The future is in your hands (or the weather’s)

The title of today’s blog post is a little play on words.  On Sunday night I found a quote that seemed perfect to start off my last semester of college:

You don’t have to believe in palm reading or lifelines to know the future’s in our hands.

It really means to me that, whatever I do now and forever, will have a role in my future success. Basically, if I want to be successful I have to go out and work for it starting now (or last week).  Well, Monday came along and Michigan State University (along with almost the entire rest of the state) got a snow day!  MSU is notorious for almost never closing (beside my freshman year, the university hadn’t closed in 30 years), but with below freezing temperatures, wind-chills and feet of snow, class wasn’t happening.  By some weird [miracle] we got a second snow day today!  So, as tomorrow is now the first day of class, back to my inspiring quote from the top!

What are you doing to secure your future?  Whether you’re taking this as a short-term goal before graduation or changing the world over your lifetime, the future will play out from today:

• Make yourself as marketable as possible.  Have a personal brand and keep your online personality consistent across platforms.  Update your LinkedIn – fill out everything – it will tell you when you have an ‘all-star’ profile.  Network – don’t forget to keep in touch with and email those people who’ve helped you the past few years and who you’ve worked with.
• Keep learning.  Education doesn’t stop after graduation.  Keeping up with your last classes now will put you in a calmer frame-of-mind toward the end of the semester when deadlines fast approach.  Outside of lectures, read on your own.  Take out a book instead of staring at electronics.  Some of my current favorites are Lean In, Never Eat Alone and Creative Confidence.  Learning doesn’t even need to be just through books.  A couple weeks ago I learned to luge – not something many people do and now interesting conversation.
• Find something you care about.  As a broke college student or young professional, you probably don’t have much spare change to donate to charity. This doesn’t mean you can’t help a cause though.  Research something  meaningful to you – be it orphanages, trafficking, animal abuse, etc. – and really learn about an organizations mission. It may lead to interesting blog topics for you, or at least conversation on the organization’s social media.  Once you are financially ready to donate, giving will be that much more meaningful.
• Don’t worry.  Stress won’t change what’s going to happen.  Stay calm through whatever life throws at you – senior year, to graduation, to beyond – and enjoy the ride!