Whether your college years are a distant memory or not so far back, there may be lessons that were learned in lecture that have been put at the back of your mind, but could come in handy now.  Nope, I’m not talking about keg parties and sleeping until 1 p.m. every day.  I’m talking about the lessons that actually helped you get your diploma.  To help you remember what you may have forgotten, here’s a list of  7 lessons you probably should relearn:

1.  Late work will not be accepted.

Very rarely do professors accept late work.  If they do, you can expect a significant cut in your grade.  Usually one full letter grade.  If professors look down upon students who don’t meet deadlines, is it realistic to expect something less from your own boss?  Now that you are out of college, people expect more from you, not less, so do your best to finish projects on time.  Better yet, early!

2.  Don’t skip class.

Although it is usually up to you to show up or skip class, you often win the professor’s respect if you show up every day (especially if you’re on time).  Most of the time, grades will show a difference between students who show up to class every day and students who merely show up for exams.  

On the same note, your boss will notice how much time you’re taking off and whether you are reliable, so try and ask for time off only for emergencies or actual days that you are sick.  Just remember that vacations are necessary every once in a while to remain productive, but you should make sure you take them as vacations and not just days off to get your nails done a few times a month.

3.  Take notes.

You probably wouldn’t go to class and just sit while the lecture is going on, so don’t show up to meetings without a pen and notepad.  You should also take notes while on the phone, when you are learning something new or when someone is giving you information that you will need to remember in the future.  Remember how annoyed your roommate was when you did not take a message and the phone call was from a member of the opposite sex?  You are likely to run into a similar situation if you don’t write down messages for co-workers.

4.  Review your notes.

At the end of each day review your notes as a reminder of what you did, who you talked to and if there are any gaps that need filling in.  Sure, you are not going to be tested over them, but if someone comes to ask you about something you should know, it could turn into an equally stressful situation.  

5.  Take the professor not the course.

This is a popular saying among college  students.  The idea is that you can take the same course but from two different professors, trying equally hard each time, and still end up with two different grades.  How come?  Because each professor has different grading styles and teaching preferences.  On the job, pay attention to what your current boss wants from you, not what your previous bosses expected of you.  It may be the same job, but if you want to make a good impression, you need to pay attention to your boss’ wants and needs.

6.  Join extra-curricular activities.

Have you ever noticed how most student body presidents also have high grade point averages, and join the volleyball team, and volunteer, and join a sorority or fraternity, and still find time to hang out with friends?  Generally, the more activities you are involved with, the more organized and productive you become.  That doesn’t mean go out and join everything at once, but doing one or two outside activities may actually help your career.  If nothing else, it will at least allow you to explore new activities and learn new skills, which you may be able to use in your current or future job.

7.  Always bring extra pencils to an exam.

Exams and presentations have a lot in common.  You are expected to be prepared for both.  How would you feel if that special project you have been working on finally arrived and you didn’t have enough copies of the proposal to go around to the board of directors?  Embarrassed?  Unprepared?  Foolish?  Don’t let this happen to you.  Be prepared and then some.  You can’t afford to fail.

Don’t feel like you have to dig out your yearbooks to get ahead at work.  Just remember the lessons that got you through graduation day and hopefully you’ll soon be seeing your way through your promotion day.

Click here to find a career you can be passionate about
 

Tiffany Young, Community Relations Coordinator for Literacy Volunteers of America-Brazos Valley, resides in College Station, Texas, where she is attending college. She will receive her degree in journalism this May from Texas A&M University.  Besides writing, she also enjoys dabbling in photography and design.  You can contact her at tly8489@labs.tamu.edu or visit the web site she manages for A&M students at http://tamu.dailyjolt.com

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