That yellow brick road to success: you go to college, get an internship here or there, graduate and then get the big bucks. It's just not true. We really didn't know it.

It's always, "you have to get a degree to get a good job." That's the truth, but not the whole truth. It's about who you know, but also who knows you. You can't really determine these consciously and these opportunities are honestly labeled as being lucky.

I'm still in school and learning this lesson. I've had plenty of jobs to get work experience like customer service and the like, but not the work experience I could say would go hand-in-hand with my degree and ultimately, my passion. Then I left school for over a year. I worked those 40 hour weeks making crap money. I eventually worked two jobs with three 16 hour days in a row. Then I readmitted back to school.

In that semester I started writing for Odyssey — the very same social media platform you're reading — and even wrote four articles for the Sentinel, the Kennesaw State University Kennesaw campus newspaper.

The second week of school, a few writers for Odyssey extended a hand to all 100 classmates saying they are looking for writers — especially male writers — and then I got an email later with further details and a link. So I signed on and started writing these articles. These articles have a common domain — my profile. I now have an actual link to use to give to people.

I was "lucky" to take this class that had these other writers willing to mention this in front of the class. One of them meticulously only emailed every male from the roster to send an invitation.

Flash forward to the sixth week of school and then another presenter shows up in class talking about the Sentinel. He was a photography editor for the newspaper and mentioned they were looking for writers and photographers. I applied that night and shot was contacted within 24 hours by the news editor. I already had five articles on my bio page from Odyssey to show them. The editor also recommended me for the Arts and Living section.

That very next week I had two articles to write. I had two (really three) interviews - one for a workshop about entrepreneurs and then one for the Zuckerman Museum of Art on KSU campus — and coincidentally, an interview for a marketing internship.

I just started the marketing internship. I only knew about it because a friend knew me. The previous chances to write were because I knew these classmates and I knew of the opportunity. Suddenly, someone who knew me contacted me. I could not have searched for this opportunity or gone after it without my friend. My phone interview was the same day as the other two interviews, coincidentally.

I did what I could to use who I knew, but then seized the opportunity when it arose.

So, I had been writing 500 words or more a week, finally digging into journalism for an actual printed school newspaper and then, suddenly, had an opportunity for a paid internship to do marketing. All I knew was that I liked writing. That's all I still want to do. I'm all passion with no aim. I love it because I know I can channel that passion to what suits me.

It's great to put your work online. There are many websites that you can use. Whatever you do show, be proud of it and make sure it is something that portrays your brand. Your brand is very important to distinguish you versus the other 300 applicants.

To create is what we all are going to do with our majors: software development, comedy sketches, performing, making speeches, business development, etc. So my advice is to use those papers, presentations, etc. from classes for resources. Also meet and introduce yourself to new people!