Experiences that prepare you for the future

Here at Illinois, our professors and other faculty do an excellent job at giving us the skills we need for our future professions. However, sometimes just taking notes from a textbook or studying flashcards isn’t enough. If you want to be prepared for your future, you need to go out and get experience in the field.

I hope to enter the field of public relations once I graduate. Although I have learned a lot from my media and writing classes, I still knew there were more experiences to be had. So, I began getting involved in extracurricular activities here on campus. I got involved with the Daily Illini, Her Campus, and joined the Public Relations Committee for my sorority. All of these positions gave me phenomenal experience. I got to pitch and write stories for the paper, edit stories for publication, and plan real marketing campaigns—all of which are important tasks that a public relations professional should excel in.

These experiences allowed me to take what I have learned from my communications and English courses and apply them in a real-life scenario. When speaking with potential employers, they are always pleased to see how I have actually gone into the field to gain real-world experience.

So whether it’s writing for your school paper, doing research in a biology lab, or getting an internship on campus, I greatly encourage getting involved with organizations that align with your future goals. After all, practice makes perfect!