Your college might not be the most prestigious or have the most resources (and if it is, congrats!) but that doesn't mean you can't set yourself up for success! Even beginning your freshman year of college, not only can you set yourself up for an impressive job later on in life, but you can have a lot of fun doing it!
The first step is, you guessed it, getting involved. Don't mistake "getting involved" for just joining some clubs and attending meetings. You might make some great friends that way, but it's not going to do much for your career. The key is taking advantage of every opportunity that club or sports team or volunteering event offers, and creating some of your own. This involves some research, but it'll be worth it in the long run! If you're in Model UN, take the initiative and try to contact one of the permanent missions to the UN! See if you can get a staff member to talk to your club, and if you can convince your college to grant your club the money, take a trip to the UN to see it all in person! Not only will you have hopefully made some connections, but it'd be a load of fun! If you're more of a writer, there are numerous websites (The Odyssey included) that let students publish their journalistic work. That can get you noticed by big news organizations, and most importantly, builds your portfolio. You won't start out your career with just a degree: you'll already have tons of articles in your name! Writers not interested in journalism can publish their work in anthologies and the like. Although these were only two examples, there are numerous other ways to get involved and create opportunities for yourself.
You need to take advantage of every opportunity your college offers. Every college is unique, and even little ones will boast plenty of opportunities. Is there a study abroad program that won't cost you any extra/you can afford? Then go study abroad! Is there a career center that can help you draft your resume and find internship opportunities? Spend time there getting help! Do you have a professor doing research you could help with? See if they'd be willing to let you work with them! It takes a little elbow grease to get the opportunities that can really help you beyond graduation, but if you put in the effort to find everything your college offers, you'll thank yourself!
Professors are there to teach you, but the lessons they have to offer don't always have to be shared inside of a classroom. Talk to your professor, or if you can't, see a PLA or TA. Go to them when you need help, of course, but also visit them to ask for advice. You might be able to dig up plenty of amazing opportunities, or even create some, on your own, but they can probably tell you about something you never would have known about otherwise! They can connect you with people, or recommend rewarding opportunities, that could land you your dream career some day!
There are plenty of ways to get jumpstart your career in college, but they all involve hard work. If you're serious about your future career, then you need to buckle down and do some research! If you're not sure what you want to do with your life yet, that's okay too. Leading a tree planting expedition shows initiative and organizational skills that will be valued even if you want to become a psychologist or translator, for example. Do what interests you and take advantage of everything you can, even if it has nothing to do with whatever career you end up in. It'll still help you in whatever career you choose, but no matter what happens, it'll still be a ton of fun!
