Objectives
Introduction
Succeeding in college is rather like succeeding in life. It’s really much more about you than it is about college. So the most important place to start is to consider why you’re here, what matters to you, and what you expect to get out it. Even if you have already thought about these questions, it’s good to reaffirm your commitment to your plan as we begin to consider what’s really involved in being a college student.
Take a few minutes and write down short answers to the questions in Activity 1. Be honest with yourself, and write down what you really feel. You are not writing for an instructor here—not what you think someone expects to hear—and you are not being graded on your answers!
Were you able to easily answer the questions in Activity 1? How confident do you feel about your plan?
These are important questions to think about for the simple reason that students who have a clear plan and who are prepared to overcome possible obstacles that may arise along the way are much more likely to succeed in college. In other words, just thinking in a positive way about your future can help that future come true!
The word values refers to things that matter to a person. What makes you feel good? What things would you be doing if you had all the time, money, and opportunities in the world? Questions like these help us define our own values. Every individual has his or her own values.
Thinking about your own values can help you know what you want from life and from college. Take a moment and consider the list of things in Activity 2 that are valued by some people. For each value, rate how important that thing is to you.
Look back at the values you rated highly (4 or 5) in the Activity, which probably give a good indication of how you enjoy spending your time. But now look at these things you value in a different way. Think about how each relates to how you think you need to manage your time effectively while in college. Most college students feel they don’t have enough time for everything they like to do. Do some of the activities you value most contribute to your college experience, or will they distract you from being a good student?
Students who enter college with their eyes open and who think about their own values and motivations will be more successful. If you have a good idea of what you want from life, the rest of it can be learned.
From Success in College, Chapter 1: You and Your College Experience: Who Are You, Really?, licensed under a Creative Commons by-nc-sa 3.0 license
Finding Your Purpose: Listen, Watch, Reflect...
Having a sense of purpose can be a buffer against the challenges we all face at various stages of life. Purpose can also boost our health and longevity. In the kick-off to our annual You 2.0 series, Cornell University psychologist Anthony Burrow explains why purpose isn't something to be found — it's something we can develop from within.
TED Talks Playlist
View a collection of TED Talks on how passion becomes purpose. "Be inspired to find the work you love to do with these TED Talks full of passion and zeal."
TEDx Talk
Eugene Hennie describes himself as an ambitious, norm challenging, knowledge seeking, young professional. Born in New York City, he grew up in a fast paced environment. After graduating from Florida State University with a degree in business management, he moved to Atlanta to pursue a career in telecom. Not long after, he realized that his job was not giving him the adventure and excitement that he wanted from life. He went on a soul searching trip in South America before ending up working as a product launch strategist at Mindvalley in Kuala Lumpur. He now runs Anti Wantrepreneur an online platform and podcast for aspiring and season entrepreneurs.
Understanding You
A job: yes, it’s something you would like to have, especially if you want to pay your bills. A job lets you enjoy a minimal level of financial security. A job requires you to show up and do what is required of you; in exchange, you get paid. A career involves holding jobs, but it is more a means of achieving personal fulfillment. In a career, your jobs follow a sequence that leads to increasing mastery, professional development, and personal and financial satisfaction. A career requires planning, knowledge, and skills. If it is to be a fulfilling career, it requires that you bring into play your full set of analytical, critical, and creative thinking skills to make informed decisions that will affect your life in both the short term and the long term.
The Department of Labor defines 840 occupations in its Standard Occupation Classification system U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor: Standard Occupational Classification User Guide 2010, http://www.bls.gov/soc/soc_2010_user_guide.pdf (accessed July 13, 2010).—and new occupations are being created at an ever-faster rate. Just ten years ago, would anyone have imagined the job of a social media marketing specialist? How about the concept of a competitive chef? As new careers develop and old careers morph into almost unrecognizable versions of their original, it’s OK if you aren’t able to pinpoint exactly what occupation or career will be your lifetime passion. However, it is important to define as best you can what field you will want to develop your career in, because that will help dictate your major and your course selections.
The process of career exploration can be a lot of fun, as it allows you to discover a world of possibilities. Even those students who have a pretty clear idea of what they want to do should go through this process because they will discover new options as backups and occasionally a new direction even more attractive than their original choice. The career exploration process involves four phases.
Getting to know who you are—who you really are—is the first step. As in Exercise 1, be careful to base your self-discovery on what you think, not what Auntie Ethel always said about you or the hopes that Dad had for you to join in the family business. This is all about you.
You are a unique individual with a distinct combination of likes, dislikes, personality traits, and skills. But you are not so different that you can’t be identified with certain personality types, and those types may help you narrow your career choices. Visit your campus career guidance or placement office. They will likely be able to offer you a variety of tests to define your personality type; you can also find tests online at Web sites such as SuccessHawk (http://www.successhawk.com) or many of the job board sites.
Many of these tests are based on the career theory developed by Dr. John Holland. Holland defined six categories of people based on personality, interests, and skills:
From Success in College, Chapter 12: Taking Control of Your Future: Career Exploration?, licensed under a Creative Commons by-nc-sa 3.0 license
Holland Career Code Assessment
Career Exploration with Focus2
16 Personalities - Personality Test
Meaningful Work - Connecting You with the Needs of the World
As I stated earlier in the introduction to this unit, it is important to understand that a career is not about having a job and a pay check. Both are good things to have but how meaningful will your life be if you do not have any vested interest in your work? How good do you think you will be at a job that you do not love? Personal coach, Bill Johnson- The Dream Dean, has created a powerful diagram that illustrates this point beautifully. Please take a few moments to reflect on the notion of Meaningful Work. My hope is that you will use this course as an opportunity to discover more about yourself and begin your journey toward your life goals and meaningful work.
Content by Denise Dufek Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License
Workshop
This week's workshop is Getting to Know US where we will be establishing connections together.
When: Monday, June 19 at 1:00 pm
Where: Room 5101
Contact Kathy Mena for questions. See you there!
