College is full of decisions. What student activities to join? What to major in? There’s a lot to figure out.
As I’m writing this, I’m in my last month of undergrad. I ordered my cap and gown. I’m completing my last assignments. I’m seeing how the past four years of experiences are connecting.
Coming into Bradley, my direction was blurry. I was still determining what to join and what to study but luckily, at Bradley, there are plenty of ways to get involved.
At the Activities Fair my freshman year, I shared my email with almost every organization’s table. I got outside my comfort zone by attending clubs’ introductory meetings and exposing myself to various activities helped me find what piqued my interest.
I’ve stuck with two student organizations since freshman year, Bradley American Marketing Association (AMA) and Bradley’s student newspaper, The Scout. Being an Exec Member of Bradley AMA and Advertising Manager of The Scout has immersed me in industries and work that I enjoy. Also, they’ve surrounded me with creative people I can vibe and share ideas with.
I’ve always liked talking business and watching shows like Shark Tank. Still, I needed to decipher my place in that world so I declared my major to be Business Undecided.
Each class I took in the Business Core was then a hint to figuring out my major in Marketing.
I’ll be honest, taking Intro to Accounting and Intro to Finance wasn’t my favorite way to pass the time. However, I appreciated how Intro to Marketing blended being analytical and creative. I envisioned myself creating campaigns and conducting consumer research in the future.
Connecting four years of collegiate experience, it’s now easy to see the journey to what I’ve pursued as an undergrad. I thrive in collaborative, creative environments and am curious about the ever-changing marketing landscape. However, in 2019 it wasn’t as clear.
What ultimately helped was getting involved in student organization meetings, class lectures, or even conversations. Every event or interaction gave me a nudge in figuring out where I find fulfillment.
My advice is that clarity comes from action and undergrad, you have countless opportunities presented to you. However, don’t feel pressure if you don’t have everything figured out; that’s actually a good thing.
You learn so much about yourself. College is more fun if you’re open to new experiences.Talking from personal experience, a month out from graduating, you’ll reflect on your four years at Bradley and be able to see how everything accumulated to take you to where you are today.
What’s next for me? Well, I’m still deciding.
Whatever my first job is or wherever I live, I’ll remind myself that with each post-grad experience, I’m gaining clarity into the life I want to build. One thing I’m 100% certain of, I’ll always be grateful to be in the Bradley community. My friends, peers, faculty and opportunities at Bradley have made incredible memories and equipped me with the knowledge to flourish beyond the Bradley bubble.
I’ll forever be charging on as a Bradley Brave.
