Prior to deciding to go to college and receive my undergrad, I was always told that college was a way for me to make a better life for myself and my future family; that college was a way to make more money once you get into your career. It was a way to separate myself from the pack and show that I had what it took to actually buckle down, prioritize my life, and achieve greatness by means of a degree. And while I still pretty much see eye-to-eye with these ideas and agree that college is definitely a great start to distinguishing yourself from the rest of your peers (especially if you were very active in extracurricular activities), I believe that there are other things that many people neglected to tell me would be at my fingertips once I entered the collegiate atmosphere.

Meeting brand new people from differing backgrounds and places.

Freshmen orientation's quote of the day definitely had to have been "get involved!" As I heard it so many times that it slowly began to feel slightly redundant. Having said that, it is one of the best pieces of advice I think any freshman could receive. Take this warning seriously: That first year of college is brutal, especially for students who choose/have to live on campus during the semester. I was fortunate to have lived with my family during my entire college career, so I was able to relax, learn, and grow at my own pace with my family practically in the university's backyard.

However, not everyone shared that same luxury, which is why it is so important to utilize the groups, fraternities, sororities, clubs, and organizations to help feel a sense of camaraderie and security. This will help you begin the process of building long-lasting friendships. Not only that, but once you leave school, those relationships remain intact for the rest of your life, which is good because it can help you in case you need a connection for interviews, business proposals, etc.

I discovered that I actually love to read and learn.

Not to toot my own horn at all, but throughout grade school, I did very well when it came to my grades. That being said, I never really cared about reading and learning outside of the classroom. I simply did well because I was told I had to and that it was essential for me to get into college (did I need the extra motivation anyway? Probably not, but I digress.) I didn't know what I wanted to study in college back then, so I wasn't sure what I should get a jump on learning.

However, once I got into college, started taking classes, began talking to professors and other students who were just trying to find their way, I began to realize how much I actually valued learning and reading as a cohesive unit. I began to see reading as an activity that I finally could enjoy, and as a result, could learn something in the process. This also came about as I started to take my professionalism much more seriously, and believed that learning and reading would enhance my vocabulary, enhance my ability to write emails more professionally, speak more professionally, and teach me about topics and ideas that I wouldn't have cared about learning without first experiencing college.

How important it is to find a mentor.

I have always been a big advocate for doing much more listening than talking, especially with things you don't know a lot about. I always believed that it was much nobler to admit that you aren't sure about something, but are willing to listen, ask questions, and learn more. It shows that you are willing to always work and take criticism well. This is why finding a mentor or mentors was always important to me in college because I felt like it was my time to take notes, brush up on my professional etiquette, ask questions, gather advice, and learn from people who had been where I was at that time. It was also important to me that I surround myself with professionals who had been around the block once or twice and could give me some pointers about how to maneuver through life, college, finding my career, and even once I had found my career.

I learned that I had a passion for people in the workforce.

I didn't know it early on, but what I found out upon graduation was that I truly care about how employees are treated within the workforce. I have been blessed to have earned a supervisory role in my current place of employment, and one of my biggest tasks daily is to make sure that the employees under me are well taken care of. During my time in the BBA program, I learned that the people in your business that come into work every day are your most valuable asset, so it is vitally important that you always take care of your people. If you take care of your people, your people will take care of your customers. It is a passion that I have for my career that I would have otherwise never discovered had I not attended college.

There are so many things that college can provide students and aspiring professionals that many teachers in grade school mention and preach about. However, I believe that there are some things that college offers students that many grade school teachers fail to mention that aren't taught in the classroom. Whatever the case, every student will always find something a little unique to themselves that stuck with them through college and into their professional lives, so I implore any college student to take the time to discover those hidden gems of knowledge that college can offer.