Have you ever been asked, perhaps by an employer or a teacher, “What are your strengths?” and felt your mind go completely blank?

Join the club. As a student, figuring out what you’re good at feels a lot like trying to solve a huge, complicated puzzle. You know you have skills, but pinning them down and actually naming them can be tough.

It’s often much easier to think about what you do, like playing soccer or acing a math test, than it is to define the underlying talents that make those things possible.

But when you understand your unique abilities, you start to see yourself in a new light. You develop a quiet confidence that makes it easier to tackle challenging classes, apply to that research internship, and even choose a college major.

If you’re ready to learn how to know your skills as a student, this is the guide for you. We’ll show you how to turn that vague feeling of competence into something more concrete: a list of transferable skills you can use to chart your future.