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Deciding upon a business degree was an easy decision since I was good at accounting in high school and liked the idea of landing a well-paying job. Once at college though, I realized that life as a business student was only partially about classes and course work. The more time I spent at the business school, the more I understood that being a business major was just as much about learning to work and function in a social and team environment as it was about being book smart.

OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES

During my time as a business student, I also worked at the university golf course, was vice-president and summer house manager of my fraternity, and somehow found time to attend classes, study, and meet my future wife. Rather than feeling exhausted though, I found that staying busy energized me. There's no better preparatory experience for the business world than multi-tasking and working hard during your college life. However, one can easily become lost in the jumble of school, work, and social activities.

FOCUS

The key to staying on task as a business student is being organized. Making lists, scheduling, highlighting important dates, such as tests, project deadlines, and team meetings, are a must. Remaining focused will maximize the time you have outside class. If you allow yourself to become lost in the vast array of activities required of a business student, you'll quickly become overwhelmed and feel like giving up.

THE FORMATIVE YEARS

The junior and senior years are probably the most relevant as a business student. These are the core curriculum years. This is also typically the time when there is an increase in team and group work. Be prepared for multiple group meetings each week. You will find that you will have some good teams and some bad. This is part of the game. Just as in the working world, not all of your co-workers are going to have the same strengths and weaknesses, and you must be willing to continually adjust, delegate, and re-focus. This is also when you'll build key social skills and develop the ability to adapt in an ever-changing global business environment.

Remember, being a business student is about more than just attending class. There is as much to be learned from the social and self-management aspects of being a business student as from the material in books. That doesn't mean you should spend all your time socializing. What it does mean, is that effectively splitting your time between school, social, and home life, will generally make you more effective in the business world, as well as a well-rounded person.

Learn more about this author, Kris Calhoun.
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