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Let’s start where you are. Not where you wish you were or where you think you should be, but right where you are. Remember, where you are now is not a permanent state!

Reflection Exercises

Below are some exercises to guide you.

Collegeview

If you are considering college or currently attending college, this exercise is for you!

A Collegeview is a brief document (150-200 words) that describes your ideas about college and what it means to you. It is not just a list of goals or a to-do list of activities, it’s your personal manifesto about the purpose of college. If it helps, use the questions below to guide your thinking.

• What's college for?
• You can use college to answer many questions, what question do you want to explore?
• What role should college play in your personal, intellectual, and vocational formation?
• What responsibility does the institution have in making your college experience positive? How much of that responsibility is yours?
• What are the important outcomes of college for you?
• Who are the strongest voices trying to influence your Collegeview (eg: family, friends)? How do you feel about these voices, and what role do they deserve to play or not?
• How might you complete the sentence, College will have been worthwhile if...

Workview

As you try out different work experiences or get ready to graduate and enter full-time employment, this exercise is for you!

A Workview is a brief document (150 words) to think through what work means to you. It is not just a list of what you want from work, but a general statement of your view of work. Think of the term work in the broadest definition, and consider all your active engagement with the world that extends beyond the narrow definition of a job. Take the time to reflect on what work means to you by thinking through these questions:

• Why work?
• What's work for? What's it mean?
• How does it relate to you as an individual, to others, and to society in general?
• What defines good or worthwhile work for you personally?
• How does money relate to your view of work?
• How does experience, growth, or personal fulfillment relate to your view of work?

Worldview

As you gain work experience your Worldview may change as your values evolve. This exercise will help you consider these values!

To begin to evaluate your Worldview, write a brief summary of your individual, personal Worldview (150-200 words) considering these questions. Keep in mind, it is up to you which questions you deem as most important. The key is to address those highest-order values and perspectives that provide a basis for your life, that create the platform to interpret and organize how you see the world and assign order, or disorder, to it.

• Why are we here?
• What is the meaning/purpose of life?
• What is the relationship between an individual, others, and the larger world?
• What is good or worthwhile to you?
• What is the meaning of time and eternity?
• Do you believe in a higher power and how does that factor into your life?

Marketplace Realities Information

There is a misconception among many students that their major will determine their career prospects, while according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers list soft skills as more highly valued than the choice of major (problem-solving, ability to work independently, verbal & written communication, collaboration, presentation skills, and teamwork).

In some careers, such as programming, there may be required technical skills but those need not be acquired through your major course of study and can often be learned through an individual elective course, a separate certification, or even an online self-paced learning class.

Visit the Yale College Outcomes Visualization tool below to search Yale's undergraduate majors and their varied career outcomes.

Key Helpful Resources

A Yale degree prepares you for career paths across functional areas, industries, and sectors. Explore the OCS Communities and create your custom newsletter to follow relevant news and blogs, career spotlights, and employment opportunities structured to help you decide which career path is right for you.