…make a LinkedIn before your first midterm.
...MAKE A LINKEDIN BEFORE YOUR FIRST MIDTERM.
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Remember that feeling? The campus buzz, the new roommate, and then – almost immediately – the quiet understanding that your "personal brand" was already being forged. For many, creating that LinkedIn profile before the first midterm wasn't just a suggestion; it was an unspoken rite of passage. It wasn't merely about job-hunting; it was about staking your claim, signaling ambition, and perhaps, keeping pace with an incredibly driven cohort.
This environment often meant clubs weren't solely for passion but for prestige. Every application, every networking event, every coffee chat felt like a calculated step. Were you joining that highly selective student organization for pure interest, or for the resume bullet point, the exclusive connections, the perceived advantage? This constant, almost performative, cultivation of a "profile" became a core part of the journey. It's a unique ecosystem where affiliations and achievements are meticulously curated, designed to build a narrative of undeniable success.
Whether you're still navigating it or looking back, it's easy to get lost in that race to optimize, to brand yourself, to secure the next big thing. But beyond the frantic rush and the polished profiles, there's profound learning. It’s about navigating intense competition, articulating your value, and forging genuinely lasting connections. So, did you truly experience it if you didn’t feel that exhilarating, sometimes absurd, pressure to define yourself before you truly knew who you were?