#FreshmanFriday Kyla’s Keys to College
My tip for college freshman is to not be afraid to put yourself out there!
Go to the organization fairs on campus. Organizations and clubs are one the best ways to meet new friends at your new home!
Take advantage of the career fairs your school offers, and broaden your scope of potential careers.
Go to a performance put on by your school’s performing arts department.
Don’t be afraid to get lost on campus. Some days I purposely got lost on campus so I’d get to know my campus better.
If you are struggling in a class, utilize your professors’ office hours! They want you to succeed and will be glad that you are taking the initiative to succeed in their class. But if going to your professor is a little too daunting for you, find out if your school has a peer tutoring program. My school had numerous peer tutoring programs facilitated through different departments like the residence halls, the library, and academic services.
Go ahead and apply for the internship that you don’t think you’ll land. You never know what may happen!
Overall, make sure you don’t graduate college wishing you hadn’t missed out on some awesome opportunities.
–Kyla Thomas
Meet Kyla!
Name: Kyla Thomas
School: Georgia Southern University
Major/minor/year: Special Education; Sophomore
How did you get involved with GT? I was searching for internships on a job/internship search engine and Girl Talk popped up. I did some research on the organization and knew that interning with them would be a great way to give back to my Atlanta community, so I applied!
What is your best advice for high school girls who will be going to college in the next few years? Don’t be afraid to let go of friendships that have run their course. Acknowledge it. Talk about it with the other person. End things respectfully and with love. People outgrow each other, and that’s okay. The friendship isn’t over. It’s just complete.
What’s your favorite thing to do when you aren’t working or studying? I like to have movie nights with my friends. We grab blankets, order pizza, make popcorn, and will watch movies until the last person falls asleep.
Current dream job? I’d like to work for the Board of Education in a struggling area to help provide them with access to better education.
What’s your go-to coffee order? The only coffee I’ve ever had is a vanilla bean frappe from Starbucks. I don’t drink coffee that often.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? The journey is just as important as the destination.
Girl Talk is a peer-to-peer mentoring program that pairs middle school girls with high school girls who serve as mentors. Our mission is to see confident girls to grow up to be confident women who are strong leaders and are passionate about giving back to their community.