Classmates, also referred to as schoolmates, are defined as students who attend at least one of the same classes together at a particular school or educational institution. Classmates are important and can serve as amazingly valuable resources to a person’s future career pathway in the healthcare industry, albeit for a number of good reasons that might not be completely apparent at the first glance.
Why are classmates so valuable? Firstly, classmates can enlarge a person’s professional and personal network. Second, classmates are a great source of knowledge and wisdom. Third, classmates can make the time at school pleasurable. Fourth, classmates can be the ones to provide character references for jobs or college applications. Finally, classmates can help each other to learn the mountains of material being taught in school.
The majority of adult learners opt to go back to school or enroll in career training classes so they can acquire job skills that will make themselves more marketable and salable in the employment marketplace. In other words, people go back to school to increase the odds of getting better jobs for higher pay. Classmates can be a helpful part of a personal network since they may know of potential workplaces that have job openings.
Furthermore, classmates can bestow a lot of free knowledge and pearls of wisdom upon each other by way of sharing their life’s experiences, backgrounds, personal stories and work histories. For instance, the 48-year-old student with 25 years of home health care-giving experience can provide useful info to her classmates on the benefits and pitfalls of giving direct care to clients in a homelike residential workplace setting.
Also, friendly relationships with classmates can enhance the social experience at school. Aristotle said that human beings are social animals and therefore naturally seek the company of others as part of their well being (Cohen, 2010). Students often take pleasure in joining one another for coffee breaks, lunch time and class sessions. These friendly bonds may extend outside school and can last for many years after graduation day.
Do not forget about professional and personal references that a job seeker needs when applying to places of employment, educational programs and so on. Hiring managers and school program directors often request character references from people who can vouch for the applicant’s habits and goodness. When a former student keeps in touch with his classmates, they will be more likely to offer character references for him.
Finally, classmates can help each other learn the material that is being covered in school. Groups of students who attend the same class may form study groups to learn and retain the information. Also, classmates can share the techniques they use to study for quizzes, exams, hands-on skills and reading assignments. Some classmates exchange phone numbers and may call or text each other when they need help or clarification.
Classmates function in all sorts of useful ways. They boost the size of a student’s personal network and can help in the job hunt. They are full of free knowledge and pearls of wisdom, and can enhance the schooling experience. They may serve as much-needed character references and can help each other learn the material. Since classmates are so very useful, they are of the utmost importance during a student’s time in school.
REFERENCES
Cohen, E. (2010, September 21). You Are a Social Animal. Psychology Today. Retrieved March 24, 2019, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-would-aristotle-do/201009/you-are-social-animal
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