Does Learning Ever End?

A question I asked myself multiple times throughout the education process was, “Is this really going to help me in a future career?” It was one part forward-thinking, two parts being burnt out on going to school. The lessons that college taught me were not all what I expected them to be, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t beneficial for my career.

Group projects in college taught me to give a chance to people I may never have talked to. There is a certain bond that is formed from creating an entire marketing strategy presentation that you don’t have in other circumstances. I don’t talk to any of my former group members on a daily basis now, but I saw them more than anyone in the weeks we finished up our project. As a group, we figured out how to use each other as resources so that we could graduate. This has translated directly to my job now, because I use everyone in the office as a resource when I need help brainstorming ideas, or getting some inspiration.

Taking mind-numbing classes that I haven’t used at this point in life have helped me to understand how to deal with high-stress situations. I learned how I work in terms of dealing with stress on a day-to-day level, as well as when I’m overwhelmed. When work piles up on the same day, I take a deep breath. If it is starting to get to me too much, then I will take a walk around the office to stretch my legs, and then come back to my desk.

Dealing with intense grief while managing school and work taught me to persevere. I lost my father during my first senior year of college, and my brother-in-law the summer after, but I didn’t give up on my education. I had the goal in mind to graduate, and I achieved it! When I think that I am incapable of doing something at work, I remind myself that I have already done many things that seemed unattainable in my eyes. That encourages me to come up with creative ways to manage my work.

Working at Harness Digital Marketing has taught me so many different things in two months. I have learned how to manage an office I only just joined, and to continually adapt to the changing world of social media. I have learned about many different subjects that I never imagined I would by researching for clients, and gained new interests through this. But the most important lesson that I have learned in my transition from college to career is that I will never stop learning, and that I’m actually pretty happy about that.

Laurel White | @laurelnwhite92