This is not the first time I’ve heard this sentiment. Having a positive attitude was something she taught my brother and me at an early age.

Now, as I am about to move on to the next chapter of my life, this little piece of advice I had heard my entire life was making its way back into my mind.

I always knew getting what I wanted out of life would involve furthering my education and attending college. It is here we learn the information and skills it takes to land that dream job and make a living doing something we enjoy for the rest of our lives.

After four — or in my case five — years worth of countless hours studying in the library and preparing group projects and presentations, we are closer than ever to leaving academia and starting our careers.

Some of us might choose to further our education with a Master’s degree or a Ph.D. No matter what academic path we choose, there will come a time when we need to leave the college world behind and apply everything we have soaked into our brains during our collegiate careers to the workplace.

But sometimes, having an education might not be enough.

I have thought about my mom’s positive-attitude advice in a lot of aspects of my life. In current jobs and in internships I have had, sometimes it has been the only thing to get me through a really long and discouraging day. I’ve really learned during the past year that although I might have the skills and knowledge to complete a job, that doesn’t always make it easy.

Last year, I interned at a marketing communications office. It was a busy job, but the atmosphere and other student interns I met made it a blast. One of the first people I met when I started there — literally, because she sat at the front desk —was our receptionist, Pam.

Pam always greeted everyone with a smile and a big hello. Her laugh was contagious and could be heard throughout the office. No matter what she was doing, she always seemed to be doing it with a smile. Besides her delightful and positive personality, I quickly found out Pam was much more than a receptionist. She completely made our office run. Without her, our office would have been a wreck.

Pam not only completed the everyday tasks necessary for efficiently running a business, but also handled all accounting duties, scheduled meetings, handled deliveries, answered all office phone calls, kept everyone’s desks stocked with supplies, filed all office documents and kept track of the office vehicles. These were only a few of the tasks she completed every day.

Since I was the most experienced intern at marketing communications at the time, I was asked to take over for Pam for a few days while she was on vacation. I knew she did a lot to help make the office run, but I had no idea just how much that entailed.

My day was filled with countless phone calls and piles of deliveries. I thought I would be able to get everything down, but I spent a majority of my day just asking questions about what to do and how to do it.

Sitting at the front desk, I witnessed firsthand just how easy it is to get overwhelmed, and I was only doing a small portion of what Pam did every day. I really didn’t know how she did it — and not only that, but with a smile on her face the entire time.

Although Pam’s job was overwhelming and stressful, I quickly realized it was her positive attitude and passion that made her job enjoyable.

Each day I was there, Pam always had a lot of work to do, but she also knew when to have fun. I remember countless times she would grab all the interns and take us on mini field trips to the MSU Dairy Store. After taking over for Pam those few days, I had a whole new appreciation for her and her glowing positive personality. She not only made our office run, she also was a joy to be around and work with. This lesson really reminded me of what my mom had always told me.

Although I might have all the skills it takes to accurately complete a job or project, it is so much easier and more enjoyable with a good attitude.

I’ve learned no matter what challenges I face in the future, a positive attitude will always guide me through.

Paige Bolen is a guest columnist at The State News and a journalism and advertising senior. Reach her at bolenpai@msu.edu.