15 Things You Need To Do Before You Graduate From St. John’s

Not ready to graduatre? You still have time! Here are 15 things you need to do before you graduate from St. John’s!

1. Study Abroad.

Studying abroad introduces you to new perspectives on religion, culture and society all while earning academic credit.

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2. Lay on the Great Lawn.

Grab your favorite book, a sheet and your sunglasses, and pick a spot. You can even practice meditating while everyone is in class.

3. Grab a coffee and talk with your favorite professor.

Stop at Dunkin Donuts in Marillac or Starbucks in DAC. Make friends you know you’ll have forever and chat with your favorite professor. Sometimes asking questions or sharing your goals can help you accomplish what you need to do right before you graduate. That also includes introducing you to their colleagues.

4. Network. Network.

There’s a lot of truth in the saying, “It’s not what you know, its who you know.” Sometimes knowing the right people can get you in the door quicker and easier. Go to a few meetings for the orgs and clubs that interest you.

5. Take an awesome pic with Johnny Thunderbird.

It will probably be the only picture you’ve ever taken with a bird that won’t fly away. Plus it makes for a nice keepsake to look at years from now.

6. Take advantage of every student discount available.

Cold Stone has a 10% discount for SJU students and it’s literally right next to campus! (Many students don’t know this for some reason).

7. Connect with your professors on LinkedIn.

By linking to your professors before you graduate, it makes it easier for them to remember you. You can easily contact them and see what they’re up to if you ever need a recommendation or career advice. After all, it is the world’s largest professional network.

8. Attend the Career Fair (at least once.)

The Career Fair is a great opportunity to represent who you truly are. You get the opportunity to introduce yourself to dozens of company representatives. Dress for success and don’t forget to bring copies of your resume!

9. Make friends you know you’ll have forever.

The friends you make these four years really will become your friends for life.

10. Secure an off campus internship.

What’s better than gaining experience in your field of work? If you like the internship and they love your work, they might actually offer you a full time job after graduation!

11. Talk to your secret crush.

We all have that one person we’ve always wanted to talk to but didn’t. Now is the time! Don’t let them slip away. You never know if they were crushing on you. Spark a conversation about their plans for the summer or ask for directions somewhere (even if you already know where it is.)

12. Buy a handful of St. John’s Alumni paraphernalia from the book store.

Especially if you are from out of state (including foreign exchange students). You never know when you’ll be back on campus so it’s a good idea to get your St. John’s gear while you’re still on campus. There’s also cool stuff in there for Mom and Dad too, give it them as gifts.

13. Find a mentor to help you after college.

Mentors have valuable resources and knowledge that can help you in your personal life as well as your academic life. Mentoring provides professional socialization and support, and builds a relationship that can last a lifetime.

14. Visit Career Services for a final resume review.

Career Service advisors are great at editing and proofreading your resume before you send it out into the world. They also give career advice on what you should work on next to get you the door after you graduate.

15. Take advantage of taking professional photos at the Career Fair.

You can even use the professional photo you took when you were taking senior pictures (depending on what you are wearing.)