How to survive at college without stressing yourself out?
A systematic and helpful guide to students on how to not get lured by misconceptions, how to maintain a work-life balance to make the most of the college.
Do Your Marks Matter?
College is one of the most life-changing experiences that can happen to a teenager, right out of school. With little or no guidance available from parents, college gives a sneak peek into the real world problems that are awaiting one right after the end of it. It provides an ample scope of all-round holistic development and prowess and lays the foundation for the professional career ahead.
However, a student may also find himself amidst distractions under the falsehood of notions such as "college is only meant for leisure" or "marks do not matter." As such, staying focused should be the primary goal as college provides little scope for amends, once the phase of demotion is set.
"Do marks matter?" is probably the most intriguing question faced by a freshman at college. If an essay for college is penned down, then the confusion surrounding the marks shall have been first on the list. A student with a prolific academic performance is more likely to be preferred over someone with mediocre performance, provided everything else on their resume is same.
Marks, even though aren't a full proof parameter of a student's knowledge, can demonstrate critical qualities such as dedication and sincerity to the curriculum and a student's grasp over the concerned discipline relative to someone else in the same batch. It should also be emphasized that even though marks are significant, these are not the only things shall be considered by a recruiter or for admission to a graduate school. It, therefore, becomes imperative to efficiently channelize one's time and energy into other crucial activities as well.
What is the fuss about Attendance?
Whether or not to show up for the morning class is a tough decision to be made by every student, right at the very onset of a day. It is easy to fall prey to morning leisure but challenging to not give in to such a tempting choice. Attendance, therefore, is a reliable parameter to determine a student's sincerity.
It is often advocated by the ones with a poor attendance record that a monotonous lecture delivered by a particular professor is a primary trigger behind bunking classes. While the possibility of such a hypothesis may not be ruled out, it can be argued that a sense of interest in learning can help one quickly steer clear of any such inconveniences.
Moreover, many colleges have a minimum attendance requirement, the violation of which may result in getting debarred from the semester exams. As such, it is always advisable to be one on the safe side of the system.
Importance of Internships
Internships are one of the best available resources at college that can help one demonstrate their education into practice. It is an opportunity for enthusiastic students to transform their knowledge into action. They are not taken seriously by many, but the ones who understand their underlying significance make the most out of them. It can be a testimony to your skill set and can also provide extra brownie points to your resume.
Every good thing in life requires a sacrifice and internships are no exceptions to it. One has to make a tough choice between working on projects and chilling out at home with friends and family during winter and summer break.
Should one join clubs and societies?
As mentioned at the very onset, marks and academic performance are not the only things that are kept in mind during evaluation. It is essential and now indispensable, keeping in mind the level of competition, to demonstrate excellence in fields other than academics. One can showcase their prowess in art forms such as dance, music, and paint or display strong intent for sports and other co-curricular activities.
It should be stated that one should narrow down their choice of clubs and societies amidst the plethora of ones available. It is essential keeping in mind the limited time. If one tries to be the jack of all trades, then, he will end up not being the master of even one thing. Many students end up joining multiple clubs and societies and later on end up leaving everything owing to time commitments. Hence, it is advisable to abstain from making any such mistake.
Socialising and Networking
College is the perfect yet less used networking platform that is available to every student on the campus. It provides the ideal ground for everlasting human relationships and professional connections that go way beyond the short tenure at the college.
There are many social networks:
LinkedIn and more
It gives ample scope to shed communication barriers and develop a robust personality. A company of uplifting friends and on-campus romance go on to become fruitful memories to be cherished for the rest of the lifetime.
Leisure and Travel
The most critical skill one gets to learn at college is time management. It is well known that all work and no play make students, dull and lifeless. It is crucial to maintain a work-life balance at college to ensure maximum output without getting bowed down by stress and fatigue. As such, one should avoid burning the midnight oil and stick to a morning routine instead to make the most out of the day. You are not a college student if you have not gone for sightseeing or trips to places in your vicinity. There is no denying to the harsh truth that life gets so hectic post-college as to leave no or little scope for travel and satisfy the inherent wanderlust.
Budgeting
The importance of a well-planned out budget along with a motivation to adhere to it is rare but significant. To maintain the same living standard throughout the semester without having had to borrow money from someone requires strict assessments of monthly expenditure and comprehensive analysis of the necessities and luxuries.
It is indispensable to set apart your desires from your needs. Credit card companies often trick first-year college students into future debts by providing irresistible offers, making it impossible for them to deny. As a result, the student who never had such easy access to money before ends up adding to the existing monetary burden on him.
Say No to Substance Abuse
Until college, almost every child is under the supervision of his parents or guardians. As such, abstinence from hard drugs and psychedelic substances is relatively easy. However, at college, a student is on his own. Abstinence from such chemicals, therefore, becomes essential.
However, this thought never crosses one's mind when he is about to take his first cigarette smoke or drink the first sip of alcohol. A company of substance abusers can cause irreparable damage to a student's life, psychologically, emotionally and mentally. It is therefore recommended to not fall prey to experimenting with such substances.
Conclusion
College can either make or break you. It will shape you as a person for months and years to come. Therefore, follow the above steps for a seamless and memorable college life.
