During the start of my sophomore year in college, I knew I wanted to get a part-time job on campus. At this point, I was well-acclimated to the school community and wanted to get involved in a meaningful way. While chatting with one of my friends from an RSO, she mentioned how much she loved being a tour guide and showing guests around campus. I immediately took an interest and sent in a video application to apply. After going through the interview process, I was eventually hired and began learning the tour script. Though it was a long and rigorous process considering the substantial size of the campus, the juice was well worth the squeeze. Fast forward a year and a half to where I am today, and I am incredibly grateful to my younger self for taking that leap of faith. Here are three reasons why you should consider becoming a tour guide while in college.
It’s a fun way to support your school
I am an Illini fan through and through and am thrilled to have the chance to show other people why I love this university so much. Seeing the excited faces in my tour groups brings me so much joy and I feel immensely honored to play a part in the decision process. This institution has brought so much joy into my life and getting to give back to the community is incredibly rewarding.
It’s a great resume-builder
As a Communication major, I understood the importance of immersing myself in organizations that would further develop my public speaking skills. By serving as a tour guide, I am in constant communication with the groups I show around and able to consistently grow as a facilitator. Though fundamentally similar, each tour is different in its own way and no two work days will look exactly the same. As a result of this, I am always learning and improving my interpersonal communication skills and becoming a better leader throughout the process.
You get to meet so many people
One thing about me is I am a people person. I love talking with others and learning about their lives and interests. Working as a tour guide, I am always interacting with people from all different kinds of spaces and places. It’s a very hands-on experience that is hard to find anywhere else on campus. Additionally, working this job is unique in the sense that this is probably the only time in my life where I will constantly have the ability to formally show others around my community.
In conclusion, tour guiding is an amazing college job that has gifted me with so many opportunities and I am extremely thankful for the time I have had working with the university. I encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and try something new. It might end up leading to a wonderful, new adventure!