I have had a blast with this series! From study tips to little known campus life hacks, we have talked about helpful tips for both new student and college veterans alike. For this entry we will talk about the importance of making connections, and the value of the situation you are in right now.
Make good connections early.
Everyone is in the same boat at the beginning of the semester. We are all scrambling to understand the course structure, the material, and when the first due date is. Before we get too caught up in figuring out these problems ourselves, look outwards to fellow classmates. They make be struggling with the same issues, so working together to straighten out issues works twofold. First, working together is much more effective than trying to figure these things out alone. Second, making connections with classmates will make all future work much easier. For most of us, we would be glad to help a fellow student out if they are running into issues on an assignment. Don’t be embarrassed to send a quick text to see if you can get some advice on a project.
Connect with people that are smarter than you.
Here is a power tip: you will quickly figure out which students are the hard workers, those who understand the material well and are competent. Make an extra effort to make friends with them, and try to do group projects/study with them. The last thing you want to do is weigh them down, so use them as a role model to push yourself. Pick up on their study habits, but remember that something that works for them might not work well for you. Working with students that pull their weight will make future classes much easier. Creating a network of hard-working peers will amplify your productivity, and make your studies much more effective.
Depending on your field of study, these friend connections may help you even after you graduate. Who knows, they may even recommend you for a job! I personally have reached out to peers in my class for a recent job opening at my place of employment. Making these connections may not seem easy if you are not socially proficient. You might be surprised by how friendly and open your fellow students are to making new connections. Say hi, grab some phone numbers, and try your best to remember as many names as you can!
Life is short, Make Friends.
You should take advantage of the time you have now to reach out to new people and make friends. This is harder in the professional world where it is harder to make friends due to social norms in the workplace and the lack of free time. You really have to go out of your way to meet people. In college, introducing yourself to new people is much less awkward. Don’t risk not meeting your new best friend! Some of the most amazing people you will ever meet will be in college. There will likely never be a time again where you are surrounded by peers that are excited to meet new people, so take advantage of it.
Make the most of it, you’ll miss it when it’s gone.
As a disclaimer, as a college student, your main priority should most definitely be your studies. You are there to learn, and you are probably paying a lot of money for it. But as we are preparing for our careers, don’t forget the importance of where you are at in your life right now.
The only thing promised in life is the “Right now”.
College is likely your last chance to do ridiculous, daring, and adventurous things with the kind of friends you might not meet ever again. This doesn’t mean to ditch the mature, goal and study-driven college student that you are (or at least claimed you were on your scholarship applications) and party all the time. I want you to do the thing that you have always wanted to do but never had the chance to. Push yourself to do the things that excite you, or even scare you a little bit. Stargazing on the roof, playing poker in the woods with friends, buy used drift trikes and race friends in an empty parking lot.
So what will you choose to do with it?
When people on their deathbed are asked what they regret, they rarely list the things they did. Instead, they list the things they didn’t do. They list the daring things they were too scared to do, the pretty girl they were too nervous to talk to, the bullied friend they were too cowardly to stand up for.
We have a finite time on earth, so don’t waste it on social media, or playing mindless games on your phone. Make the most of the time you have.
In closing, you are in a very unique spot in your life.
Making good grades is important, but nothing is more important than time, how you manage it, and what you do with it. Study smart, study effectively, but don’t let your studies consume you.
Remember the ultimate reason for doing this: to make the most of life and to have fun. We either are studying to qualify for a job that we have fun doing, or to land a job that pays us well enough to afford to do the fun things we love to do. Either way, the ultimate destination is enjoyment. If we make our studies the only focus of our life, we lose sight of this ultimate goal. Simply put, everything we do points back to our desire to be happy. Don’t lose sight of this!
I will leave you with some advice I learned while preparing for this series, that I think embodies the mindset that we should have as students. Sleep more than you study, study more than you play, but play as much as possible.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alex Christodoulou
Student Author - Spring 2021
