By: Dyllan Cook, Career Jack
When starting your journey as an undergraduate, the feeling of not knowing what is ahead can be intimidating. You may have an idea of your long-term career goals or still be figuring them out, but either way, it’s normal to feel stressed or burned out along the way. Or you might even just be wondering how your school work really relates to your future.
Learning how to stay motivated and reminding yourself why you started will help you achieve your goals. At times you may feel as though your time as an undergraduate will last forever, but trust me when I say it goes by fast. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and you will eventually get to where you are going.
Some of our team members took some time to reflect on the moment that reassured them it’s all worth the hard work.
“…realizing that I was helping an organization with a great cause was the most rewarding part of the experience.”
-Riley Orr, Senior Graphic Design Student
I think my “aha” moment happened just last semester when I had the chance to work with Flagstaff Shelter Services, which is a homeless shelter in our community that works with local apartment complexes to rehouse individuals in need. Normally, graphic design projects in school are for fake clients and events, so it never feels real. My group worked with the shelter to create an entire rebrand for the organization which included: a new logo, color palette, website design, business stationary system, t-shirts, and large promotional posters. Seeing all our hard work displayed on the company’s website was amazing, but realizing that I was helping an organization with a great cause was the most rewarding part of the experience. That moment is the reason why I am drawn towards working for a non-profit after I graduate this May!
“I left feeling ecstatic about my future and ready for whatever trials and tribulations the next two and a half years were about to bring me.”
-Dyllan Cook, Senior Nursing Student
After all of the stress that came with preparing to apply and applying to NAU’s nursing program, I felt it all melt away the moment I got accepted. But, little did I know the real stress surrounding school awaited me. The first eight weeks of nursing school felt like I was starting at ground zero. I basically had to learn a new medical language that was completely foreign to me. Then, on the ninth week, I had my very first clinical experience at The Peaks in Flagstaff. Although it wasn’t much, I did get to assist in serving lunch to the patients and even helped feed a quadriplegic patient who couldn’t do it on his own. We had the best conversation during that time and I left feeling ecstatic about my future and ready for whatever trials and tribulations the next two and a half years were about to bring me.
“…that moment made me realize what a difference I can make in children’s lives…”
-Allyson Laesch, Graduate Student School of Psychology
The moment I knew what I was doing was worth it was when I started my job working with kids on the autism spectrum. Before I started this job, I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do with my life. Some representatives from the agency came to my special education class and presented about autism. I thought it would be an interesting and fun job, so I applied. I was really nervous before I started and didn’t know if I would be good at it since I had zero experience. The first day, I met with a three-year-old kiddo who was SO excited to meet me. There have definitely been highs and lows since that point, but that moment made me realize what a difference I can make in children’s lives. I am so excited to continue working with children with special needs in the future!
How do you stay motivated? If you have questions, or are unsure about what path is best to take towards your future career, you can make a Career Exploration appointment with us via Handshake or contact us at career@nau.edu.