Grades Aren't Everything: How to Build Real-World Skills in College

In college, it’s easy to get caught up in the race for good marks. But as I moved through my engineering degree, I realized that academic success doesn’t always translate to practical, real-world skills. This is the story of how I moved beyond my textbooks and started building something more.

The Spark: From Discord to a Realization

During my second year, I spent my free time exploring tech communities on Discord and contributing to open-source projects on GitHub. It was a world away from lectures and exams—a place where people were building real things and learning from each other.

By my third year, I noticed a trend in my college. Many of us had excellent grades, but when it came to practical tech skills, we were all starting from scratch, including me. The curriculum gave us a strong theoretical foundation, but it didn’t teach us how to build, ship, and collaborate on modern tech projects. I saw a clear gap and an opportunity to change things.

Building a Community from Scratch

I decided to start a community where students could learn new technologies through mutual learning. The idea was simple, but the execution was tough. Starting something new in a college environment, where routines are already set, is a significant challenge.

My solution was to bring a chapter of MuLearn to our campus. MuLearn is a fantastic organization that promotes a culture of peer-to-peer learning, where students can work on projects, earn Karma points, and get recognition for their skills. It was the perfect framework for what I wanted to achieve.

I founded the MuLearn CETKR chapter and took on the role of Campus Lead starting in October 2024. After my initial term, I continued to contribute as a Student Mentor from February 2025 onward. This ongoing journey has been an incredible experience, teaching me about leadership, people management, and the power of community. We’ve created a space where students are genuinely excited to learn and grow together.

Your Turn to Build

My journey taught me that the most valuable learning often happens outside the classroom. Don’t just be a student who studies; be an explorer. Find a community, contribute to a project, or start something of your own. Your future self will thank you for it.