Success is a goal every college student strives to achieve. The road to success can be rocky and confusing, especially while adjusting to college. Here are a few tips to keep in mind in order to have the best years of your life be some of the most successful.
Prioritize Your Time
Spending your time wisely is one of the most important lessons you learn in college.
Every minute can count when it comes to completing assignments and requirements for extracurriculars. For Shelby Finley, a graduate of Western Kentucky University, time management was the key to her college success. “I had to plan out my days and time to make sure I got everything accomplished,” she said. “My planner was my life saver. If I didn’t have it to keep up with everything I wouldn’t have been able to keep my head on straight.” Shelby noted that strict time management can be hard to adjust to at first, but with enough self-discipline it can be done. “You just have to keep in mind that every assignment can count, nothing involving your education is a waste of time,” she said.Know Your Limits
Don’t put too much on yourself at once. Being involved in college is crucial to success, but it is important to not wear yourself thin. Know your limits before you jump into the next big thing. While you’re trying to build up your resume, it can be difficult to remember the main reason you’re in college is to learn. Make sure your extra activities don’t take away from the time needed to be successful in the classroom. If you constantly find yourself feeling exhausted, worn thin and like you’re not giving everything your all, then it might be time to drop something if you can. It is better to give a few commitments your all than numerous activities your half best.
Stay Healthy
You don’t have to fall victim to the stereotypical unhealthy college lifestyle. Make an effort to maintain a healthy diet. It’s difficult, but definitely doable. Replace unhealthy snacks in your dorm/apartment with healthy options such as fruit, nuts and vegetables. Set aside time to hit the gym as well. Most colleges have a gym on campus, which means you won’t have to travel far to stay in shape. Working out is a great way to relieve the stress that will inevitably come with your hectic schedule. When you treat your body well, you will feel better.
Allow Yourself to Fail
This may seem out of place, but failure can be a large part of success. When you allow yourself to fail, you are allowing yourself to be successful at the same time. If you don’t allow yourself to take chances with the possibility of failure, it will be hard to get anywhere in college or in life. Failure teaches you lessons, and can show you what you need to improve and what you’re capable of dealing with. So apply for that internship you don’t think you would get in a million years—you may surprise yourself.
Get Outside Your Comfort Zone
The changes that come with simply going away to college should show you’re capable of more than you think. College is the time when most people begin finding themselves. One of the best ways to discover who you are is to put yourself in different situations. Lyndy Hill, a senior at Murray State University, credits many of the opportunities she has had in college to stepping out of her comfort zone. “One of the best opportunities I have had was my study abroad experience,” she said. “It helped me learn so much about myself and gave me the assets I need to be successful in college and in my future.”
There are endless ways to achieve success in college. The road is never smooth and you will inevitably get lost and take a few wrong turns. But if you allow yourself to change direction, you may surprise yourself and unlock your potential.
(Feature Photo via Grad Guard)