College is extremely difficult. It is too many things happening all at the same time at which you have to bring your absolute a game too. With a comfortable life only a few months or rather days ago, students tend to get too overwhelmed and end up being stuck at a rough spot. High School is a great time to gear up for the life that lies ahead. If you’re a High School senior looking for a guide to ace your college years or are just a current college student stuck in a rut, feeling lost, here are some tremendous tips to you through the roller coaster ride that is college!
1. Don’t lose sight of the ultimate goal
Attending college is not only a great honor but is also a significant privilege most people do not have. With that said, don’t lose sight of why you’re there in the first place. Sure, you want to enjoy while you’re young but it must not come at the expense of the ultimate goal, which is a bright future.
With so much chaos, it gets extremely difficult to manage everything and do everything all in the same day. To be able to do everything in 24 hours, you must know what lies ahead and its significance or rather its importance in your day. In order to do so, you must prioritize.
Prioritizing is a skill every student must need to learn. It allows you to have a to-do list before each day which, trusts me saving you a lot of time of stressing out and needless to say, procrastinating. In order to do effective planning, you must get your hands on a planner. It must not be a fancy one; it must be a functional one. With that said, try to get in a habit of jotting down everything you’re supposed to do each day from something as ordinary and what seems redundant as doing your laundry or meal prepping or even working out.
Once your list is ready, try to assign the time you expect it to consume, now the time for your classes cannot be altered but the time spent in the library or working out can be determined. With this done, you’ll save a lot of time for your aimless scrolling through Instagram or just a productive time at an exhibit you’ve been looking forward to.
2. Be smart with your finances
College is expensive. Tuition and living expenses that are being borne by your Parents are far from the total expenses you have to meet on a day to day basis. With your limited allowance, it can get extremely tough to meet both ends meet without having to ask more. The best way to bid farewell to your financial difficulty is to get a side gig. Try out the on-campus jobs like that of a barista or a waitress nearby. These odd jobs will help you save up for something like traveling or even just as an emergency fund.
Try and be smart with your money. Don’t succumb to the peer pressure of spending way too much on shopping or booze or Starbucks coffee. Sure, indulge every once in a while but have a fixed amount set out for it so that you are mindful of your limits.
3. Allow yourself to have some fun
College is all about experiences. As important as classes are, they can get monotonous and too much to take sometimes. With that said, don’t be too stuck up and lost in the books that you forget to enjoy your time while you’re young and away from home and responsibilities. If you have a big party around the corner alongside a big assignment to hand in, try to seek help. Try to make study groups with your classmates or even dorms mates, where you all can sit together and help each other before exams and assignments. If you don’t have a study group, turn towards online help and websites like paperhelp.org that can assist you with your writing.
Not everyone has enough time for all the writing tasks at college and some students simply don’t find these useful for what they will do in their lives.
4. Take care of yourself
The four years of college can be extremely exhausting both mentally and physically. The undying pressure and competition can undoubtedly have a toll on you. With that said, it is very important that you take care of yourself.
The prevailing narrative of living off coffee and pulling all-nighters before a big day, students compromise not only their appetite but also their sleep and consequently, health. Try to get in the habit of cooking your own meals. This will be time-consuming, sure, but will save you tons of money at the added advantage of good tasty food. Further, work towards incorporating some sort of physical activity each day. You don’t necessarily have to join a fancy gym; a walk around the campus can really help rejuvenate you like no other.
Moreover, with taking care of your physical health you must not overlook your mental health. Try to do things you truly enjoy every once in a while. It could be anything ranging from dancing to your favorite song to reading to watching old 90’s romcoms with your friends. These days surrounding some relaxed time will refresh your mind by de-stressing it.
5. Seek help
There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking for help and assistance. Sometimes new and foreign situations can intimidate students which mind you, is extremely normal. With that said, it is very important to seek help from the guidance counselor at the campus.
Follow these tips and you will manage to breeze through college. There might be some downsides on the road, but hopefully, we have made this journey easier for you.
