- September 12, 2018
- 3:18 pm
- Mary Ann McGrath
- no comments
Tips for a Happy New School Year!
September on the academic calendar gives us all a fresh start. As the pace quickens with the opening of school, we greet new and old friends, new courses and professors, new ideas and textbooks and have an opportunity to make New Academic Year Resolutions.
An interesting article in Forbes (Forbes Article ) outlined predicted trends in Marketing, as noted in this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. These tips and changes (with some customization for the university environment) may serve as a guide for our own plans in the new academic year. The following is a customized version of some of the suggestions and trends coming from this conference that may guide our New School Year.
- Conversation is key: As digital noise becomes more prevalent, let’s appreciate and savor individual face-to-face contacts we maintain in the classroom and beyond. Plan times to “go dark” and enjoy in-person activities.
- Acknowledge your purpose: Keep your eye on the end game. Students come to Loyola for a credential steeped in Jesuit culture and values. This credential is respected and each classroom experience takes students closer to accomplishing it.
- Act like a startup: Each degree program and every course contain unexpected experiences and challenges. There is a spirit and mentality of adventure that should not be lost in the day-to-day responsibilities of school. This ingenuity and excitement can be found in all aspects of university life.
- Mark your goals: Reflect on your previous work and results. Evaluate what went well and what should have been done better.
- Do not be afraid to explore: Consider a course or area that is new to you. A new opportunity and interest may be created that will enhance your resume, enlarge your circle of friends or introduce you to an emerging trend.
- Prepare for the global world: At this point, we have access to all the world’s information. This information is transformational and can be used to bridge gaps, understand diversity and appreciate differing perspectives..
- Trust your professors and your colleagues: Trust is what makes relationships significant. Without it, interaction become transactions. Clear trust and purpose in your studies makes them more engaging.
- Have fun! University life is not meant to be all work and no play. Savor your time in this stimulating, attractive and safe environment. Never grow fearful of exploring new information. Keep your life exciting and friendships will follow.
Consider these points as an opportunity to reflect and bring focus to the start of this school year. Versions of this were proposed to strengthen a marketing strategy, but they can also strengthen you as a person. Trust, conversation, goal making, purpose and fun are all qualities that can be part of daily life. Whether you are at your job or internship, in class, or in passing time with friends, these qualities can help you become a stronger and more authentic person.
I 0ffer these hints as ways to grow as well as to market yourself. My hope is that during your program at Loyola you consider taking a Marketing course. This dynamic and rapidly growing area can also be enhanced with a Master’s degree in Marketing (MSIMC). In any case, I wish you all a Happy New School Year!
Mary Ann