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College To-Do List: Find Your Academic Advisor

College To-Do List: Find Your Academic Advisor
7/10/2013
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Abby Egan

When I started college, I was intimidated by my peers that knew exactly what they wanted to do. I knew what I liked to do but not what I might want to do after college, realistically. So, I entered my freshman year with an undecided major...and an immeasurable pressure to figure out who I was going to be.

I rushed to declare my major as English/creative writing because I love to write. But then I decided I love kids and I’d rather be a teacher so I changed it to education/literature. But then I realized that I hate literature classes, so I went back to English/writing. And then I decided I love philosophy, so I added a philosophy minor. This past semester, I realized I love psychology classes, too, so I’m even thinking of adding a psychology minor now. What I learned along the way was 1. Find what you love, 2. Don’t be afraid when that changes, and 3. Connect with your academic advisor.

An academic advisor – the person who helps you choose your classes and makes sure you’re doing everything you need to graduate – is the most valuable asset you have on campus, as they are available to you for unbiased advice and guidance every step of the way. For me, this person was Mr. Elder. We met during orientation; he was this ancient old man that only spoke when the moment called for his wise input, which was usually dispensed in the form of a long-winded story with a moral ending. He has been my advisor since day one and I can honestly say I would be utterly lost without him.

But just because you’re assigned to one advisor doesn’t mean you can’t seek out another who better suits your needs. Find the best academic advisor you can so they can layout the opportunities available to you. A good academic advisor will lead you to where you want to go but allow you choose the direction in which to travel. They are your connection to the dreams you want to achieve beyond college, even when your dreams change as frequently as mine do.

Abby Egan is currently a junior at MCLA in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, where she is an English Communications major with a concentration in writing and a minor in philosophy. Abby hopes to find work at a publishing company after college and someday publish some of her own work. In her spare time, Abby likes to drink copious amounts of coffee, spend all her money on adorable shoes and blog into the wee hours of the night.

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