5 ways to make the most of your university life

Choices have been made and a brand new year will start in a matter of weeks. Regardless of which degree or school you have chosen, it is now up to you to make the best of your university education.

1. Grades are (not) everything

Grades are everything. It is what we have been taught throughout our educational system. From PSLE to O Levels and A Level, our grades dictated the school that we could enter. In fact, the difference between 3As or 2 As could have been the decider between an entry ticket to the course of your choice or a rejection letter. Again and again, we have been told that grades are most important, sacrificing playtime outside or even quality time with friends and family.

Wait a minute. So are grades of utmost importance or not? The answer is NO.

Our parents have sung the same song over and over again. Good grades = success in life. The good news is that this no longer applies in the same way! Employers look for potential employees -- people who can work in the real world, not recite the textbook such as people who can think on their feet, have the right attitude to learn and show initiative in their work. Grades are just the first cut to show that the applicant has mental capacity to grow and is not the ultimatum in deciding who gets the job. More often than not, companies will award an opening to you for the experiences you have rather than your paper qualifications.

Of course, there are always exceptions. The idea is to get grades that are good enough and pursue a well balanced university life. If university is but a mean to an end of getting a good job, balancing your time between mugging and personal development will help you achieve your goal.

2. Be proactive 

"The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them, make them"                                                                                                                                     - George Bernard Shaw   

Opportunities are available at every step of the way (only if you are looking). As adults (or soon to be adults), it is vital that you take charge of your own growth. If you know what you want to achieve during your university life, you should actively look out for opportunities to hone the necessary skills. If you have yet to find your calling, do not worry. As Carl Sagan said, "I don't know where I am going but I'm on my way". Be open to new experiences and learn more about yourself in the process of doing so.

Leadership

SMU is one of the youngest universities but it has the most opportunities in terms of leadership. Despite having a small population size, SMU has a wide diversity in student life with more than 100 CCA clubs. Each club has approximately 10 student leaders equating to at least 1,000 student leaders at any point in time. With an estimated population size of 8,000 students, it is perhaps one of the easiest environment to get into a leadership position. I found my place serving 27 clubs with Special Interest and Community Service Sodality and leading SMU Challenge. So go out and find yours! :)

Pssst… the season for election is coming. If you are up for the challenge, do look out for opportunities that interest you!

SMU Challenge 2012

5th SICS Executive Committee

2012 SMU Patron's Day with President Tony Tan 

Real world experience

Most business projects of the last 2 years in SMU require groups to partner real companies. By choosing modules that work with real companies, you will learn and gain experiences from working with business professional. Prior to graduation,  I gained valuable experiences working with different companies across various sectors such as Sembawang Primary School, Bosch and Siemens Home Appliances and NETS.

The school also offers numerous opportunities to work with external parties. One of the easiest way to kick start your experiential journey is to form a group and take part in a SME consulting programme with UOB-SMU Asian Enterprise Institute, a project that will provide a mentor, a company and $3,000 allowance for the team.

Learning from Business Professionals

There are opportunities to learn more at every turn. Before you mark any email as spam or click on the delete button, take a second look and you might find something interesting. Each school will have its own form of engagement with professional executives. For SMU, there are countless events from official networking sessions, invitations to competitions and special talks (my favorites are the Marketing Excellence Series and CEO Talks).

SMU students at L'oreal Brandstorm Finals (I was a supporter haha)

3. Fall, fail and make mistakes

"When we give ourselves permission to fail, we, at the same time, give ourselves permission to excel"                      - Eloise Ristad 

You heard me right. The biggest lesson I took away from my university days was that failure is a part of learning. We learn by putting ourselves out there beyond our comfort zone. You may fail, or you may adapt and actually grow as a person. Even if you fail, you have taken the first step to expand your horizon and deserves respect for doing so.

A big part of my university life started with the belief that I wanted to "Be A Different You" (SMU Slogan). I had almost zero leadership experience but I put myself beyond my comfort zone to run for one of the biggest leadership positions in student life. At that point in time, I told myself, no matter how the results turned out, I am walking out of here as a victor because I have tried and will learn from this experience. I managed to win over the voters with my sincerity to serve and willingness to learn. The road ahead was extremely bumpy but they became my biggest lessons in life.

Singapore is a relatively risk adverse society. And changing this mindset might be really difficult. But here's the best part of it all -- you are failing in a sheltered environment and mistakes can be easily learnt and improved upon. Would you rather make mistakes and learn in school or falter at your work place? You decide.

4. Find your circle of friends and network

2012 Student Association Council 

When I first entered SMU, I had no idea what I wanted to do in the future and jaded from all the mindless mugging. All that changed when friendships formed. I met numerous motivated and driven individuals who were passionate, capable and were not afraid to stand up for their ideals. As a newbie at leadership, I learnt a great deal from the people around me. Members of the Student Association Council were some of the most passionate and impressive people I met. Student leaders of various clubs never failed to blow me away with their passion and dreams.

As you enter university, open your mind to new ideas, and connect with people of different personalities. Your university experience is only as rich as the connections you make with people. So don't be shy. Go out there, say a little hello and make some new friends :)

5. Travel, travel, travel

Singaporean grow up in a very safe and small environment but the world is much bigger. Travelling allows you to view the world through your own lens instead of those in books or the web. You meet people from different countries and learn modern history and events through their eyes. The main reason I started traveling was because I was becoming jaded from working so hard. Taking a trip out allows you to try an alternate lifestyle and have time to think about the events that happened, reflect on how your life is going and time for a leisure book or two. In fact, it might have to strengthen your relationship like it did for mine. (Article: What traveling does for your relationship)

As a student, you will have limited funds but that should not stop you from exploring the large canvas of the world. By the time you enter the working world, you will be financially equipped but you will lose the luxury of time. You can start small by taking trips to neighboring countries in ASEAN. In fact, the conditions of these places will shock you and perhaps inspire you to make the world a better place.

Students also have the luxury of going on international exchanges. Here's my personal view point -- it does not matter where you go, as long as you go somewhere. There are scholarships and grants that pay for your exchange. Allowances from internships will also help to support future travel plans. And if you ever need advice, you can always contact the local student group, SMU Globe Trotters or SMU Office of Global Learning.


To all freshmen, good luck, enjoy and have the time of your life! :)