College IS the Fastlane

[Pabski]

Okay, so maybe College is not the fastlane. That being said, I am currently finishing my second year while studying Exercise Science. Last year I took the entire year off of school, I had $5,000 and a bit of adventurous ambition.

I ended up traveling to the Philippines to volunteer for a month building houses for Typhoon victims. My entire perspective on life shifted, including my perspective towards education. I vowed to myself that I would finish college because I had an OPPORTUNITY to do so, unlike many of the people I met on that trip.

I absolutely love learning about how the human body works, and spend most of my free time researching, learning, and applying the information learned to myself and those around me. I am at a point where the amount of information learned outside of school has surpassed that learned during school. It seems I study countless hours to pass tests that have no carryover towards providing value to others in real life.

That being said, I am not one to go back on my word. I recently was notified I received a Resident Assistant Job next year at the University, which will pay for pretty much all of my college expenses. I am going to use this opportunity to polish leadership skills and communication ability.

For a long while I had a debate with myself. I KNOW I will be successful and achieve anything I put my mind to, that is just how I am. Part of me wants to drop out and be able to push my fastlane ideas into action. But then it hit me. Why not use this free college education and housing to develop my fastlane?

I will have almost no bills, a roof, food, and resources. College is a HUGE platform to find needs, develop solutions, and provide value. Testing marketplaces on campus would be extremely beneficial. Networking and access to some incredibly smart people's time will be advantageous as well.

I suppose the point of this thread is to extract any tips/ideas/thoughts any of you might have on using college as a platform for the fastlane, and how I can further develop my mindset towards looking for places to provide value.

 

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[DeletedUser2]

while in collage, learn to network, build your network now, it will be worth alot later.


collage is great for that

(pick up a couple books on networking. how, why, etc)

Z

 

[Pabski]

I will do just that! I have quite a few high up "mentors." That being said, most only envision the slowlane lifestyle and success in terms of grades/degrees.

Each person has something to offer in terms of value though, even if their overall outlook is not in line with mine. Sometimes an alternate perspective can be beneficial.

Thank you for your reply zen*******. Have a wonderful day!

 

[Gale4rc]

I wish this thread was a forced read for all the college kids here to consider who are thinking about dropping out.

Like + Rep given

I personally dropped out and I don't regret it 1 bit but, if I did go to college it would be for the sole reason to get into a even nicer college and join an high quality frat and get all those connections.

 

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[Pabski]

I wish this thread was a forced read for all the college kids here to consider who are thinking about dropping out.

Like + Rep given

I personally dropped out and I don't regret it 1 bit but, if I did go to college it would be for the sole reason to get into a even nicer college and join an high quality frat and get all those connections.

Making the most of any given situation is my goal throughout this experience. Most do have the mindset of going to college, get good grades, and get a decent job. My mindset is to attend college in order to learn, grow, apply concepts, communicate, connect. Using this platform to fail fast will be extremely beneficial in my development. Opportunities are abundant, opportunities that require action.

As much as it might sound dumb...I feel it could be the perfect platform for failure, eventually leading to my success.

 

[Yankee427]

Try and find students at your college who have the same mindset as you and are entrepreneurial in nature and you can find business partners for later in life and friends for life. Currently I'm traveling the country with a friend who I was roommates with throughout college who is trying to build out and sell his app and service. I am trying to build out a service business with friends I met in college now. It's a great place to meet people, just use the time wisely.

Throughout college we were always discussing ways we were hustling trying to make money and make things work. A friend and I were trying to startup a computer repair business from our dorm room. I was up most nights trying to read ebooks or find different products to sell online. Make sure you use all your time wisely.

 

[Pabski]

Try and find students at your college who have the same mindset as you and are entrepreneurial in nature and you can find business partners for later in life and friends for life. Currently I'm traveling the country with a friend who I was roommates with throughout college who is trying to build out and sell his app and service. I am trying to build out a service business with friends I met in college now. It's a great place to meet people, just use the time wisely.

Throughout college we were always discussing ways we were hustling trying to make money and make things work. A friend and I were trying to startup a computer repair business from our dorm room. I was up most nights trying to read ebooks or find different products to sell online. Make sure you use all your time wisely.

Great ideas my friend! This past year I have spent quite a bit of time experimenting smaller ideas with people, trying to see what DRIVES them, what motivates them. Many I have attempted to bring along with me for this journey end up not being the person I need by my side.

One avenue I am exploring as I speak is emailing upper level professors about their experiences throughout life. If there is one thing EVERYONE likes to talk about, it is themselves. I am exploiting this avenue in hopes to gain insight as well as connections to not only the professors themselves, but the graduate students they are teaching. As of now I am focusing on computer science professors/students. Being an Exercise Science major it will benefit me tremendously to have a mentor/partner who knows more of the technological aspects, though I intend on learning as well.

Maybe someone else in a similar situation can find knowledge through using these same techniques.

 

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[Yankee427]

Also college is a great place to find programmers and graphical designers for cheap if you have any ideas for an app or anything in Exercise Science. You may even find them for free in college so they can use that as a project for a class.

 

[Pabski]

Also college is a great place to find programmers and graphical designers for cheap if you have any ideas for an app or anything in Exercise Science. You may even find them for free in college so they can use that as a project for a class.

Indeed!! Many are looking for opportunities to practice their trade and gain experience. Potential waiting to be tapped.

 

[frieden70]

I will do just that! I have quite a few high up "mentors." That being said, most only envision the slowlane lifestyle and success in terms of grades/degrees.

I admire your mindset and view on things. I was much the same way when I was going through college.

One piece of advice would be to be very selective as to who you take advice from. If your "high up mentors" envision the slowlane lifestyle as success I would argue that they really aren't your mentors.

You want to find and connect with people that have the same mindset as you. People that want, are and have made changes that have had impacts on people and provided immense value. These are the relationships that will help you get to where you want to go.

Good luck on your journey.

 

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[J_Boss]

I think I'm in a similar situation as you @Pabski. Most of my college is paid for through scholarships and whatnot and I should be able to graduate without any debt because of my internships every-other semester. It's definitely a great place to meet people with similar interests plus you're making memories that you otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity to have.

I think I have read on a few other threads that people do say that college can be beneficial as long as you're not putting yourself into the hole by doing it. Great post man definitely keeping an eye out for your future success story.

 

[Pabski]

I admire your mindset and view on things. I was much the same way when I was going through college.

One piece of advice would be to be very selective as to who you take advice from. If your "high up mentors" envision the slowlane lifestyle as success I would argue that they really aren't your mentors.

You want to find and connect with people that have the same mindset as you. People that want, are and have made changes that have had impacts on people and provided immense value. These are the relationships that will help you get to where you want to go.

Good luck on your journey.

Much truth to that. I put "mentors" in quotes for that exact reason. Although they may not envision a path on the same road as me, there are still valuable lessons and take-aways I can obtain. Great insight @frieden70, thank you.

I think I'm in a similar situation as you @Pabski. Most of my college is paid for through scholarships and whatnot and I should be able to graduate without any debt because of my internships every-other semester. It's definitely a great place to meet people with similar interests plus you're making memories that you otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity to have.

I think I have read on a few other threads that people do say that college can be beneficial as long as you're not putting yourself into the hole by doing it. Great post man definitely keeping an eye out for your future success story.

Hopefully this thread will be a source of information for others like you and I J_Boss. Hoping to collect quite a few applicable gold nuggets from those on the forum who have been there and done it. Like MJ says, no idea is worth jack shit unless it is followed by action more importantly a process.

 

[Pabski]

UPDATE:

Did some research, found out a program called Blackstone Launchpad was initiated here at my University this February. Emailed some people, got in contact with a few, applied for a job this summer with this group. It is basically an entrepreneurial program developed to help college students initiate their ideas and supply them resources and connections.

Also, I met with the manager of the Universities Entrepreneurship club this morning. Talked with him about my ideas and about trying to connect with like minded people. After quite a good discussion about life in general and what the club was about, he decided to offer me a leadership position along with the other 4 people he has. Two are MBA's, one is the head of marketing and not sure about the other. He said they were looking for an Exercise Science leader and innovator and was impressed with my initiative.

Anyone else who is in college and looking to begin their journey on the fastlane should check for an entrepreneurship club within the university. These two managers have connections in almost every sector of the city, and have been successful and failed multiple times with start up businesses.

To say I am excited would be an understatement.

Time to make things happen.

 

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[SBS.95]

Blanket statements like "College is a waste of time/money" or "No one should go to college" are almost always untrue. As with most things, I believe the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

If you aren't getting in over your head with student loans (scholarships aren't THAT hard to get and it's the only time in life you can write an essay and get $3000) I think there are far worst things you can do. I'm going to be graduating in 3 years instead of 4, have a major in the field I want to start a business in, and a minor in entrepreneurship.

The problem is that most people use college as an excuse not to branch out and grow. Instead of maturing and figuring out what they want to do with their lives, they use it as an excuse to binge drink and get useless degrees in "17th century Belgian lesbian studies".

The other Friday I attended a seminar featuring entrepreneurs in the local community. There were 3 local successful business owners. 1 of them in particular, call him 45 years old, told all about his company from the ground up. They make some sort of finely ground substance which is used to make floor tiles. He described the fear he and his partner experienced when getting a $600,000 bank loan, the other half they were putting up, for a $1.2 million machine used to make this substance. That company now has 10 of those $1.2 mil machines. And that guy now owns and operates 3 different companies.

And yet, while this man is talking, a girl in the front row of the lecture hall, who was only there to receive extra credit for a class, sat messing around on her iPhone. Here's a man worth 9 digits, telling you for free how he and his partner built and ran their company on their way to becoming multimillionaires, and you are more concerned with playing Flappy Bird or whatever the new thing is.

 

[Pabski]

The problem is that most people use college as an excuse not to branch out and grow. Instead of maturing and figuring out what they want to do with their lives, they use it as an excuse to binge drink and get useless degrees in "17th century Belgian lesbian studies".

Spot on. 100% agree man. Great response.

 

[CarrieW]

I do not usually advocate college for people. The ones who I do are in your exact situation If I had the chance to have the opportunity you have I would do exactly what you are doing

Sent from my SCH-I200 using Tapatalk

 

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[Pabski]

I do not usually advocate college for people. The ones who I do are in your exact situation If I had the chance to have the opportunity you have I would do exactly what you are doing

Sent from my SCH-I200 using Tapatalk

I will definitely put my opportunity to good use!!

 

[Yankee427]

I have a friend who is going for his MBA in entrepreneurship which his job is paying for so he isn't going into debt from it. The other day he went into talk to the I guess it's called the entrepreneur counseling. We are trying to start up a business together, and the wisdom that these guys can give him for free is very good.

These guys he was talking to are where he goes at NYU. They are successful business owners themselves just giving back by being a part of this. The founders of Pinterest actually came to these guys first to ask about their idea where they were first starting out and I guess still MBA students. They were telling my friend how the guys came to him and how they felt at that time. You never know what type of help you could get from the school until you go out searching for it. I feel that most college students don't search for the help they could get for free from there. As long as you are there, you might as well use what you have for your disposal.

 

[Sean Corroon]

One thing I regret not doing was studying harder in school to get myself into a better college studying a more appropriate degree. I ended up doing science as I had no idea what I wanted to do when in fact now, when I finally found my interest I should of gone into business and finance! As I dont have the grades to transfer Im stuck. That was a lesson in my life to always work hard and it will get you to where you want to be with more doors open.

 

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[Pabski]

I have a friend who is going for his MBA in entrepreneurship which his job is paying for so he isn't going into debt from it. The other day he went into talk to the I guess it's called the entrepreneur counseling. We are trying to start up a business together, and the wisdom that these guys can give him for free is very good.

These guys he was talking to are where he goes at NYU. They are successful business owners themselves just giving back by being a part of this. The founders of Pinterest actually came to these guys first to ask about their idea where they were first starting out and I guess still MBA students. They were telling my friend how the guys came to him and how they felt at that time. You never know what type of help you could get from the school until you go out searching for it. I feel that most college students don't search for the help they could get for free from there. As long as you are there, you might as well use what you have for your disposal.

It almost seems as a college student those more experienced than you want to "nurture" you, which can be both good and bad depending on who is doing the nurturing I suppose. Separating myself from other college students by being more ambitious in terms of use of time/use of resources has gotten me quite a few interesting opportunities as of late. As everyone on this forum keeps saying, might as well ask and put yourself out there, worst they can say is no.