By: Lauren Tritch
For more than 15 years, we as students have spent time listening, collaborating and engaging in a classroom setting. We’ve come to understand the academic expectations of what it means to be a model student and the level of commitment needed to succeed. The traditional classroom is undoubtedly one of the most important platforms we’ve ever learned within, but sometimes, branching out to master content and skills in places that aren’t what we’re used to can be more beneficial than we know.
While everyone retains information differently, and some methods of teaching may be proven
superior to others, taking a chance on expanding one’s knowledge outside of the classroom is a risk anyone should be willing to take. Especially now, at a college level of learning,
broadening our experiences to gain versatility and adaptability is beyond necessary. By getting involved in virtually anything outside of the traditional classroom, you’re bound to acquire valuable skills that are applicable to your education, relationships or dream job —
no matter what any of those look like.
In only my second year at UNL, I’ve pushed myself to become involved on and off campus to
develop extra skills and experiences that will set me apart as a better, well-rounded person and a future job candidate.
Before I even stepped foot on campus as a freshman, I applied to The Daily Nebraskan and
was hired on move-in day as an opinion section writer and eventually became the Twitter
manager for the section too. That first semester, I also became a member of the American
Marketing Association chapter on campus and I’m now on the exec team. Involvement in areas that are both directly and indirectly related to my advertising and public relations major forced me to learn beneficial information I would not have found in the classroom.
This year, I joined a sorority which was completely out of my comfort zone as well as the
classroom, but I’ve since learned the value of friendship, accountability and surprisingly some
public relations skills along the way. Through these diverse opportunities and more, I’ve
obtained a multitude of information that I honestly would never have gained if I limited my
learning to the journalism college.
Expanding one’s horizons in a multitude of ways is a courageous experience in itself. Because I took a chance on various opportunities outside of the classroom, I’ve now retained a plethora of skills that are relevant to my future as a working professional and advanced my current education.
Actively seeking out chances to further your ability to be a better person, student and employee is much more valuable to you and those you give your time to. Focus on the areas you want to grow within yourself and fearlessly find an avenue that pursues an unconventional education.