You’re being watched. I don’t mean to alarm you, but you must be aware. Eyes are everywhere. Eyes of your peers, eyes of your professors, eyes of those security cameras you had no idea saw you steal the ‘Bison Bistro’ sign from the student center your freshman year.
Students sometimes think of college as their “get out of jail free” card for ridiculous behavior. That idea, my friend, is false. College is the time to yes, have fun, but it is also the time to build up your network of friends and other people who can potentially help you get a job. I’m not saying you need to suck up to every CEO’s offspring you know, but this is the time to demonstrate your quality of character and professional. It is not the time to show your quality assortment of flannel pajama pants.
Flannel pajamas. There is nothing wrong with them, but remember that scene from the “Social Network” where the Facebook guy shows up for an interview in his bathrobe and PJs just as a slap in the face to the company? Transpose that into your classroom.
Everything you do sends a message to your professors, a.k.a your future job references and writers of recommendation letters. Even if you do not get fabulous grades in their classes, make it easy for your professors to brag about your professionalism when the time comes to write your reference. When you show up for class in your pajamas everyday, or 10 minutes after the bell, what does that tell your professors about your professionalism? Or better yet, what does that tell your potential employers?
Treat your classes like your job. I have one professor who at the beginning of every semester tells her class that she is the boss and we are her employees. You cannot show up late every day and you cannot miss work without a reason. You cannot take a 50-minute snooze on your work desk and expect to get paid. Likewise, you cannot do these things in class and expect to get a good grade or a good reference.
Act as your own personal PR guy. Your Facebook is speaking; do you know what it’s saying? Everyone knows to take down their morally compromising photos, but what about overly critical or griping statuses and tweets? Just remember — no one likes a whiner. On a similar note, students often think no one else can hear them when they make fun of another students’ accent or choice of zebra-print leggings to their friends in class. The truth is, people do hear, and the things you say can leave a very positive or very negative impression of you. In this world where more and more jobs rely on networking, make sure every message you send, in person or online, speaks to your kindness, professionalism and positivity.
