You know, snow days aren’t as special as they used to be. Maybe it’s because I still had a presentation due Monday and a midterm due Wednesday. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older and more mature. Maybe I’m saddened by the fact that it may be my last snow day of my education — ever.

My mom never understood what those days meant to me. A snow day was everything back then. It was a day to be free, a day where I determined what I wanted to do. Not what I had to or what I was told to do. I was the boy in charge.

Why do I not feel the same way about snow days now as I did way back when? Searching for an answer brought me back to reality. So, Monday I chose to spend my free day reflecting upon what I have learned at college, what experiences I will never forget and what every undergraduate student should do before they graduate.

Something I wish that was emphasized more when I started four years ago is a skill I would never have imagined on the list of “things I expect to learn at a university”: the dreadful process of networking. And when I casually say emphasized, I mean imprinted. No, I’m not kidding.

Over four years of meeting new people and developing countless relationships, it became clear how critical it is to develop and practice the skill of networking, both professionally and personally.

Landing your first internship, your first job, getting accepted to graduate school, that awkward meet-cute with your future girlfriend — it all depends on your ability to communicate your thoughts effectively. How well can you sell yourself?

Making a lasting impression can affect you when you least expect it. You never know when you might need that random contact you made at Brother’s to help you with class, with your job, or to book your wedding photographer.

If there was one thing I wish somebody would have told me when I first started, it would be to put my foot out the door and meet as many people as possible, no matter how uncomfortable it is at first. I wish somebody pushed me out the door, actually.

But I didn’t get that late of a start. One month into my first semester I decided to study abroad during winter break. A week before the deadline, I blindly chose to apply to the program in Paris. I didn’t know anything about the course, the professor or the types of students that apply. I didn’t even know French, except “parlez-vous anglais?”

I took a risk, and it paid off. I figured, what could possibly go wrong over two weeks? It was in Paris where I realized what I wanted to do with my life. I wrote previously how college is a place to discover your passions, and it is opportunities like studying abroad, internships and student organizations that give you direction. 

Not only was Paris where I found my passion, it was a place where I spent two weeks of my life with complete strangers. The contacts I made there will be with me for the rest of my life, and you can’t put a price on that.

If you’re looking for a way to study abroad but don’t want to spend an entire semester or year away from home, the winter break and summer programs offered are reasonable alternatives.

The most important steps you can take as a college student are to get involved and to use your connections to find an internship in a position you have a passion for or at any company you enjoy. I will never forget the time I spent in Paris and the people I met. Every person has their own personality, and learning how different people interact with each other in unfamiliar territory is invaluable. 

I feel as though the experiences I have had throughout my college career provided me with the direction I need to succeed in the real world. Even if this is my last snow day, my time here has helped me understand that every day can be a snow day, a day where I determine what I want to do and how I want to do it. 

Don’t waste your time here — put yourself out there.

Tommy is a senior in Business. He can be reached at [email protected] and tommyheiser.