years away. With that in mind, you may find some of these tips fit your situation better than others.

Make friends. Whatever your age, making friends might never be easier than it is during a shared training experience. Even if you think you have enough friends, let me present this from a career perspective: Ten years after graduation, it’s more likely to be your network than your specific degree that helps you change jobs or rebound quickly from a layoff.

If you’re a commuter, a returning adult or a parttime student, you’ll need to sacrifice some efficiency to allow friendships to blossom. That means not rushing off after class, and not doing all your homework alone. Plan for some down time and use it to walk across campus with classmates while you continue a conversation.

Connect with your professors. The smaller the campus, the more likely you’ll be taking multiple classes from them, so it’s worth developing the relationship. If you’re a bit older, you can do this more as a peer: When the class has ended, invite a connection on LinkedIn or offer to help them in their careers if the opportunity arises.

Look for leadership opportunities. This is important for students of all ages, but probably most so for the younger set. Whether you’re leading a group project, a campus club or a volunteer effort, you need to discover and hone your leadership style. You also need to make your initial leadership mistakes in a safe environment. Regardless of your field, your future employers will appreciate seeing those qualities in you.

Manage your time. Whatever skills you possess in this arena, they will only barely be enough. If you’re working or balancing family obligations, you’ll be even more challenged. Experiment with tools such as scheduling apps, and be quick to ask for advice from the student services or counseling department. Your success will depend on how well you juggle everything on your plate.

Manage your workload. This tip might apply most to adult students, who are often fitting their studies into an already-established eco-system of family and work. Rather than drop a full courseload onto a busy life, evaluate patterns at work and home and then strategize how to best incorporate your training. For example, accounting professionals might consider lighter courseloads during tax season, while soccer parents might cut back during the sports season.

Relate projects to your current and future workplace. When given a choice of projects to work on, pick those that teach you more about the field you’re hoping to enter, or that put you in contact with people in your industry. If you can produce a “show-and-tell” product for future interviews, all the better.

Build a campus support team. In addition to the friends you make, and your professors, your team should include others who can help you succeed. With that in mind, don’t overlook the IT department (yes, your computer will crash at least once), as well as people in career development, financial aid, and other support functions.

Try the things that scare you. Not a public speaker? Take a speech class. Ditto for a sales class, a higher-level writing class, and tryouts for the basketball team – even if you’re 40. Your tuition dollar pays for the entire campus experience, not just vocationally-specific coursework. This is true even if you’re in a certificate program, so watch for opportunities to challenge yourself.

Keep perspective. The training you’re undertaking is important and heaven knows, it’s probably expensive. Even so, not every test, paper or class is life or death. Do what you can to pass and to learn, but save some energy for enjoying your life as well. With relatively few exceptions, employers don’t care so much about grades, but almost all prefer candidates who are confident and well-balanced – those are the attributes you want to develop while you complete your program.

Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com or at 626 Armstrong Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55102.