Ever since I was a little kid I always knew I wanted to do something out of the ordinary when I would become a grown up. Now that I am about to turn 21 years old and college graduation is in the near future for me, I feel like it is time to enact my dream of being a part of something bigger than myself. Throughout my high school years I loved learning about cultures and about the ways that different people around the world interact with each other.

 

I knew that I wanted to study people and societies when I got to college based on this love for cultural learning I had developed throughout my high school career. I did some research and talked to a few of my friends and colleagues about ways to learn about cultures and do something positive at the same time and the option of becoming a member of the Peace Corps repeatedly came up.

 

I did some research on the program and started leaning toward the program they offer in Africa helping out with the AIDS epidemic. I felt like this would give me good experience in helping out people in need and learning about the way that their society works in looking at how they deal with the AIDS issue.

 

Once I decided on the program, I felt like I should give my parents some insight about why it was I wanted to do this program. Just like I thought, they freaked out—they were definitely not into this idea. I explained to them the benefits for doing this program and I also explained to them that being a Peace Corps member is something very meaningful to me. They understood my compassion for doing this kind of work, but their main concern was for my safety since I would be living in a foreign country for a long period of time. The factor of being able to communicate with them frequently was an issue they brought up. I took all of their concerns into consideration and I started to feel confused about what I should do.

 

I thought to myself, “Could I really do something like this?” I mean, there is a two year commitment in addition to a 3 month training process. Would I really be willing to commit that much time of my life to a program? This question was one I debated about over and over again until finally I decided to weigh the pros and the cons. In doing so I came to realize that I need to take hold of my life and direct it where I want to go.

 

The experiences the Peace Corps could offer me would be invaluable and I decided that I am willing to take a risk in order to make change in Africa. I feel like taking this step would be a good choice for my future career goals. I am excited about the prospect of getting to fulfill my child hood dream of finally being part of something extraordinary.           

As college students, I’m sure you have all been told several times how important it is to get involved in the various opportunities your campus has to offer. Joining ateam, becoming an active member of a campus organization, or simply attending social events are all ways of doing so. With so many choices, though, how should you decide which opportunities to take advantage of and which are just not worth your time?

First and foremost, consider which options sound the most appealing to you. If joining the human rights group or working for the school newspaper does not interest you, it doesn’t matter how good either will look on your resume—you won’t gain much from the experience at all. In order to truly take useful and valuable knowledge away from a position you hold, whether it be as a teammate, a co-worker, or a leader, you must enjoy what you are doing and feel passionate about what you are working for.

While engaging in activities or jobs that help boost your resume is definitely of great importance, it should not be the only thing causing you to take on such a responsibility. However, if you yearn to be a lawyer and the District Attorney’s office hires you as an intern, you have every reason to devote your time and energy to excelling in the position. In other words, take advantage of the opportunities that bring you closer to achieving a goal about which you are passionate or landing a job in the industry of your dreams upon graduation, but don’t waste your time on those that don’t matter to you.

Another thing you should consider is how much of your time you are willing to spend on an opportunity to be involved in campus life. As a student, your first priority must be to do well in your classes. If you’re getting straight Cs, don’t expect the top medical schools to accept you just because you are working at Student Health, interning at the local hospital, and volunteering at a women’s clinic. While those are indisputably all great things to be doing if being a doctor is your calling, your grades must be up to par as well. In other words, don’t let your extracurricular activities hinder your ability to excel academically. If your internship or job is soaking up too much of your time, find an opportunity more conducive to your schedule and workload.

Lastly, keep in mind that any experience is only as good as you make it. You should be devoted to excelling and actively learning in any position you hold or job you undertake. Simply slapping a name or company on your resume won’t get you very far if you have nothing to show for it. Future employers will want to know what skills you acquired from interning for a company. So, if all you did while you were there was get your supervisor coffee and make photocopies, putting that internship on your resume probably will not mean much. 

In conclusion, get involved with the opportunities that interest you, don’t let them affect your schoolwork, and be proactive and driven in any task you undertake. Not only will you have something to add to your resume, but you will have learned some important lessons and enhanced your college experience along the way!