In the past few summer months, I have received more incredibly advice than I have in my entire life. Okay, so that may not exactly be true, but I have received a lot of amazing advice. It is so encouraging and refreshing to hear both practical advice and philosophical advice from individuals who excel at #adulting. Instead of keeping all of this immense wisdom to myself, I thought I should share it with the world. I thought I should spread the love. So here we go! The best advice I've ever received:
"You may think you are all over the place, but that is the best place to be."
I cannot tell you how many times people told me they ended up in careers they never would have even dreamed of having in college. These are 'real adults' who do 'real adult' things. They hopped from career to career--often times completely leaving the boundaries of their college majors. I met a Classics major who is now the director of a digital library. She spent summers in college digging up artifacts in deserts, and now she works with metadata and other technological mumbo jumbo.
I am frequently self-conscious of how my ideas for future careers change every time the wind picks up. Last year I was positive I wanted to do the Peace Corps straight out of college. At the start of the summer, I wanted to go to graduate school for Nonprofit Management after I finish my undergraduate degree. Now I am looking at young programming positions on cruise ships. As silly as that sounds, everyone has been there at some point in their lives. There is no reason to be down on yourself for not knowing what you want to do. There is also no shame in having too many things you want to do. Nothing could be better than being passionate about everything. Specialization, relatively speaking, is a thing of the past. Employers are looking for people who can wear multiple hats and excel at them all.
"The most dangerous place to be is between a pair of lips and the ass they want to kiss."
This advice was actually given to me by a very prominent politician. A mayor, actually, of a major city. I had the opportunity to meet him due to my internship, and he offered mind-blowing advice. He spoke about not falling into the traps of bureaucratic political systems, focusing on solving problems rather than focusing on the problems themselves, and remaining focused and dedicated to our missions. The most hilarious and shocking advice, however, is quoted above. The mayor of a major city literally said "ass" in front of me.
His advice is totally true--despite its lack of political correctness. It is very important to stay out of situations in which one individual is trying to suck up and get something out of another individual. That is not something you need to be involved in because things will get messy.
"Look sharp. Be on time. Keep your word."
This is the most practical advice I received all summer, and it is perhaps the most applicable to everyday life. It is so important to look your best. First impressions are everything, and you do not want to be caught off guard in sweatpants, a stained t-shirt, and super greasy hair. Do not dress up too nicely for casual situations, though; dress appropriately for each occasion. It is so important to be on time to everything--even something as simple as meeting a friend for lunch. Being on time will make you seem trustworthy and capable. Nothing makes it seem like someone is a mess more than showing up late to everything. It is so important to do everything you say you are going to do. Someone once told me, "The only two things you have in life are your name and your word. You have nothing without your word." Remembering these three things have saved me a lot of time and a lot of trouble this summer, and I truly believe they will save your butt, too.
The advice I have laid out for you all was integral to my success this summer, and I hope it can do something for you--professionally or personally. So take this information from our elders to heart; it just might be exactly what you need.
