Things you wish you knew about college, graduate schools, and entry-level careers?

[Flambeur]

Originally Posted by EL72

+1,000000000000

That is my best advice too. And I speak with experience (in B-school, not humanities).

Explain, I'm curious.

 

[odoreater]

I just found out this week how important calling up an old colleague that went on to bigger and better things and having a beer with him can be. Just landed contract work from one of the country's biggest law firms by doing just that.

 

[HomerJ]

Originally Posted by Flambeur

Well it depends. In some disciplines it will always be great (mostly hard sciences and quantitative stuff), in others - not so much.
The Ph.D.s, postdocs that I base that advice on are in fields like electrical engineering (wind power, satellite comm), plasma chemistry, molecular bio (my field), etc.

 

[RJman]

Originally Posted by odoreater

I just found out this week how important calling up an old colleague that went on to bigger and better things and having a beer with him can be. Just landed contract work from one of the country's biggest law firms by doing just that.

+1. It's really pretty stunning.

 

[videogeek]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Smoke as much pot, and drink as much booze as you can, and still remain a functioning member of society.

Sleep with everything you can.

Get in some good fights.

Don't worry about "getting ahead." It's a chimera.

Another +1 for this.

 

[thenanyu]

Flambeur, what line of work are you in? I think it would be helpful to know where you are coming from. Your advice has been very good, but a little background would add perspective.

 

[Flambeur]

Originally Posted by thenanyu

Flambeur, what line of work are you in? I think it would be helpful to know where you are coming from. Your advice has been very good, but a little background would add perspective.

I've been around

 

[APK]

- I would've better prepared for funding my education. Had I not screwed up in a couple of classes, my college fund would've covered my entire college career. But I didn't apply for a single scholarship in high school nor seek any sort of financial support.

- I would've taken classes a little more seriously. I feel I've gotten a good education out of the deal, but I don't think I got close to all I could have.

- Random hookups. As it was, I spent my first three years of college in a serious relationship, another year getting over that, and then the next in a serious relationship. I'm newly single for my last semester, but I'm still pretty torn up about it ending.

 

[Viktri]

Originally Posted by odoreater

I just found out this week how important calling up an old colleague that went on to bigger and better things and having a beer with him can be. Just landed contract work from one of the country's biggest law firms by doing just that.

Nice.

 

[snuffy]

Excellent threat Flambeur.

I would add that being persistent in your college life/entry level career is key.

Keep in mind there is a "weeding out" process in early in college life as well when you start your career. Its very easy to give up and take the path of least resistance. Most of my susccessful friends are not necessarily smart, but they were persistent.

 

[bigboy]

Originally Posted by snuffy

Most of my susccessful friends are not necessarily smart, but they were persistent.

OH>MY>GOD.

Seriously though, if more people knew this. I've met some **** for brains kind of people and have been at aw as to how far they've made it based on being persistent.

Unfortunately for me, I've been able to get by with minimal work all throughout life and with 2 more years to go in Uni, I'm having a hard time with being persistent and working hard.

 

[untilted]

Originally Posted by RJman

GAAP or IFRS?

IFRS doesn't allow LIFO i thought...

 

[Piobaire]

Are we still talking about this?

Life is a ******* joke. Don't let yourself be the punchline. Get out there and experience things vs. attempting to have "a career."

 

[Flambeur]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Are we still talking about this?

Life is a ******* joke. Don't let yourself be the punchline. Get out there and experience things vs. attempting to have "a career."

I don't understand why you can't have both?

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by Flambeur

I don't understand why you can't have both?
One takes too much of your time up to do the other one properly. Sadly, I can't seem to give up the career thing though. After years of being the working schmuck, I sort of identify with the roll now, even though I fully realize now this whole thing is a chimera and the only reward for the career working schmuck, is a bigger tax bill and more hard work. You can play by all the rules, be the responsible guy, but then you get hung out to dry and have to put your goals on hold longer, because everyone else fucked up. You just pay for the **** ups of others, both with your tax burden and having to delay your dreams even further.