The Value of Your College Network
Lauren talks about her experience during her first semester at college and how networking shaped her future career goals.
I started college at Loyola Marymount University, a literal ocean away from everything and everyone I had grown up with. Raised in Hawaii, I was not prepared for the culture shock that awaited me the day I hopped off a plane at LAX with two suitcases and a backpack. Just like Miley, I wondered, “Woah, am I gonna fit in?” Looking down at my beach-worn rubber flip flops next to my new roommate’s studded pumps, it didn’t seem so.
But first impressions often turn out to be wrong, as did mine. My randomly assigned roommate and I quickly hit it off despite having seemingly opposite personalities; she remains one of my best friends today. Just a few days into my college career, I already felt at home. I met over 100 people during freshman orientation and was stunned by how excited everyone was to make new friends. It felt like the eighteen-year-old version of the first day of kindergarten—but with much more talking and slightly less crying. Though my cultural differences were quite salient, my classmates and I shared the commonality of starting fresh on a blank slate. I guess that is why they call it “freshman”…
Though the primary goal of postsecondary education is to expand our academic knowledge and prepare us for meaningful work, the poignant environmental transition that it brings should not be ignored. For many students, college is their first time living away from home. Social-emotional health in this time of transition can make or break one’s early educational experience, which is why it is so important for new college students to find a sense of community upon arrival. Whether you commute to classes or live in the dorms, feeling comfortable on a college campus is a prerequisite to thriving throughout the course of academic and professional growth you are about to embark on.
Once your basic needs are met and you feel at home, you can begin to develop your intellectual niche by taping into the gold mine of co-curricular experiences at your fingertips. Don’t underestimate the value of human connections during this pursuit; the best opportunities I’ve been granted—such as a full scholarship to graduate school—have been made possible in large part by professors I worked with in college.
In your first semester, there are plenty of entities that can facilitate niche-finding, including school-sponsored parties, Resident Advisors, caring professors, special interest clubs, work study jobs, student centers, academic advisors, research and volunteer opportunities, and lots and lots of free food events. Take advantage of them to find your space and thrive in it. At LMU, there was something for everyone—the movie lover, the casual guitar player, the aspiring politician, the former high school football star (we didn’t have a varsity football team, but we did have rugby and intramural football!).
No matter who you are, the start of college is one of the rare moments in your life where you are faced with a new beginning. At your fingertips, you have the opportunity to create your future and a wealth of people and experiences that can help you get there. Capitalize on it.
Lauren Sumiko Combs is one of RBTM's four co-founders, and the only one who didn't spend her formative years next to the Atlantic Ocean. Originally from Hawaii, she enjoys outdoor sports and wearing tank tops and shorts all year round. You can find Lauren bracing herself for her first Boston winter, or by email at lauren.sumiko.combs@gmail.com
