Being in college can feel overwhelming. Balancing a busy class schedule with work, internships and campus involvement can feel like trying to put pieces of a puzzle together without knowing how the final image is supposed to look.
In the midst of all the excitement college has to offer, it can feel impossible to consider and utilize every resource that may be out there. After four years at USC, I feel like I am still discovering new things every day.
These are five things in college I wish I knew about sooner.
USC Writing Center
The USC Writing Center is a resource I wish someone had informed me about on my first day on campus. Visiting the Writing Center has helped me better understand my assignments and has improved my writing in all areas.
The center works with students to fine-tune their writing as it relates to their class assignments, portfolio building and job application materials.
Appointments at the center are free for all USC students, staff and faculty and are led by tutors who are graduate English students. Schedule a live video or in-person appointment with the USC Writing Center here.
Google Calendar
Google Calendar is a desktop and mobile calendar platform that allows users to create organized and customizable schedules for upcoming events. Although Google Calendar is a popular digital calendar resource available at no cost, learning the ins and outs of the platform is no easy task.
Speaking of tasks, use them. In addition to events, users can add tasks to their Google Calendar. Entering each of my assignments as a task in my Google Calendar has prevented me from missing due dates and falling behind in my class work.
Between the customizable colors, notification reminders for events and the option to sync my calendar to my phone’s calendar application, Google Calendar has been one of my most used resources in college.
Removable shapes for alignment in digital graphics
This tip may seem simple or obvious, but it took me till my fourth year of college to understand how helpful alignment shapes are when designing on a digital platform. College students are no strangers to creating slideshows, mockups and more. Nothing is more aggravating than being three hours deep into a Canva design, only to discover all your text boxes and shapes are out of alignment by 2 millimeters.
Inserting a few alignment-guiding shapes can guarantee that all components of a digital design are evenly placed and in line with each other. The purpose of these shapes is to serve as a stable guide that can be used briefly, then deleted after all components are in line. The end result of using these shapes is a graphic design that is balanced, refined and easy on the eyes.
LinkedIn can seem like every college student’s worst nightmare at times. The idea of putting yourself out there on a platform you are unfamiliar with can feel intimidating. However, there are ways to make using LinkedIn a less anxiety-inducing experience. Anyone can join and creating my LinkedIn account is something I wish I had done sooner.
The best advice for anything LinkedIn-related is to get involved as soon as you can and as much as you can. Learning how to use LinkedIn is about putting yourself out there and staying consistent. Make posts, connect with your peers and follow the companies and topics that you have an interest in.
Never be embarrassed to talk about your accomplishments, whether that be a class assignment you received a good grade for or the post-graduation job offer you accepted. Be proud of yourself and acknowledge the efforts you made that helped you accomplish your goals.
Parks are healing — especially when they are free
When I have a lot on my mind or am simply craving a change of scenery, finding different parks and outdoor spaces has helped keep me grounded. Parks are a great budget-friendly option to experience more of Columbia and get outdoors. If I could go back in time, I would tell my freshman-year self to go outside and explore more parks in the area.
Experiencing all of the nature in the Columbia area has been one of my favorite things about spending the past four years in this city. The recent revitalization of Finlay Park in downtown Columbia has made this park one of my go-to places to visit.
From the many Riverwalks to the Congaree National Park, Columbia has so much to offer for those who like to get outside. Many parks in Columbia feature hiking trails that are a great way for students to get active and explore the natural beauty of Columbia. Discover five amazing Columbia hiking trails here.