I Wish I'd Known Sooner #4 - Speaker series are actually helpful

I remember I'd always get e-mails in my UWO account from 'Backpack 2 Briefcase' about networking events and speakers coming to Western. Quite honestly, I'd glance over them with my finger hovering above the delete button.

Let me tell you something...it wasn't until my last year (this year) that I decided to attend one of those speaker events and honestly, they're more enlightening than you'd think.

Monday was the first day of Career Week at Western and it was kicked off with the topic of passion-- which was great. We often think that once we enter the 'real world' (aka: work), we lose the opportunity to pursue our passions. Listening to Melissa speak on Monday though, reassured me that you don't have to sacrifice everything just to make a living. And as someone who fears that the job life would become incredibly mundane and define who you are, I ended up getting a lot out of the event.

So before you delete that e-mail, give it a chance. Take advantage of all the resources and support systems that Western offers. It's great, seriously. Sure, you learn a lot in your lectures (let's hope), but UWO offers these other learning (enlightening?) outlets that many students I think, glaze over.

There's still two more days left in Career Week, see what else is happening.

Career week, job fair, career carnival, etc,.etc,.

You mean I can't run my lemonade stand for the rest of my life?

Have your parents started pestering you about 'finding a job' yet? I know mine have. Thankfully, UWO's Career Fair is taking place next week (Jan 31-Feb 4) and if anything, it'll help get your mind rolling on the job front.

Let me break down the highlights for you:

• Participate in events, you can win an iPad! Great for passing time on that train/bus ride back home.
• Keynote speakers on multiple days and speaking about various subjects
• Interested in NGO? There's a networking event just for you.
  
• Did I mention that you can win an iPad?
• Feb 3: this is when companies set up booth at the Rec Centre. It's not all about the free swag (although it is fun)- Suit up, network, get a job.
  

Full details can be found at the Student Success Centre site, because there's no way that I could cover everything in this entry. If I did, it would be more of a 'copy and paste' job.

UWO offers so many resources and this is definitely one that plenty of upper years would recommend taking advantage of.