By: Terzah Dyer
You probably have quite a few of your major classes with the same people. I know I do. Instead of keeping your head down in class, connect with your classmates and make an effort to network. This will not only benefit your academic life, but help you in your future career.
Many students get stuck in the routine of going to class, doing their due-diligence as a scholar, hearing the professor speak and taking notes and then going home. We often forget to step outside of our shells and get to know our classmates. We don’t always like the idea of making the effort to make friends or having to try harder beyond the work. We think it’s better to focus on the professor and rather than the students sitting next to us. However, networking in class is something we should take advantage of.
Building a community will cultivate a better atmosphere in class. Creating a community within the classroom can make class far more enjoyable. Class is more exciting when you have a friendly face to sit next to rather than sitting alone, especially when the curriculum gets tough. A good community fosters a positive learning environment, which allows for a more productive class.
Another great factor of starting a community in your classes is having reliable relationships.The more people you know, the more resources you have when you graduate. When you are looking for a job, a foot in the door might put you above others. You can make an effort to get to know those same students you see on a weekly basis to start building a community. The students around you might have similar goals as you, making it simple to achieve these connections. You have comparable passions and ambitions and will end up working in the same profession. There are many people I know who received a job interview because of somebody they knew in college.
Not only will it benefit you in the long run, but it will also benefit you as a professional in the short term. Having a community of classmates, especially in your major classes, will make you a well-rounded student. You can learn from each other and better yourself, so you can be a better PR professional.
Sharing experiences together is great for after college when you run into each other in a professional environment. You can look back and bond over the good ole’ times in Will or Woj’s class. Those memories will create a lifetime bond.