Time management is crucial.
Okay so honestly your freshman year, you will probably cruise without being good at this. And maybe your sophomore year too. But as soon as you start looking for jobs, internships and hold higher positions in your organizations AND are taking harder classes, trust me, time management is SUPER important
Okay cool you told us we need to manage our time, but how do we do that? Well, honestly it takes a lot of practice, but here are some of my tips.
- Have a planner. Buy an inexpensive planner on Amazon, that you think looks cute. I know that sounds superficial, but I have found when I have an ugly planner I use it less (maybe that’s just me or maybe I am onto something, I don’t know try it out)
- Make To-Do lists. Every single day, if possible. My planner has a place to make a to-do list, but you can also buy a little notepad to put on your desk and carry with you
- Google Calendar. The end. Get on that. Get the app. Fill it up with your colorful agenda and use it for everything from club meetings to interviews to scheduling time for yourself and for your friends
Learn how to study.
Every person has a different method. I’ll share what I do. It has helped me get the grades I want since ‘01
- If the class involves a lot of memorization of vocabulary OR formulas, I use Quizlet. Make flashcards and put the app on your phone so you can study On-the-Go
- If the class involves a lot of analysis, test yourself. Look up some practice questions in the textbook, look up some questions from Chegg or study with previous homework assignments
- Sometimes, I also like to re-write my own notes. However, this strategy can be very hit or miss
- Other people I know like to color code all their notes so that may help you visualize the text while you’re taking your exam
- Don’t be afraid to ask people in your class to study together. Study groups can be very beneficial BUT only if you guys are actually studying and not getting distracted
- Also, P.S. that whole chewing gum thing while you study and then chewing the same flavor while you take the test helps me so give it a shot because it’s worth a try
Self-care is NON-negotiable.
- Health. Health. Health. Whether it’s physical, mental, emotional or sexual health- YOU NEED TO HAVE IT TO SURVIVE!
- Make it a mission to go to the gym at least once a week. Not to become Arnold Schwarzenegger (yes I looked up how to spell his last name), but to clear your mind and do something that makes you feel accomplished. My school gym has classes every day from cycling to yoga and I highly recommend that to anyone who has the option
- Take at least thirty minutes every day to sit down and do something you love. You don’t want your years of college to pass by without you enjoying them. I personally like to watch a show on Netflix, or listen to a podcast or watch a YouTube video
- If you are becoming too stressed, BREATHE IN and BREATHE OUT. Everything will be absolutely fine, TRUST ME (but go check out my resources part down below too because you do not have to go through anything alone)
- SLEEP. Prioritize sleeping. It will help you stay awake in class. It will help you remember what you studied the night before. It will probably just help you with everything even with going on a first date because no one wants to be yawning on a first date, am I right??
- You have the choice to eat whatever you want. Choose wisely. The vending machines look so enticing but your health will suffer so go for those greens instead. And drink loads of water. Water is basically holy so your body will be asking for lots of it
- More on this topic is also spread out throughout the other bullets so check them out!
Don’t spread yourself too thin.
- So you are in college now and you’re involved in 15 clubs and are taking 30 credits and work for 50 hours. You see how this is just not possible???
- Calculate how many hours of sleep you need every night, how many hours a day you’ll be eating, how many hours a day you’ll be showering (hopefully you are showering), how many hours a day you’ll be in class, how many hours a day are dedicated to self-care and AFTER that determine what you can and CANNOT do
- Saying yes is great but it’s not so great when you are dropping the ball on everything. Ya feel me?
Remember why you’re in school . . . to learn and to grow.
- Exams are stressful. Homework is stressful. Quizzes are stressful. Group projects ARE WAY TOO STRESSFUL (you know what I mean @every single person who thinks they are the only ones that do work even though EVERYONE claims they do all the work, interesting…???)
- Remember that GPA matters a bit and scores matter a bit here and there- especially if you are trying to enter a prestigious law or medical school. BUT try to learn something. At least learn how what you are learning can be applicable to real life. You are paying, so do not just go to class to pass, go to class to kick life’s a$$ 😉 ((I hate how cheesy I sound))
Relationships are vital.
- Too many people have told me at one point or another that they do not feel as though they are nurturing their relationships. Many people feel as though they are not making enough friends. WE ARE NOT IN HIGH SCHOOL AMIGOS! If you want to make friends, reach out to people. If you want to keep friendships . . . well I think they say you are supposed to keep trying to be a presence in that person’s life, but honestly I’m no pro on that one either
- Surround yourself with good people that want the best for you. If you don’t, you will most definitely regret it. If people make you feel like a nuisance or just not good about yourself: RUN AWAY. (Run to the gym for that one gym class I talked about earlier)
Join organizations. Do more than just school work.
- A lot of people say they have met their best friends through their organizations. Wow, I wonder why that is? Maybe, just maybe, it is because you have the same interests. LOL. Anyways join organizations; the dues for most organizations are sort of worth it in the long run. At least I hope so
Learn how to market yourself.
- After you graduate, you will most likely a) go to some sort of other institution for education, b) try to find a job or c) go travel the world. Regardless of what you decide to do you should always be finding ways to market yourself. Notice how I do not say “sell yourself”. I feel as though that may be a bit too harsh. But still, you want to give people a good impression because the truth is a lot of times it really is about who you know
- Disclaimer: I am in no way saying that you need to try and “fit in” or do what people tell you to do, rather take your strengths and highlight them. Take your weaknesses and try to improve on them
Know what resources are available to you.
- As a college student, you have many resources available to you. For starters, student discounts. I repeat, STUDENT DISCOUNTS! Lol all these capital letters are probably really obnoxious, especially if you already did not like me before you read this. Anyways, whenever you walk into any store make sure to show them your college ID and ask if they have student discounts. (I bought a really cute purse one time and got 20% off just for being a student [I mean I’m contributing to the economy with my ever-growing debt but that is besides the point]).
- Your school should also have many resources. At my school we have these and so many others so make yourself aware:
- Counseling Center (everyone should go to a counseling center because there should be NO stigma around that and if anyone ever makes you feel as though there should be, they are wrong)
- Health Center (you may be able to even see an OBGYN for no charge! And get tested for STDs! And get the flu shot! And so many other things)
- Title IX Office (if you don’t know what this is I’m sorry your institution has failed in informing you, go see if your school has one)
- Tutoring Center (some schools will have all sorts of tutors, maybe some academic coaches to help you with time management, conversation partners and so many other resources)
- Advisors (if you are overwhelmed with your class load or do not know what to major in, what are you waiting for? Go to an advisor’s office! Or look up who your advisor is)
- A few gyms (the membership dues are included in my school’s tuition)
- Trips to off-campus locations for discounted prices (such as Broadway shows)
- Professor Office Hours (GO!GO!GO!) There is no reason your professor should not know your first name by the end of the semester
- Once you graduate, make sure to know the Benefits Plan your job has available to you. And if you aren’t starting a full-time job, always check with your municipality to see if there are free events for people in your community! Always know what is available to you, regardless of circumstance.
Embrace change.
- Change. It will happen. It can be good. It can be not so pleasant. But I am a strong believer that it ALWAYS happens for a reason. So let it come. Embrace changing your major. Embrace transferring schools. Embrace losing and gaining people in your life. Embrace it all. Because at the end of the day, everything and I mean everything, will be just fine.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, most people never feel successful. Money, perfect grades, an elite job, lots of friends, likes on instagram- none of those things can make you feel successful. You have to go after what you want and appreciate how far you have come. Dream big. Don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t do something. But most of all be happy with where you are because even the smallest things, like getting up in the morning, should feel like a success. 🙂
Xoxo, V