If you would have told me a year ago, “You should network with one of your classmates each week. It will be extremely beneficial.”
I would have told you I would rather write a paper, redo my resume, or even attend an hour-long lecture.
I avoided networking, especially with my peers, and thought it really “didn’t work.”
What tangible rewards come from awkwardly asking someone about their professional and personal life– I would prefer a more organic, natural conversation.
Maybe that was just my introvert-side taking over, but still, I hardly ever “formally” networked with classmates.
Networking is awkward, but when you overcome that initial awkwardness, it’s transformative and even fun.
Each week this semester, I networked with a classmate from one of my entrepreneurship courses. Thanks, rather, unfortunately, due to COVID, it was virtually done on Zoom.
I didn’t really want to network with my classmates, especially since it had to be done on Zoom. I was busy with other things. And I already alluded to it, but I am not the most social butterfly.
Still, I logged onto Zoom, and then a student magically (with some assist from WiFi) popped up on my screen. “Hi, how are you?”
“Great... I mean good. Umm... how are you?”
It was awkward. I was right all along. What was I doing?
Amid my panic, I realized the student I am talking to is thousands of miles away. They do not know me.
They can only judge me based on a small segment of their screen that I am currently occupying.
What did I have to worry about? If I misspoke, that could just be a connection issue. Or maybe my mic was acting up.
I was meeting someone through my computer screen. No matter how advanced the technology was, it wouldn’t remove that initial awkwardness.
A light bulb went off. It was going to be awkward, but that awkwardness did not have consequences. There is some pressure for it being “virtual networking,” but the expectations were flexible and fluid.
No one expects a virtual meeting to be perfect.
“Man, it is nice to meet you. It is cool that despite our six-hour time difference, we found the time to do this, so let’s just ask away.”
Suddenly the conversation was fun. And I transformed into a social butterfly.
Do I actually like getting to talk to a classmate, a classmate I would probably have never met? Why does online school feel less online right now, even though I am literally talking to this person on Zoom?
That is the power of networking during COVID.
We overcome awkwardness because we are just so excited to tell someone (other than our imaginary pet) that we have hobbies, dreams, and goals.
Online school reduces peer-to-peer interactions, but if you network, you can restore the balance.
Photo by Nandhu Kumar from Pexels
Let’s face it. Online school is a horrible setting for sparking friendships and even for creating acquaintances.
You log into Zoom. You mute your mic. And you may unmute it when the radio silence has guilted you into reaching over to your keyboard.
Then, the hour is up, and you click “Leave” in a lightning-fast fashion.
That is how my online school ritual looks like. I am sure yours is very similar to mine, especially if you are trying to keep your grades up but still have a life outside of online learning.
It is hard and unnatural to connect with your classmates during this unique college experiment. Breakout rooms only do so much.
Sometimes, breakout rooms manage to pair me up with the one student I already knew in the class.
In conclusion, it is hard to create authentic relationships with your peers. Sure, you miss out on some fun social situations, but you also miss the chance to learn from each other.
Advice about graduate schools, job opportunities, and even homework help is erased easily due to digital barriers.
That is why regularly scheduling a formal (ish) meetup on Zoom can be so helpful. You can talk to a peer about how they scored a dream internship.
That guidance can help you have clarity during a confusing time.
Make it weekly, so it becomes a habit.
Make it formal (ish), so the meeting actually happens.
Informality sometimes signals something is not a priority or is important. But do not make it rigid because Zoom’s beauty is that you can wear PJs– waste down. So make it formal (ish).
Peer-to-peer Zooms will help you regain empathy and understanding.
Photo by Skitterphoto from Pexels.
My final evidence supporting weekly networking with your classmates rests on something we have lost during the pandemic– empathy.
I have gone days, maybe even weeks, when I have just thought about my needs.
I am missing out on so much.
I wish I could do this.
I should be doing something else.
The pandemic reduced our conversations with others, which reduced our chances of getting outside of ourselves.
It is easy to be selfish right now. Life is hard. So we naturally may turn inward and try to solve our suffering.
This inwardness is damaging because we forget the healing power of selflessness.
Sometimes we need to hear someone’s voice to realize our voice is not the only voice we need to listen to.
As I did my weekly Zooms with classmates, I heard their struggles. Some were stuck at home. Some were stuck in a foreign country. Some were isolated from family.
Suddenly my problems became less of a priority.
Sure, they were still there. But I did not feel justified in giving them so much attention.
I was not alone in struggling, so why was I only seeing my struggles.
I saw how my peers were responding to their problems. Some were leading service projects. Others created lofty goals.
I gained new insight and inspiration.
My problems did not go away. And I was aware of that. But seeing other people and their strategies to stay “sane” during this crazy time challenged me to do the same.
It seems small, but finding a way to communicate with your classmates will offer you support, openness, and discernment.
It was not like every week when I would meet another student on Zoom that my life suddenly changed.
Sometimes I desperately wanted to go to sleep because I had stayed up late to make the call.
Still, I found actual value in networking weekly with my peers.
It was enjoyable learning fun facts from someone who I nearly considered a stranger.
It was insightful receiving post-graduation guidance from people on very different career tracks.
It was humbling to see I was not alone in my pandemic-related problems and even just issues that face college students every semester.
Establish a plan today to network with someone in your class. You do not even have to call it networking.
It will still work.
Comments