Carl Remmes  |  4-minute read

I have been thinking quite a bit about the student experience in the past week. Whether you have been a student for part of one semester or several years, you have lived through historical events that have one thematic undercurrent; uncertainty. The onset of Covid-19, the Black Lives Matter movement, shifts in policy affecting remote learning and vaccination, and (most recently) a new war in Ukraine. Your college experience has been interspersed by one of the greatest non-stop stressors of our time, and you continue to be a student. I admire and respect your tenacity, and it’s my firm belief that your generation has the opportunity to offer innovations and supports to better all of our conditions and the conditions of generations to come. Your determination is, in part, what will get you through this college experience and inform the way you approach choices moving forward.

How can you direct your forward movement while potentially disoriented? Here are some tips that I have to offer to you.

Identify goals to work toward and stay flexible

Work to establish some goals. If you’re still figuring things out, it’s ok. My tip to you is to write about it, reflect on who you are now and what you are interested in, and do not be afraid to explore. There are many great stories about peoples’ journey in life and career on Roadtrip Nation. 

Roadtrip Nation stories help you figure out what you want to do with your life and give you the confidence and tools to help you plan how to get there. When you’re unsure what’s next, Roadtrip Nation can help you figure out your path forward. This is career exploration driven by you and your interests.

If you unsure of what your interests are? Try Focus2, an interactive career & major exploration tool that helps you identify your interests. It then connects those interests with a major and/or career for you.

Talk with your friends and family

What did I regret when I was going through college? Thinking I needed to have the answers and being sure of myself. If I had talked to others more and was open and vulnerable about my experience, I think I would have received some excellent feedback from my friends and family. You likely have someone in your corner that you know about (or maybe someone that you don’t) that is ready to have a good talk about where you want to be after college. Or simply what you are going through right now. Those discussions can help polish lenses that you are seeing life through and more accurately focus on your personal success as your vision becomes clearer.

Baby steps.

One of my favorite movies growing up was “What About Bob?” In this movie, Bill Murray’s character receives a book from his pretentious psychiatrist played by Richard Dreyfus. It was called “Baby Steps” and didn’t have half-bad advice. Take your day one step at a time. Do the work you need to do for school and any other work one step at a time. Wake up one step at a time. Go to sleep one step at a time. Big-picture thinking is great, but it can also be overwhelming. The best recipes I’ve made have had multiple ingredients that don’t all go in at the same time. Rather, they are added one at a time. Their preparation is important, as is their timing. They’re added one step at a time, and if I follow a general recipe, I tend not to get overwhelmed and enjoy my experience (best served with good music)—one step at a time.

Enjoy what you are doing… right now

You are a part of something extraordinary. You are testing yourself against all of life’s challenges and uncertainties in the world of higher education. You are surrounded by students who likely connect with your feelings and experiences. Enjoy each other. Enjoy the people that you are close to. Enjoy your favorite moment of each day. If you are struggling, reach out to people who care and enjoy their support. There is a lot of support at UB. In this time where nothing appears to be quite certain, enjoy the opportunity to experience life right now. That enjoyment will likely lead to you a career someday that you will find fulfilling.