Advice from Recent Graduates

We asked recent graduates for tips on making the most of your time at Columbia. Here's what they said:

Jada Sherrod
Jada Sherrod, MSPH'24

"It seems like a direct path, but it doesn’t feel like that… I've always been changing my life… When you look back on it, you see the path. But when you're on it, you don’t."

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Dawoom Jung, SIPA'24
Dawoom Jung, SIPA'24

"Keep an open mind. Talk to a lot of people – fellow students, seniors, professors, or academic advisors, and see what other options are available for you... A lot of us don’t know what we are doing and what we want to do for the rest of our lives. The pressure is high, but you are allowed to make mistakes. So, take your time, do your research, and change your mind as many times as you need!"

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Taylor Carey, GSAS'24
Taylor Carey, GSAS'24

"It is really important to find community in your field. And look beyond what’s right in front of you…Social media is a big part of connecting people so is getting out of that bubble of wherever you are. It is really important to realize that there's more people like you, and it's not just what's in front of you."

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Tenneh Sillah
Tenneh Sillah, ARTS‘23

“It's okay to only focus on school for a while. Figure out how you study well, where you study well, what your study routine is. Sleep. Take care of yourself.”

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Hanyu Ye
Hanyu Ye, CSSW‘23

“As an international student, it can be lonely. At the very beginning, I was scared of loneliness… Now, I can say I enjoy the loneliness because it's given me time… to understand what I really want to do and what kind of person I really want to be.”

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Jeremy Chiu
Jeremy Chiu, MSPH’23

“Don't be afraid to message in class group chats. I know a lot of people dismiss the class GroupMe and WhatsApp chats, but they're helpful for meeting people and staying in the loop with everything going on throughout the year... I understand some people are a little bit more on the introverted side. But, take that risk and put yourself out there.”

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Shatize Pope
Shatize Pope, GS‘23

“Never be afraid to ask for help. I definitely had to learn that because I am someone who feels as though I have to do everything on my own.”

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Maya Castronovo
Maya Castronovo, CC‘23

“You think you have to have everything figured out right away and be really good at the things that you want to do, whether it be an extracurricular or academic pursuit… But put yourself out there. Don't be afraid to look silly or fail.”

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Bingruo Xu
Bingruo Xu, SPS‘23

“Sometimes, you’re going to get annoyed thinking, Oh, why didn't I get a higher GPA? Or why didn't I get better job offers? Don’t waste too much time thinking that.”

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