Your college years will be characterized by immense growth and a newfound sense of personal responsibility. Many students are surprised to discover that getting good grades in college involves a lot more than studying hard.
A successful college student establishes good habits that spell success later on. Make the most of your experience through these tips.
Personal Health
In order to keep up with the demands of college life, your body and mind need to function optimally. Maintaining a clear, sharp mind is impossible when you’re drained or undernourished. Staying healthy can be difficult when you’re in charge of making your own meals and getting to bed on time, especially on top of everything else on your list.
Outsource some of your personal health tasks by adopting sure-to-work nutritional habits. Look to diets that emphasize plant foods. Many diets, like the one designed by former cardiac surgeon Dr. Gundry, reduce inflammation and optimize physical performance so you can work and study harder.
Time Management
Through your college experience, you’ll get your first taste of personal freedom. That freedom, however, comes with a cost. From class schedules and work hours to managing your social calendar, keeping up with everything you have to do can be challenging when you’re the one in charge of setting your own schedule.
Proper time management will permit you to get it all done with minimal stress. A balanced schedule that prioritizes both studying and relaxing will keep your school performance up. Make a list of the most important tasks, along with their due dates, and arrange each responsibility in order of importance.
Goal-Setting
You’re in college in the first place because your larger goals and determination guided you there. You have an idea of what you want out of life and are taking the first steps to make it happen. Now that you’re there, it’s time to return back to some of those guiding principles and decide where they’ll take you next.
Take time to identify what your objectives are and determine what steps you need to take to get there. Think bigger than just good grades. You may want to get volunteer experience, make a lot of friends, build connections or overcome fears. Whatever the goal, break it down into both large and small steps to make it a reality.
Teamwork
Success in college is found not only by studying hard on your own, but learning to work as a team with your peers, too. College assignments often require group work, both inside and outside the classroom. After class hours, the need for cooperation continues as you learn to find a routine in your dorm with roommates.
It’s important to adopt a mindset that stresses strength in numbers. Study groups are a great way to collaborate with your classmates to ensure academic success. By learning how to better work with others, you will be more fully prepared for the demands placed on your and your future coworkers in the workplace.
Money Management
From student loans to grocery budgets, college is simply expensive. To make matters more challenging, the temptation to splurge on weekends out with friends or expensive meals is nearly always there. Prioritize setting a budget and always use student loan funds wisely.
You don’t have to pinch pennies or decline every social invitation. Carve space in your weekly budget for a few indulgences. Just becoming aware of your financial system can relieve a great deal of stress and set up clear parameters for your bank account.
Confidence
No matter what the college experience throws your way, you’ll surely find a way to make it all work. Your hard work and dedication got you this far. The very same diligence will stand by you when the going gets tough.
Millions of college students make it out alive, and you’re no different. You deserve to be there. Believe in yourself that you can not only survive your college experience, but you can thrive all along the way.
A successful university experience looks different for everyone. Armed with these tips, and with the right mindset, success in college will never be out of reach — whatever that means to you.
BIO: Brett Clawson has a degree in Business Management and has started a couple of small businesses. When he’s not focusing his time on those, he spends time with his wife and two sons. His oldest son has entered the wonderful realm of college, and he now enjoys sharing tips that he and his son have found essential for college life.
