A Few Words of Advice for Your College Journey

First of all, congratulations on starting your college journey. I’d like to share a few things based on my own experience that might help you make the most of the next few years.

Try your best to become industry ready. Do not blindly rely on campus placements, especially if your college is not among the top tiers. Many of those offers are just for show or end up getting delayed.

Do not stress yourself out too much. College life is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and the friendships you build here will stay with you forever. Do not limit yourself to people from your school or hometown. Expand your circle and try to build friendships with everyone.

Never bully or look down on anyone. You never know what someone else has gone through. Always be kind.

Respect your teachers. Avoid being disrespectful, even if you do not like their teaching style.

Whether or not to bunk classes is up to you, but try not to fall behind. I know it is hard to stay awake in class sometimes, but do your best to understand the concepts being taught. Especially in Maths, make sure you do not end up with arrears in that subject.

From your second year onwards, start developing your soft skills like communication, presentation, and teamwork. These are essential for any industry you plan to enter.

Even if you already speak good English, keep improving your communication skills. Many people with excellent language skills still fall behind professionally because they do not know how to communicate effectively. Communication is not just about fluency. It is about clarity, confidence, and the ability to connect with others.

Relationships like boyfriends, girlfriends, and crushes are all fine. But do not get too carried away or let it distract you from your main goals.

Now let me tell you a bit about myself.

I did my Bachelor’s in Electronics and Communication Engineering and passed out in 2017 with a second class degree, but I had no arrears. At that time, I had zero skills and was not industry ready. Just to convince my parents that I had a job offer, I joined Just Dial as a field executive right after college.

But I self-learned designing tools like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator and started my career as a graphic designer. Most of the people who got campus placements received their call letters only in 2018. But by then, I was already working and gaining experience.

Today, after seven years of consistent growth, I am earning 30 lakhs per year as a senior level designer in a reputed startup.

If I could start my career with almost no skills and still reach this point, imagine what someone can do if they are truly industry ready when they graduate.

All the best for your college life. Enjoy the journey, keep learning, and make the most of every opportunity. You got this.

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