People always say that your time spent at college will be some of the best years of your life. When starting your college career, having that expectation can feel a little overwhelming at times because, as college students, we obviously want to have a fun and exciting experience, but at the same time, the main reason we are here is to get a higher education. Although it can be tricky at times, there are simple ways to maximize your college experience. As a current Penn State student, I can’t begin to explain how many opportunities this school has to offer. At the same time, I can validate how genuinely hard it can be to truly find your niche at such a big public school. I recently talked with Victoria’s Secret PINK Campus Representatives Caley McCormick and Halle Proper about how getting involved with PINK at Penn State has helped them to reach their full potential here at PSU, and here are tips they wanted to share with anyone trying to achieve the same goal:
Immerse yourself. This can be one of the hardest things to do, no matter what year or semester you are currently in at your university. Whether it be a recreational sport, THON(or another philanthropic event), or even greek life, getting involved at your university is crucial to an ultimate college experience. PINK Rep Caley McCormick agrees, “Penn State holds so many opportunities for its students, and if you never branch out or try new things you are only limiting yourself and the experiences you can have.” Joining an organization on campus is so much more than a social experience. Learning how to thrive in an environment outside academics is so rewarding. Caley explained how she learned this firsthand working with PINK, “I would never have been able to see how just putting yourself out there and being creative can impact the people around you...!” Being an active member of the university’s community is truly one of the best ways to maximize your years spent at college.
Take initiative. It’s easy to sit back and say you want to get involved, or do better in school, or do something new and exciting; however, I’ve learned that one of the hardest things do when you’re off on your own, especially at such a large university like Penn State, is to actually take the initiative and do what you say you want to do. It doesn’t matter what year you are here; go to the next involvement fair, look into different opportunities that present themselves. Being a Campus Rep for a brand that so many people know and love, like VSPINK, is a prime example of a great opportunity that is not out of reach with strong initiative. Campus Rep Halle said she didn’t even know there was a PINK Campus Rep Program until the day she applied, “When I saw in the PINK Nation app that they were hiring Campus Representatives I immediately applied. I didn’t even know they had the program and was excited to interview and learn more.” No matter what it may be, the easiest way to truly succeed in a university community is being able to advocate for yourself and not being afraid to take initiative.
Challenge yourself. Although taking on new responsibilities can be hard to manage with academics, the experiences that jobs or extracurricular activities allow you to have can be invaluable. Being open to take on a challenge can open an infinite amount of doors to irreplaceable opportunities. “I got to experience event planning and marketing through our promotional events and posts on our social media outlets. There is a lot that goes into creating a successful event, and I gained essential skills in the planning and execution of a vision,” explained McCormick. Daring to take on a new project or simply trying to get more involved can present new endeavors and college students and community members can learn from these experiences.
Find the best balance. Learning how to thrive socially while still excelling academically is a struggle that never truly ends. But, with the help of cognitive time management, as well as figuring out what works best for you personally, this struggle can become a lot easier. College is the time in your life where extracurricular involvement is crucial, but it is also the time where academic performance can basically determine your career. With all of that being said, though, learning how to balance the two, while still finding a little time to play, is an even bigger, more important skill that is key to succeeding in life. Penn State students and PINK Campus Reps, Halle and Caley explained to us how taking on this opportunity was a struggle at first, but learning how to best organize their responsibilities and how to plan in advance, helped ease the transition of taking on a new commitment. “There are definitely weeks where I am busier than others because of a PINK event I am preparing for. PINK does a great job at giving us time to plan our event and pick a date. Caley and I make sure we always stay on top of due dates and plan our events weeks before so that they can run smoothly,” said Halle.
Regardless of what you chose to do after, you will never regret doing whatever you can to make college the best years you possibly can. Immerse yourself, take initiative. challenge yourself, and always find the best balance possible, and you can’t go wrong. If you’re having a hard time figuring out where to start, follow Caley and Halle’s example and go get involved. The PINK Campus Representative Program is a great way to get experience, and they’re currently accepting applications for next year’s team. Apply now and reach your fullest potential here at Penn State.
