During their senior year, students are bombarded with a million and one last minute things to complete upon graduation. The constant wavering decision about where to attend college weighs heavily as they transition from life in high school to life in college. Making such a grand decision is pivotal for it is where the next two to four years will be spent. While it is important to make the right one, the focus should be on, “how a student goes to school matters much, much more than where” (Bruni 57). Within all the excitement and fear of embarking on a new journey, the actual college experience and how to effectively utilize those years are seldom thought of. There is this belief on choosing a school that offers the best programs and adheres to the principal interests of the student. Although unequivocally true, the value of a student’s college career is much greater if they seek out the proper connections while building relationships and gaining skills essential to any career.
Considering adjusting to a new environment, it is fairly easy to succumb to the many challenges that come along with becoming a freshman in college. Students spend four years in conditions that are monotonous and repetitive, becoming accustomed to this trend. Then more likely than not, when it comes to college decisions, these same students tend to choose what is comfortable rather than embracing diversity. In Frank Bruni’s article, “How to Get the Most Out of College,” he observes that, “Many students, nervous about a new environment, follow friends from high school or people whose demographic backgrounds match their own into homogeneous cocoons. That can indeed provide solace and support. But it’s also a wasted opportunity — educationally, morally, strategically” (58). Alternatively to sticking to what you know, students should keep an open mind about new things; take college as a bridge to forming connections with those unlike themselves. Throughout college, students will be exposed to different kinds of people, views, and ideas. Getting accustomed to these different backgrounds is important, regardless of major, for it provides skills not only helpful in the workplace, but in society as well.
One of the many resources taken for granted are the infinite opportunities to seek guidance from professors. As a freshman, I find this to be ever so true; I neglect to take advantage although all of my professors offer office hours before and after class. In Bruni’s article, Azza Cohen, a documentary filmmaker who graduated from Princeton in 2016, reflects on how failing to build a relationship with faculty members was one of her top regrets. “It charted her realization and regret that she and so many classmates skipped professors’ office hours and didn’t avail themselves of invaluable conversations and counsel” (Bruni 59). The most vital relationships in college are with those of faculty and how one chooses to benefit from speaking with one will greatly impact their future....
