Are You Smarter than a Frog? 

When you look at this photo, what do you see? 

When a frog looks at a river that he or she wants to cross they do not see the task as an impossibility.  They look at all of the lily pads that are in place as a bridge towards the achievement of their goals.  By assessing the situation and looking at the available pathways a frog will systematically take the necessary steps to leap from one lily pad to another.

We have these same means in life.  We all need to develop a similar mindset whereby we can travel from one opportunity to the next, systematically, towards reaching our goals.

Students need to think critically about their educational experience beginning in high school.  What is the next lily pad you hope to leap on to?  What will you need to prepare you for the journey into your future.

We think about school as something that directs us through a program of requirements.  Not necessarily in a planned way where you are proactively working towards goals.  Instead we react to what we are being told to do.  We let other people hold “the map” of the journey we call life and we listen to what they tell us to do in order to be successful.

This is not to say that you do not have to listen to others and that you can independently do what you want to do.  What you need to do is understand the system and understand where the opportunities are available to you.  How can you lay claim to your goals and work systematically towards achieving them?

Discussion Question:  During your high school years there are ways for students to earn college credit.  They can do so through traditional course offerings and even through experiential education.  What types of opportunities are available to you to earn college credit?

For those of you that are going to college, do you know when you should start looking for a job? The answer is day one of your freshman year.  While you are really in school to learn, the end result is that you are really looking for a well paying job that makes you happy.  Besides your studies, your freshman year should be spent developing your resume, attending events, and preparing yourself for the workplace.  Your work skills are not only technical skills that you are learning in the classroom, but your personal or soft skills too.

Are you comfortable speaking in front of others?  If not, it would be a great idea to join Toastmasters.  Have you ever gone to an event where everyone will be interacting with each other?  This is called a networking event.  It can be intimidating for well seasoned professionals to attend these types of events.  However, the more practice you have meeting new people and interacting with them the better you will get at it.  Do you think it is best to attend your first networking event when you are looking for a job or do you think it is better to practice early on?

Most college students do not start thinking about their career opportunities until Junior or Senior year.  They are stuck in one place on their lily pad working on classroom assignments and enjoying the extra freedom of the college schedule.  (Your schedule in college will not be like your schedule in high school.  Typically you will spend an average of 3.5 hours per day in class.  During the times that you are not in class you should be using the time to study and work.  Transitioning from a structured high school environment to a much more flexible college schedule is difficult for some students.   Taking the time to develop a schedule that includes class times, study times, and your work schedule will help you be better prepared to succeed.)

By your Sophomore year you should start looking for job shadow opportunities.  I cannot tell you how many students in my own network that have changed their academic pathway after their first job in the industry.  The later you decide the more time and money it will cost you in the end.  You should also be seeking out contacts within the alumni network who are working in the field where you hope to work.

By your Junior year you should be off to an internship experience.  Again, it is important to make connections at your internship and to showcase your talents.  As a Junior, there is plenty of opportunity for you to gain additional experience with the same company before graduation.  It is also a really good idea to develop a list of companies that you are interested in working for.

By your Senior year, you should be actively looking for internship opportunities with all of the companies identified on the list of companies you are hoping to work for.  You will be looking to transition your internship into a full time position after graduation vs. countless interviews at companies you may or may not have interest in.

It is time to take the steps to create your own life!

Discussion Questions:  Much of the information in this module might be new to you.  Do you have any questions about your current high school pathway or questions about your future college career?

What are your lily pads for the upcoming school year?