Last year as the Life Editor, a student came to me and asked to write a column. I told her I’d be happy to give her space in the Life section, however I was unsure of her writing abilities having just met her. I simply asked her to write a few stories for The Flor-Ala to make sure she was dedicated.

She turned in one story – three weeks late.

This year, another student approached our Life Editor, Mari, about writing a “Dear Abby” style column regarding sex. Mari said she would need to make sure they were dedicated and their writing abilities were strong. The student took two stories and both came in late. Neither of the aforementioned writers have come back to write.

This is not an uncommon practice. All our lives we have been handed exactly what we ask for.

As a fellow student and someone working three jobs, I have taken it upon myself to issue a wake-up call: you have to work hard at things you dislike to get the job you want.

Student expectations are much higher than reality — ask people in any job market and they will tell you that they did not just apply for the position and happen to get it. They worked for it. Whether they beefed up their résumés with interpersonal skills or humbled themselves to take on an experience that was totally outside of their realms of expertise, they were not spoon-fed the job they desired.

Students (and many adults) should not necessarily lower their expectations, but they should tier them. Become the best salesperson then become the best manager, the best owner, the best CEO. “Be the best you, you can be” is a cliché, but it is directly applicable to the job market. Those who work at their jobs better than anyone else are often the ones rewarded.

I wrote as a student writer for three months, a staff writer for nine months, a Life Editor for one year and now I hold an executive position. I have worked tirelessly to reach where I am today. It has been a challenging two-and-a-half years, but I sleep easy knowing I have the job I want because I worked hard, remained dedicated and did not expect more than I deserve.