This is the second post in the Thriving at College blog post series, and I’m excited to share several more tips with you about succeeding in college. These tips will hopefully benefit you as you’re starting (or preparing to start) college. Here are five tips to help you thrive:
1. Learn to be flexible.
I’m terrible at being flexible because I’m very uptight about my schedule (especially the time that I’ve set aside for sleeping and working out). But I’m slowly realizing that I can’t have everything that I want exactly when I want it. That’s a hard fact to accept, but the sooner we accept it, the less stressful our lives will be! Life doesn’t always go exactly as planned, so we need to be prepared for surprises. Learn to compromise, be patient and flexible, and listen to other points of view.
2. Get organized.
I personally recommend getting a calendar to note upcoming events, as well as a planner to record deadlines for upcoming assignments and a whiteboard for writing down tasks that aren’t school-related. Whether you keep track of these important things on your phone or on paper, find an efficient way for you to stay on top of life. Staying organized can definitely help you thrive this semester (and in life in general)!
3. Ask for help.
Though you’ve probably already realized this, college is not easy. I’m only a few weeks into my first semester of college, and I already feel quite stressed. You probably feel the same way! But if you’re struggling with a specific class or assignment, don’t hesitate to get help. Ask a tutor or even your professor for guidance. And don’t wait until the end of the semester to get help because if you’re confused at the beginning of the semester, you’ll probably be absolutely bewildered in the months ahead.
4. Get involved.
To be honest, I’ve skipped several of on-campus events and meetings so far. But I genuinely think that there’s a lot of value in participating in campus activities. Try to find a group (or multiple groups) to join where you can be with likeminded people and get to know them better. Attend special events on campus where you can make new friends. You could miss out on some really fun activities if you spend most of your time “introverting.”
5. Learn to stay focused.
It’s easy to zone out in college, especially when a professor is talking about something—or you’re reading, listening to, or watching something—that’s terribly boring or confusing. But it’s also easy to miss important information if you’re zoned out! Gathering random tidbits of information here and there won’t probably be enough for you to get good grades in your classes. But if you take notes while you’re in class and while you’re doing homework (or find a similar activity to help you focus), you’ll have a much higher chance of getting good grades.
6. Know that you can always lean on Jesus.
I’ve felt overwhelmed for about half of my time at college so far—and I just started! I’ve had a few breakdowns already, but that’s okay. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed at times, but when you do feel overwhelmed, don’t let yourself panic or despair. Instead, give your emotions to Jesus and ask Him to strengthen you when you feel like you can’t move forward, just like I mentioned last week. Lean on your Savior to overcome the challenges of college life.
Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. (Psalm 55:22 NASB1995)
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