There is nothing wrong with scrolling through social media or enjoying some alone time looking at your phone when you’re not attending classes. But if college becomes nothing more than attending lectures and completing assignments and being on your phone in between, you may be missing out on some of the most valuable experiences that are right in front of you.
While the aim is to get good grades and earn a qualification, college is also a time to explore, experiment and discover who you are. Your campus is filled with opportunities to learn things that are not always taught in the classroom, but only if you are willing to step forward and participate.
Join a competition. Volunteer at an event. Become part of a club or student organisation. Attend an industry talk. Take part in a community programme. Help organise a college activity. And if you have an idea, why not be the person who starts it?
You do not have to wait until you feel completely ready. In fact, some of the best learning experiences happen when you are doing something for the first time. You might discover that you are good at leading a team, speaking in front of an audience, managing an event, solving problems or working with people from different backgrounds.
And here is something worth thinking about – What will your resume say about you when you graduate?
A qualification tells employers what you studied. Your experiences tell them what you can do.
Imagine being asked in an interview, “Can you provide an example of your leadership skills?” Instead of simply saying, “I am a good leader,” you can talk about the time you led a team in a competition or helped organise a college event. When being asked about teamwork, you can share how you worked with different people to complete a project. When being asked about your communication skills, you can talk about a presentation, event or community programme you were involved in.
Suddenly, you are not just describing your skills. You are proving it to them through real experiences.
This is why the activities you sometimes think are “just for fun” can become valuable additions to your resume. Competitions, volunteering, student leadership, event management, entrepreneurship projects and community engagement can all help build a stronger story about who you are beyond the classroom.
More importantly, these experiences can shape you as a person. You meet new people, build confidence, learn from mistakes and discover interests you may never have known you had.
Years from now, you may not remember every assignment you submitted. But you may remember the competition you almost did not join, the event you helped organise, the project you started with your friends or the moment you stepped outside your comfort zone for the first time.
So, the next time you find yourself reaching for your phone after class, take a moment to look around.
Explore. Participate. Take initiative. Build your story.
Because when graduation day arrives, you are not leaving with only a certificate. You are leaving with skills, connections, memories and experiences that make you stand out from the crowd.
Nur Aisya Najwa Amerrudin
Lecturer/Programme Leader, School of Business and Hospitality
