As you near the end of your junior career in the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA), a new experience is approaching: college. We often hear that college can be the best four years of our lives, but how do we make the most of the experience? Where do you begin, and how do you navigate all the change?

There is no easy answer to these questions. Everyone has a unique experience with college. The good thing is that as a member of the NJAA, you’ve developed skills and tools that will help you to navigate this new journey in your life. 

One of the first skills you develop growing up in this industry is being a hard worker and having grit. Raising livestock, showing livestock and competing at this level aren’t easy. All the long days spent tirelessly working have made you into a more resilient individual who can stick out the hardships life throws at you.

When you face uncertainty in making decisions in college or when classes become more difficult, remember where you’ve been. Remember your hard work has paid off before, and it will again. Remember the storm will pass.

Another advantage of being a part of the NJAA is that you’ve been set up with a great network of people. From mentors to advisors to friends, you have a large pool of people in this industry rooting for your success. When you age out of the NJAA, those individuals don’t go away. 

In fact, college can be an opportunity to rely on and connect with those individuals even more. When I began my freshman year at the University of Illinois, one of my family’s longtime Angus friends reappeared in my life. Bailey Harsh and her family had been friends from the time I started showing and then in college, Bailey became my professor. When I started college, Professor Bailey had reached out and reminded me that she would always be a familiar face if I ever needed anything. I was so grateful to see my Angus community was still there to support me even on this new journey. Regardless of where your post-high school journey takes you, you can always reach out to your Angus family for guidance or support.

Oftentimes, one of the hardest parts of college is the adjustment. You’re faced with so much change at once. You’re living in a new place, making new friends, with new classes, new teachers, new freedoms, and new responsibility. One key to successfully navigating all this change is being open to it. Ending your junior career in the NJAA and entering a transition in your life can be bittersweet, but there are so many things to be excited about. It’s important to realize growth comes from these times of change, and it’s OK to be excited for something new. Embrace the change.

Another important component in handling this transition is staying grounded in who you are. Amongst all the newness of college, remember where you came from and what you value most. For me, in times of feeling overwhelmed or confused, I remember the things that keep me centered: faith, family and friends. Staying grounded in who you are will allow you to have a strong foundation in college whilst also continuing to better yourself.

All in all, take advantage of the opportunities you encounter in this new journey in your life. Embrace the change while keeping close the people and things you value the most. Utilize the skills you’ve gained from the NJAA and lean on the people that this organization has given you.