Create an unforgettable and success filled college experience for new college students during welcome week and orientation by speaking students language and starting strong.

Separate your college and University campus from the rest of academia by initiating a relational and professional approach that appeals and wins the respect of incoming college students. Transcend the old school collegiate hierarchical mentality that immediately alienates and subordinates students.

Captivate, connect, and keep your college students and carry them fully through matriculation to commencement by cultivating academic and professional success. Celebrate, embrace, equip, and empower your college students to unlock greatness, achieve success, and assume a leadership role on your college campus to serve your academic community.

Quickly captivate your new college students during orientation and welcome week by speaking their language and starting strong with a message that awakens their hearts.

1. Identity is destiny.

Who am I? Who do I desire to become? For what reason am I in college in the first place?

2. Pinpoint college students purpose.

To begin strong and stay the course, a successful college student needs to have a powerful vision of his or her future. If it is not quite crystal clear initially, that is o.k., as vision is progressive as it is passionately and purposefully pursued continually.

3. Beyond books and school work, how will I structure my life?

Depending upon college students passion and purpose, they may want to pursue a variety of extra-curricular activities. Greek life is a wonderful way to make friends and align with an established organization on campus through whom you can do charitable work and let your voice be heard. If Greek life appeals to you, evaluate the mission statement of each fraternity or sorority.

Student associations and organizations on most college campuses are many, each possessing a different focus and objective. Get acquainted with your student union, student government, and Greek life director. As you become acquainted with these various organizations and associations on campus, attend some “meet and greet” socials early in the year or whenever possible to familiarize yourself with whatever groups spark an interest and seem to suit your personal preference.

Keep in mind you don’t want to stretch yourself thin by being over committed. Therefore be wise to stay focused on your primary purpose for attending college, after which you can choose a complimentary social or professional student group organization with whom to align yourself.

Remember also to eat healthy, get plenty of sleep, and exercise regularly. Many college students forget to do so and later suffer when their immune systems are run down by winter. Think long-term and prepare to go the distance and finish your college studies strong.

4. Proximity is key to fulfilling your destiny.

Sit at the front of class whenever possible to be sure to absorb all vital class information and test material. It is also harder to get distracted when you sit upfront. Less talking and disturbances occur in the front of the classroom. Always respect and befriend professors as much as possible, even if you don’t always fully agree with them. At the very least respect their position, remembering they will be grading you and hold the keys to your academic progress and ultimately your future.

5. Maintain close relationships with your family.

If you only can stay in touch with your family by phone, make the effort and do so. Since your parents may be financing or helping you finance in part your education and expenses, the least you can do is check in periodically on a bi-weekly basis and give them an update as to your academic progress and life.

Certainly if you were making a substantial financial investment in someone’s future you would want the same decency and courtesy to be shown you. Therefore be appreciative, courteous, and respectful toward your parents to further endear them to you and build a supportive bond, which in turn will serve you well throughout the course of your life.

6. Be proactive in pursuing and launching your career, while you are yet still in college.

Rather than sitting back and waiting for a resume alone (which usually ends up in a stack of paper) to produce your desirable results professionally, take the initiative to make things happen for yourself. Visit your college career center and begin reviewing various internships in your field tha are available to provide you further professional development. Even if these internships don’t pay you, the professional experience and knowledge you will gain will be priceless.

If no internships turn up for you, consider launching your own business as an entrepreneur. Providing a product or service is essential business in its simplest form. How can you serve people with your time, talent, and expertise? Consider ways you can serve the administration at your own college and University campus.

If necessary, begin serving people for free to get them to recognize and discover your value to them. When you add value, you always immediately become valuable. Thereafter once you have proven yourself, you can set your price and negotiate a pay raise or launch your own business.

7. Be patient with yourself as you evolve and your career comes into clear focus.

Life and professional development is not done in a microwave. Give yourself some time to evolve and go through the discovery process. As you sample various courses, you will discover in college what you like and dislike; what fits you and what is not you. Don’t try to rework or remake yourself to fit something you are not.

Be authentic and true to yourself. As you do, your own uniqueness and difference will emerge. As you delight in and continually develop the genius within, your own success and leadership capacities will emerge and begin to shine.

Keep a childlike heart while pursuing academic and professional life. Remain curious, carefree, fun, but remain simultaneously professional and courteous. As you show yourself friendly and have fun while you get the college schoolwork done, good things will happen for you!

I wish you great success and dream fulfillment as you arise and wholeheartedly enjoy the college experience!