It’s the first day of your junior year of college – you only have a few more semesters left until you graduate and move on to the real world. You show up fifteen minutes early to your first class of the semester. As you sit there waiting for class to start, you begin to realize that, holy crap, you only have a few more semesters left. Here are five things you regret not doing before your junior year in college.
1. Not joining any clubs
College may be the last time you get to freely experience different activities and see if they’re for you or not. Interested in books or art or the environment? Try out the clubs at your college, if they’re available to you. Maybe you won’t like them but perhaps you’ll love them. Interested in joining a sorority or fraternity? Get out there and rush and don’t let what anyone says stop you.
2. Not studying abroad
It’s always been a dream of mine to travel to London and what better way to do that than study abroad? I had an opportunity to study in London for my program but I did not take it. I believe it’s something everyone should at least consider. Maybe you think it’s just not for you, but you won’t know without at least trying. Besides, don’t you want to be able to post a majestic Instagram picture of you in a foreign country?
3. Not being more social
They say that the friends you have in college are your friends for life. I believe that wholeheartedly. But don’t think that the first person you meet, or your roommate, is going to be your best friend for life. Mine certainly wasn’t. You have to get out on campus and meet people and actually talk to those in your classes. Eventually you will find your people. Maybe it’ll take until your junior year to find them, but maybe it won’t. Don’t wait to find out.
4. Not interacting with your professors more
Junior year you begin a journey that is filled with trying to find an internship, applying for grad school, professional school, or whatever your life after college is going to consist of. Many of these things require letters of recommendation from a professor. So who do you ask? Your first semester biology professor? Oh wait, you didn’t really speak to them. What about a professor from one of your major courses? Oh wait, you didn’t speak to them either. Engage in conversation with your professors. Go to their office hours. I promise, you won’t live to regret it when you’re struggling to find someone to write a letter of recommendation a week before your grad school application is due.
