Embarking on an academic journey often leads to unexpected discoveries and transformative experiences. For one student, Dheer Tikoo at Columbia College, switching majors from game design to marketing opened new doors and ignited a passion for personal growth and motivation. In this blog, we delve into the story of aspiring marketers, their standout professors, and the inspiration behind their motivational content creation. From finding a balance between academic commitments and content creation to envisioning the future career path, join us as we explore the impact of this student’s academic journey and their pursuit of reaching their full potential.

How has your experience at Columbia College shaped your career aspirations and goals? I understand that you changed your major from game design to marketing – can you tell us more about what led to that decision and how it has impacted your academic journey?

Switching majors was a difficult decision but a necessary one. I was and still am passionate about game design, but I didn’t feel like I was growing in the way I had hoped to. When I made the decision to switch my major to Marketing, I was excited about doing something out of my comfort zone as the thought of Marketing never came to my mind. Through this journey, I believe the educational path that I am on will lead me to reach my full potential. Participating in classes at Columbia has allowed me to see beyond the major. It has allowed me to fuel ideas on the endless opportunities I hope to receive once I graduate.

Have you had any standout professors or mentors during your time at Columbia College who have influenced your career trajectory?

There were plenty of professors that guided and supported me at Columbia College. However, one name comes to mind when I read “Standout.” Business & Entrepreneurship was my first course when I was considering switching majors. Professor Beth Ryan, who was teaching the course, was always welcoming. She provided me with space to share my ideas which led to her passing useful tips that I am able to learn from. She gave me space to hear her out, which motivated me.  I still stay in touch and connect with her on a weekly basis as she has been helpful throughout the journey at Columbia.

Your Instagram page and YouTube channel focused on motivation sound really interesting! What inspired you to create this content, and what messages do you hope to share with your audience?

What inspired me to create content based on motivation was seeing my grandmother’s kindness to others. She was always a helpful soul and would provide great advice. There was a period in my life when I felt stuck. I started questioning the future and was afraid of the unknown. I was fueled with negative thoughts about myself but what got me out was the support I had of people around me. My sister, who is a mental health therapist, was there for me when I needed it. She and others have always rooted for me. I knew the importance of having to root for myself. Thus, I began writing for myself, which led me on this journey of finding motivation from within. From there, the content based on motivation is in hopes to reach individuals who may need that small push.

How do you balance your academic commitments with your content creation, and what strategies have you found helpful for staying organized and productive?

Creating a work-life balance can be difficult. In the case of academic commitments and my content creation, I know that time management is a useful skill. I often spend my time focusing on academic commitments over the week and leave the weekends to my content creation. I believe in the importance of having a balance, and what fuels this balance is essentially having a passion for both my academics and content creation.

How do you see your degree influencing your career path, and are there any specific skills or experiences you hope to gain in your first post-grad role?

When I made the switch to Marketing, I knew I was not closing the door on game design. I knew that I could incorporate a way to connect the two. The way I see it, Marketing will allow me to find opportunities where I can continue to grow as an individual by continuously challenging myself.