James Loy 

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast by the hosts and guests may or may not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Miami University.

Student 

I'm a senior. I'm about to graduate, and I've done a lot of cool things in college.

Student 

I never thought that I was going to be an intramural curler. I never thought that I was going to be the student body president.

Student 

These four years have been the biggest amount of growth I've seen in my entire life.

Student 

It's not just about the academics, but like, what kind of person you turn into, which is super cool.

Maggie 

No one hands you a road map when you start college. There's no manual for how to balance classes, make friends, manage stress or to figure out what really matters. So in this special summer episode, we'll hear from more students who share the things they wish someone had told them sooner, the small lessons that made a big difference and the honest truths that helped them grow. So if you're heading into college feeling unprepared or uncertain, don't worry. You're not alone, because the truth is, nobody starts college knowing exactly what to do, but with a little courage and a lot of curiosity, you will figure it out and probably surprise yourself along the way.

Charles Ellis 

Yeah, my name is Charles Ellis. I'm a junior Biomedical Engineering major from Columbus, Ohio, and I'm also on the pre med track.

Maggie 

So if you could go back, just go back a few years and you see freshman Charles, you know, sitting in his dorm room, or, you know, in a in an academic hall on campus. And you could give your first yourself just one piece of advice. What would you tell your first yourself?

Charles Ellis 

I would definitely tell myself, get some experience. It is so hard to know what you want to do if you've never seen it before.

Maggie 

100%

Charles Ellis 

So when studying engineering, a lot of engineers who don't have internships, or, I mean, engineering majors who don't have internships, they don't really know what an engineer does unless they have a family member that's in it, or some other person that they're able to see doing the job day to day. But yeah, going into a major without really, like, seeing what the day to day is like is really hard. So I would say take that time to reach out to someone in the College of Engineering to see if maybe you could shadow someone. I know our paper science program. They do mill tours all the time, so people are able in that program, are able to see what does a paper engineer do? So I would just encourage myself shadow those doctors, maybe even shadow a teacher. Just start shadowing different jobs so you can start to see more of what is going to fit what you want to do after college.

Maggie 

Yeah, that fear of the unknown coming into, especially if it's like, even if it's a field you're passionate about, you know, it it's scary not knowing what life might look like after graduation. You know, you've obviously had a very unique experience in how you've gotten to where you are, the classes you've taken, the journey you've had in college so far has been off the beaten path from some. So what piece of advice would you give to someone who's just about to get started, as far as you know, making your own way in college?

Charles Ellis 

Yeah, well, let them know that would you choose as your major isn't that important your freshman year really take that time to get some experience. See what you want to do. Take classes from a lot of different majors to see which ones entice you the most, and in terms of adjusting socially, I would let them know that it's okay if you don't meet your best friends your first or even second semester. Sometimes it's just going to take that one club meeting that you go to or eating at the dining hall in that one day to meet, you know, some of your best friends in college. So don't put any pressure on yourself to kind of live this experience that you see on TV or that everyone talks about, because you're going to have your own experience. And I want to end off with one piece of advice that my CEC, 101, Professor gave me freshman year that I really took to heart was that you don't have to do everything your freshman year, and that's super important. You don't have to join every single club. You don't have to say yes to everything. Now you should say yes to a lot of things to expose yourself to as many experiences as you can. But freshman year can become overwhelming quite quickly. So if you're feeling like, Oh, I'm probably not going to be able to go to this club every Wednesday night, that's so okay. You have seven other semesters to go to that club. So there's no reason to put stress on yourself now.

Kaylin Knapp 

I am Kaylin Knapp. I'm a junior. My major is supply chain and operations management. I do a lot with the school, but I'm passionate about things outside of school. I like to ski, I play tennis. I like hanging out with my friends,

Maggie 

The perfect elevator pitch. Okay, so if you could go back in time to freshman year, you. What advice would you give her?

Kaylin Knapp 

I would tell myself that things are going to be different, so worry about where you are right now. I was so stuck in the mindset like, oh my gosh, next semester, what are my classes going to be? How are my professors? What's my schedule going to look like? When I could have been, not necessarily worrying in the moment, but like, putting more focus into like, Okay, well, let's make a connection with my professor now. Like worrying about the classes that I'm currently in. It is about my future. And you know, all of it is preparing me for my future, but I've got to get it down where I'm at before my future comes, obviously. So like, worry less about what's gonna happen and just think more about in the moment.

Maggie 

Yeah, it's impossible to replicate the same conditions. You know, like semester to semester, like my golden semester, like the one semester that I will forever compare the rest of college to, was the fall semester of my second year. I kept on thinking, like, okay, what can I do to, like, get back to that space I was in last semester? You can't get caught in the, uh, what am I gonna do?

Kaylin Knapp 

That's a better way to say it, like not comparing the semesters with each other. Yeah, I've had some semesters where I'm like, Okay, I'm not doing this again. And then, like, you know, I've wanted to give up. And then I've had semesters that are like, Oh my gosh, I'm on such a roll. I'm gonna go so far in life.

Maggie 

It's like an EKG, a heartbeat monitor. It's going up and down, up and down constantly. That's College.

Valandria 

So my name is valandria Smith lash. I'm the founder and CEO of course culture. And who else am I? A daughter, a student and alumni, you know, like the list goes on.

Maggie 

Absolutly. So if you could go back to freshman year and see yourself and say something to her, maybe give her a piece of advice, like, what would you say?

Valandria 

I would tell her that her plan is cute. That's what I would say. Yeah, because I was really big on like, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do this, and I'm gonna do this, and I'll take this long of a gap year at this place, because I'm going to get accepted, and then I'll do this, and I'll just have this. And none of that happened. Like, you couldn't tell me, like, when I was a freshman, I was like, Yeah, I'm gonna go to grad school and, you know, I'm gonna get, you know, this degree and this, this and this, or whatever. But you cannot have paid me to believe that I was going to walk away from a full ride doctor degree my senior year to pursue running my company. You couldn't have paid me to like believe that that was going to happen. So if I were to go back and say something to my freshman year self, I would tell her that her plan is cute, and that she shouldn't rely so heavy on that, because nothing goes according to your plan.

Maggie 

Absolutely.

Valandria 

You know, like, it's not gonna be, it's not gonna be what you think. I would just, I would sort of emphasize that theme, because, you know, like, I feel like, when you're a future person talking to the past person, you can't tell them too much, because it will influence the future.

Maggie 

Yeah, We're gonna mess with the timeline. We can't.

Valandria 

Yeah, yeah, yeah, so you got to be vague, you know. So I would just be like, Yeah, girl, like, your plan is cute, but it's not going to go that way. Yeah. And then I would also tell her to keep climbing, you know. Like, keep going. Because there are definitely some days where I was like, Oh, this is hard. I don't want to do this.

Maggie 

 Like, oh, gosh, get me out.

Valandria 

Because, yeah, cuz, then it is literally when people would be like, ... someone introduced me as the CEO, of course, culture one day, and I was like, oh, oh, goodness. Like, this is real. Whoa, yeah.

Maggie 

Wait, wait, I am the CEO.

Valandria 

I am. That is me, that is so, so crazy, so and I would, like, try to get her to, like, sort of understand that, like, the process of becoming is a process. You know, just because, like, I used to feel like, oh, like, I don't... that's not really me. And then people be like, Oh, come do this. Come do that. And I'm like, Guys, I'm just a girl. I don't know, I don't know. I don't know what you guys want me to do. And then I would go, I would go in there, and it'll be fine. So just tell her to keep climbing. I'll tell her not focus so much on things going exactly according to plan. And I would tell her to trust the process and just be while becoming. That's what I would tell her, imposter syndrome is crazy.

Rachel Bannit 

Hi. I am Rachel Bennett. I am a senior accounting and finance double major with a certificate in deals. So basically, in the mergers and acquisition space, I think I was. Worried that I made too big of a jump. You know, that was a really scary thing for me, like, what if, you know, everything, goes wrong? My first day that I was moved into college, my parents left, moved me in, everything that night, I just remember like shaking and like trying not to cry loudly because my roommate was there. And I know that sounds so like pitiful, but I was so scared.

Maggie 

No, sometimes all you want is like your mom or your dad. That's how I felt 100%

Rachel Bannit 

It's such a weird experience to be in this city where, you know, everyone's your age, everyone's here, you know, for school, but you don't know any of them, but everyone's also in the same place. So the next morning, you know, wake up, refreshed and know, like, I'm here to have, like, the best college experience I can. So I started meeting people. There was a guy in my hall. I am so grateful to him, because everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. His strength is going up to someone and say, saying, like, you're my friend now.

Maggie 

Amazing. I love those people.

Rachel Bannit 

Yes, finding him the first day was such a huge thing because I just followed him around, and he just started grabbing people, like, off the street, like, you are going to be friends with us now. So that was a huge part of, at first, feeling introduced into the community. And then, of course, your like forever friends come from when they start like joining clubs and stuff, once you start finding your like community that you can like, lean on, it starts feeling more like realistic, like I've got this.

Maggie 

If you could go back in time four years ago and see little freshman Rachel Getting ready to start. You know this now we know incredible journey throughout college. If you could just give her one piece of advice, what would you say?

Rachel Bannit 

There are two things I think, keep the courage going, because I think freshmen me made some big steps. And I think sometimes, you know, like getting into college, getting comfortable, you start to lose it a little bit. And I think sometimes I wish I kept that going a little bit more, keep making those courageous steps. And then the other one is, don't chase that 4.0 you do not need that. Yeah, so just take time to be with your friends. Prioritize that. And then also, just like, you can keep studying like forever, the studying never stops. So at some point you just have to decide, I know this enough where I'm going to do well in this class, and I need to take some time for me. Because if you just say, like, I need to study this, this, this, this, and then I'll be done. It's never done. It's never done. So you just have to call it quits for the night and go hang out with your friends, take a walk around campus like it's gonna be okay.

Maggie 

Yes, 100% No, I love that.

Lauren Kelley 

My name is Lauren Kelley, I'm a double major in strategic communication and Individualized Studies, meaning I'm crafting my own major through the Western department in tech policy through an international lens, long statement, but with a double minor in Political Science and film studies.

Maggie 

Overall. As a now senior, how have you seen yourself change or grow the most during your time at college?

Lauren Kelley 

Self esteem has grown exponentially. Because when I stepped in, I was ... even though I was very much a go getter and I wanted to try everything, as usually, every freshman does and gets overwhelmed pretty quickly, I was very much an introvert. Still am, but figuring out how to place yourself in a position where you can try new things on campus and just reach out to professors, even if that's a cold email, just be like, Hey, I wanted to talk to you about this opportunity. That's how I did with the Office of Aspire. During the summer, I just reached out to Nicole Hoyer, who she's the director of state relations for the office, and she was so kind. She was amazing. She allowed me to, like, be on a tour with a congressional representative, and, like, through Miami University. And that was crazy. Just through emailing her, she gave me that experience. So yeah, like, that's how I've grown. It's just gaining confidence, time management skills, overall, I'm finding more of what I want to do in a career, still kind of vague, but, ...

Maggie 

and that is perfectly fine

Lauren Kelley 

 Ex`actly, because the moment you graduate, it doesn't have to be a perfect job that you get. It's not one and done, like you're probably going to find a lot of different other paths to what you ultimately want to do.

Isa Obradovich 

My name is Isa Obradovichsa. I'm a third year Art Education major.

Maggie 

How have you seen yourself grow and change as a person since starting now, being in your third year, you know, how do you think you've grown and changed?

Isa Obradovich 

The biggest way that I've changed that's most visible to other people? Is my confidence. I'm no longer afraid to walk into a room of people and anticipate that they all already hate me for whatever unknown reason. And now I wake up and I look forward to what the day has to offer. I enjoy talking to people. I enjoy being more extroverted. I find such joy in simply existing, in being surrounded by people who love me and people whom I love. `I am just so much more confident in myself, not just like physical appearance wise, not just like I think I'm cool, but just in what I can do and what I have done and in my abilities for what I'll be able to continue doing. I have much more confidence in the value of my work, and I know that it matters. And that's so different, because as a senior in high school, as a freshman in college, I was like, nobody cares about what I have to say. They all think I'm stupid and uncool and a loser. I'm no longer afraid to stand up and talk in front of a room of people. I just feel more confident overall in every sense of the word.

Maggie 

Yeah. I mean college, it's such a formative time. I think that if you were to ask anyone you know, like, what's college like? I think baseline, everyone's answer is some version of, oh, it's just it changes you so much, and it's so formative. And these are the best years of your life.

Isa Obradovich 

It's metamorphosis.

Maggie 

It truly is. I mean, I think it's impossible to go through college and leave exactly the same as you were when you came in, even if you start and you're like, I know exactly what I want to do. I know exactly what major I want to do, exactly what classes I want to take, I know exactly what job I want after graduation, even if you come in completely sure of yourself, you will still change so much. Because college is not just about the academics and the classes and the clubs, it's about how you change as a person and how your experiences affect who you are.

Isa Obradovich 

If you come into college, and by the time that you leave after four years, you did only exactly the things that you wanted to do and nothing else. Something is wrong. College, you just go through it and you learn not only so much about the world around you, but how you exist away from the place where you grew up, maybe, or how you exist within the school community, and how you exist in just a new environment with new systems and just new vibes, man.

Maggie 

The vibes

Isa Obradovich 

You just learn so much about yourself. And if you do everything that you thought you were gonna do that's great, amazing. I love that for you, because I love that for me too. I did. I've done so many things, but you need to... You just do so much more. You just end up doing so much more. You have a limited amount of time on campus, and as an undergrad student and as a college student. You find that you find the most joy, the most fulfillment, and taking advantage of the opportunities that you think will serve you.

Maggie 

We hope you enjoyed this latest edition of our special summer series, advice for my first year self. For many more episodes full of advice and inspiration from successful students who have already survived the ups and downs of college, look for more episodes of major insight wherever podcasts are found you.