How to Do College the Right Way 📓

College is a transformative experience—academically, mentally, socially… every kind of -ly you can imagine. But to actually gain these benefits, you need to know how to navigate each year strategically.

Here's my best advice for making the most of your four years.

Freshman Year: Build Your Rejection Tolerance

Freshman year is an emotional rollercoaster. You'll tackle the hardest classes you've ever taken while making some of the best memories of your life.

And you'll get rejected. A lot.

College has a ton of opportunity—clubs, internships, research positions. But it also has a ton of students competing for those same opportunities. Rejection becomes less about merit and more about luck and timing. The sooner you internalize this, the faster you'll land something.

It's a numbers game. Apply to dozens of internships, reach out to multiple professors, join several clubs. Eventually, something will stick. I promise.

Beyond that, focus on securing something for your first summer. To find opportunities, leverage three resources:

• Upperclassmen: They can help you navigate applications (and give you referrals)

• Your career center: The best place to get resume feedback

• Career fairs: Allow you to practice networking and pitching yourself

And if you're still struggling? Take advantage of your .edu email. Cold email entrepreneurs, founders, even professors. The world loves helping ambitious young people who put themselves out there.

Sophomore Year: Nail Down RSL

Freshman year is a sandbox with room to mess up. Sophomore year has less room for error.

Focus on what I call RSL: Research, Service, and Leadership. Building a track record in at least one of these areas will make your profile infinitely more compelling.

Research shows intellectual vitality (crucial if you're considering grad school). Service demonstrates empathy and commitment to something beyond yourself. Leadership can mean taking initiative on a project, building something useful, or coordinating an impactful event.

Here's another tip: join one outlier club. Something so different from everything else on your resume that it makes you memorable. Mine was dance. Did I continue it for long? Not at all. But it exposed me to new people, made for great stories, and honestly made my interviews more fun.

Also, start recruiting seriously. Applications for tech internships open as early as August or September. Don't wait until winter or spring—you'll have missed most deadlines.

Junior Year: Nail That Return Offer

Your junior summer internship is critical. Your performance will dictate whether you get a return offer—an offer to work full-time after graduation.

Landing that return offer depends on competence and likability. If you're extremely competent but not likable, you'll struggle. If you're likable but not competent, you'll also struggle. You need both.

Junior year is also when you should consider grad school. Most applications are due senior fall, so this is the time to craft your list, prep for exams, and line up professors for recommendation letters.

But grad school isn't the only option. Look into fellowships—programs that fund you to study, research, or work on projects, often abroad.

Senior Year: Soak It All In

Senior year is bittersweet. Unlike high school, the world after college requires you to build structure and community yourself.

One of the biggest things new grads miss isn't just the people—it's being within walking distance of them. Want to vent? Walk to their room. After college, spontaneity becomes harder.

So soak it all in. Enjoy the classes, clubs, dorms, even the mid dining hall food. Don't skip senior traditions.

Also: get your housing plan ready. Choose your city carefully based on your career goals. Research neighborhoods, calculate commutes, find roommates to split rent.

And finally, learn the basics of adult money: 401ks, investing, taxes, budgeting.

College can have a drastic impact on your life's trajectory. Make these four years count.

Do you feel ready for college? DM me on Instagram (@goharsguide) to let me know why or why not!

If you want study help, come join my Discord! We have a global community of students helping each other succeed in school. I’d love to see you there.

If you’re ready to level up next school year, check out Scholar OS. It’s the ultimate Notion template designed to help you organize your classes and life in one place.

I’ll see you next week!

Best,
Gohar