Making the Most of College Years
The personal and professional decisions made during a student's college years, both good and bad, impact their life years down the road. Susan Shapiro discusses in her New York Times article the college advice she wishes she had taken. She shares stories from her personal life and professional life as a professor at Columbia University.
As a student at the University of Michigan, Shapiro says she hated tests and barely maintained a B average. She didn't see the value in studying for classes until later in her academic career. She tells a story about her niece who was recently invited on a trip to Argentina based on her 3.7 GPA.
“I was retroactively envious to learn that a 3.5 GPA or higher at many schools qualifies you for free trips, scholarships, grants, awards, private parties and top internships,” she writes. “Students certainly don't need to strive obsessively for perfection, but I should have prioritized grades.”
Her point is that students should take advantage of the opportunities afforded them. Four years in college (assuming you graduate on-time) is not long. Before you know it, you've graduated and have started your career. What you do now as a student will determine how far you can go after graduation.
Hopefully one day, many years down the road, you'll look back at your time here at UIW without regrets.