Balance, Balance, & Food. Don’t Forget Food: Back to School College Tips

Hello Doosters,

I hope you are all enjoying the summer and do not get disappointed when fall season starts slowly sweeping in. This is probably my second favorite post because I decided to talk about a very important topic that most can probably relate to and that is: college. Yes, college season is definitely approaching and I know there are probably some readers who are either, entering college, in junior or senior year, or have finished college. We, all those people who are in college or have finished college, know that those are the best four years to figure out who you are and what you want to be.

There are going to be challenges and obstacles in the way and that’s completely normal. And to those who are entering their first year of college/university, I congratulate you. Not everyone makes it as far as you have, but you guys completely made it. Just make sure to be level headed and always try to have a balance between everything you do because it won’t be easy.

You’ve got to find your bliss as a human being, because if you can follow that, everything else falls into place – Nicole Kidman

So, I dedicate this piece to you and here are a few key tips to all my college students based on my experiences:

1.  Balance between social life, studying, and a job (that’s if you decide to get one) is the most important thing you need to do in order to achieve a successful college experience.
2. It is important to make sure you make your assignments your first priority because most professors don’t allow tardiness. It also avoids you from getting a lower than you should have just because an assignment is tardy.
3. Always make sure to be well-rested. Most college students barely get any rest because some of us (including me) tend to stay up at night to do assignments. If you know you cannot complete an assignment on the night before it is due, pace yourself. Start the assignment the day that it is given and do it little by little. This strategy gives you enough time to look over your work and see if there are any mistakes.
4. Do not try to take so many activities at once, if you do not know how to handle it. Having exposure and being able to branch out in college is great because it is a good build-up for a resume, but if you feel like it is too much pressure, give one of those activities up. It’s best to have a lot of free time and know how to use it wisely, rather than being occupied with so many things and suddenly, have no time to relax.
5. Always email your professor when you miss a class because it shows them that you are responsible and that you are interested in the class as well. Sometimes if you do attend a small college and there’s only a couple of students in class, some professors do reach out to you and send you an email as to why you didn’t attend class that specific day. Also, you might want those notes because it can be useful for an upcoming exam or final.
6. Study. Study. Study. Not everyone has a photographic memory or is very good at getting a good grade just by studying half of the material on the first try. If you are one of those who hate studying (like myself), make it fun.  Make it an incentive. For example, there are many things that I am obsessed with that I like to do or eat. So, every time you study, in return, reward yourself with something that you like. This not only benefits you into getting good grades, but it also makes you feel good about yourself and it motivates you to go after something that you want. It’s a win-win situation. You can always study in groups, which is excellent because you can learn something from your colleague that you probably don’t know. There are so many strategies and techniques out there that you just have to find your niche. You’re the only person who knows how you work, try some and stick to the one that works best.
7.  Last, but certainly not least, food. I will never forget about food and you shouldn’t either. Food is probably one of the most important things that keeps human beings functioning and gives us lots of energy during the day. Most students are worried about gaining the freshman 15 because let’s face it, there are so many meals to choose from in the dining hall and it is probably something that we are not used to when we are at home. Do not get worried. Just simply make wise choices when it comes the dining hall food.

College is a privilege and an experience. It teaches us young adults how to balance priorities in life before we hit the reality of the workplace. It’s our test and we are all struggling to achieve our dreams and become successful people in life. Make the best out of college because not many people have the opportunity to achieve where most of us are now. Also, college is not always about work, it’s also about fun and learning more about the community in the school. Make the best of it and make great decisions because four years will go by quickly. So, Doosters I leave you with these tips and hopefully this will help anyone is entering college or who is already in college. If you have any questions, comment below and hopefully, this inspires you to conquer the four excruciating, but memorable times in college.

Sincerely,

Emily Sarita.