Dear Undergrads🧑🏽🎓 | 7 Pieces of Advice from Someone Near the End of the Undergrad Tunnel
I decided to go a bit more general for this issue considering a lot of students are just finishing up their first year of university or are getting in. I hope you enjoy!
As I write this newsletter, I’m sitting on a train back to Toronto. Snow pelts the glass, and beyond the comfortable confines of the train, Ontarian mountains and farm pastures consume my line of sight. Although my back pain won't thank me for the Via Rail trip, it gave me the opportunity to sit down and reflect on my undergrad experience and what I wish I knew when I started. University is a scary place no matter who you are. New places, faces, and the pressure of being told that the the winding halls you roam for the next four years will build the foundation of your early adult life. Rumours are rampant amongst freshmen, whether it be what profs are difficult or what companies are the gold standard to work at, and it's hard to decipher if you should buy into the hype. The answer is no. Here’s my advice, hope it helps!
🧮 On The Three Headed Monster (G…P…A…) . . . .
Imagine this. You graduate your local high school with a pretty good grade point average and you get into your dream university (pat yourself on the back). You take your first test in ACTG 2100 and you get a 65%. Woah. Were you lied to for four years in high school? What is this number? Turn that six upside down and maybe you’ll recognize it. Your first year ends up not being too hot when it comes to grades and you don’t have a stellar GPA. You feel pretty shitty about yourself. I, along with many friends of mine, have felt this way at one point or another. But looking at where I am now, GPA did not matter as much as I thought it would, rarely is it asked about, and it's under your discretion to put it on something such as resume. What trumps GPA is experience (please disregard this if you are going to grad school or are trying to get into an industry such as law, investment banking, or consulting). The advice here is not to completely disregard working hard in your academics, rather, I am saying that getting a less than stellar grade every so often is not the end of the world. So before you run around like the sky is falling after getting a 55% in finance, understand this: It’s okay. It’s normal to not be the best in one thing, you’ll find something else or get better from here. And just remember this, by just graduating, you’ve done what Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg couldn’t. That’s got to count for something, right?
👯♀️ On The Importance of Friends . . . .
I feel like there’s been a renaissance of self-help books. Best selling books like Atomic Habits break down how to form a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle through establishing great discipline. Even more, interestingly, I've seen incoming undergrads stock their bookshelves to the brim with these types of books. Aside from these types of literary works, one thing that I think is integral to developing great habits is having friends that already have these habits down pat. This is not a glorification of hustle culture in friend groups, rather, what I am saying is to surround yourself with friends you can learn from and look up to (shoutout to the Brunch Bunch)! Learning from one another does not have to be strictly academic either, you can admire one friend’s ability to cook or another’s empathy. Environment can be a major determinant in success. Find friends that match the energy that you want and, more importantly, provide reassurance in the lifestyle you hope to obtain!
🧑🏽🎓 On Internships . . . .
In first year, I was talking to an upper year and they asked me if I had an internship for the summer. A what? An internship? What is that? The upper year told me it was a job for the summer that usually related to an industry you were interested in. I suddenly felt this overwhelming pressure, like many students in first year, to obtain something that I learned about five minutes ago. I was so desperate, I went door-to-door showing companies my resume hoping to get a call back. Turns out companies do applications online now too! Seriously though, I wish I didn't stress myself out too much for an internship in my first year. What I wish that upper year had told me is that your summer as a first year is one of the only summers you’re not expected to get an internship. As a freshman, understand that transitioning to university is already hard. Getting an internship for your first year would be amazing, but don’t beat yourself up over it. The goal of an internship is to grow and build on some concrete skills. You can still achieve these goals without an internship. Do a side project, find a startup to volunteer at, try making a small business, join a school club, or start a newsletter (like this one)! All of these will achieve the same effect in your first year and will help set you up for your second year search!
🧳 On Finding A Career . . . .
If this brings you comfort, I don’t think anyone really confidently finds out what the “perfect” career is, and I personally think that’s okay. What I’m working on now may not be what I want to do in 10 years. However, I know the feeling sucks to not know where to start, especially when some of your peers have decided their perfect career since the first day of undergrad (or that's how it appears). So where do you begin? The best advice someone told me for exploring my career was to continue to say yes, until you’re confident in saying no. Be open to new career opportunities even if they may not be exactly what you want, as with this new experience you can begin to understand what components are integral to the career you aspire to have. My career journey started from marketing, moved to consulting, and ended in product management. I didn’t know about product until my third year of university. Taking your time is okay and I really support the idea of having fun in the ambiguity of your early professional life.
💆🏾♀️ On Taking A Moment . . . .
Four years seems like a lot of time. I don’t know if time moves faster when you’re in university or maybe it’s the TWO-YEAR LONG ongoing pandemic, but university seems to just zoom by (like Zoom the platform, get it?). I obviously remember some all-nighters, maybe one or two big tests, and a couple job interviews, yet what comes to mind easiest is the time I took to spend with my friends. It sounds cheesy, but some of my fondest memories were eating ramen with buddies or singing karaoke at some downtown bar. The advice here is not to party everyday, but to be aware enough to take a step back and appreciate what’s in front of you. Not everyday has to be full of hustle culture, take a moment to celebrate, laugh, and enjoy company. Trust me, you’ll be happy you did.
🏔 On Taking a Gap Year . . . .
I took a gap year in my third year of university. I found myself feeling slightly ashamed of myself because relative to my peers, I was taking a longer time to decide what career was right for me. Since then, my opinion on gap years has changed drastically. I think they can be the best tool in your undergrad when used properly. A gap year (in my opinion) is best effective when the time used: 1) Can't be replicated in school and 2) Is progressing you towards a future goal of yours. I took my gap year to try to break into product and when I first started I did not have an internship in the industry I wanted to be in. My gap year was not precisely planned, rather, I just kept working on being a good PM and it led to the next opportunity and the next after that. Additionally, a gap year does not have to be primarily focused on career growth. Personal growth is just as applicable to being productive. A gap year can feel like a leap of faith, but with the right planning, it can be the best gamble you’ll take in your early academic career.
A Final Note
To those reading this going into university this year or had just finished their first year, I wish you the best of luck. University really is a time where you will grow into a new person. So take your time, don’t take yourself too seriously, take a break with friends, and be curious. By the end of the four years, I hope that the person you’ve grown into is the person you’ve envisioned yourself becoming.
Good luck. I know you’ll do some great things.
Also personal thank you to my editors (Cat, Anne, and Lucus) for taking the time to read each issue before it goes out to the amazing readers!
Thanks for reading this month’s issue.
I’m going to go make some coffee. You should too! Feel free to use the scan below to buy yourself some coffee on me at Starbucks, as always please be respectful as to the amount your purchasing <3
~ Tyler
That was amazing to read Tyler really appreciate your genuine approach in writing this. My favourite newsletter so far as I hella relate to the feeling lost and wondering about the uncertainty and trying to make the most of it while not falling victim to hustle culture. Your work is very appreciated. -Seb