As a sophomore at Binghamton University, a resource that I learned about from the Fleishman Center that has helped me think about my career goals is Candid Career.
For those reading this that might be unfamiliar with Candid Career, I encourage you to keep on reading! Candid Career is a resource located on the Fleishman Center website that all Binghamton students have access to. Through the website, students can select one of the six career clusters that they are most interested in. I personally chose education and human services because it was the one that interested me the most as I put more thought into how I want to help people post-graduation. Then it will display a variety of videos of people that are working in that field and describe their daily career life.
Personally, I thought it was very supportive to simply view and listen to the speakers because I learned about several ways I would need to prepare for a specific occupation in the future. Such as the requirements for a career that is related to the education field. In addition, I enjoyed listening to the speakers because I thought it was informative, and in the last section of their video the speaker would give some advice about things that they wished they knew earlier.
Besides Candid Career videos, joining different student-run organizations is another way to further explore the whole variety of career options students may consider. A particular student organization that stood out to me was Active Minds. Their mission statement is “through education, research, and advocacy, Active Minds is opening up the conversation about mental health and creating lasting change in the way mental health is talked about, cared for, and valued at Binghamton University”. I am planning to attend their upcoming events because I value the topic of mental health. I think that as college students there should be more awareness spread on campus about mental health. I know it can sometimes be stressful to deal with classes, social life, and personal events that may be going on. I like that this student organization is both academic and social because it gives students a nice break from studying. Some of the events that they have planned include a sunset hike at the nature preserve that is located on campus. Afterward, they provided s’mores and lemonade for students to socialize with one another. Along with other activities such as study sessions, I thought it would be a great opportunity in terms of academics. I would feel more motivated to study if I see other students studying as well.
Overall, there are many student-run organizations on campus that students have access to and I highly encourage you to explore different organizations to see which one interests you the most. Additionally, organizations allow students to make connections and new friends for the next couple of years in college. It is beneficial to join at least one organization because students can explore academically if they want to further pursue that field. Lastly, it is a great opportunity to simply meet new people and make friends along the way in your time at university.
