The title of this blog post is extremely decieving. The truth of the matter is, that I cannot tell you how to handle college. There is no way to truly conquer college. The further along we get, the more overwhelmed we feel. We, as students, need to stop letting college control us and take control of it ourselves.
Through piles of papers including graded mid-terms, short responses, PDF files, textbooks, notes over absolutely everything imaginable...we look down at our piles of stress and become overwhelmed. It's hard not to be.
At the end of the day, though, we make it through. The only way to make it through is to not let college get the best of you.
There are a few tips to help you (from an honest to God college student who knows from experience)
First and foremost, discipline YOURSELF. You don't have mom and dad around now to tell you what to do. If you have a paper to write, do it. Don't procrastinate (although, this is quite unrealistic if we're being honest). Don't go out with your friends or watch movies or go shopping...don't do any of it until that paper is written.
You're not in college to go to parties. And if you are, I feel bad for you. You are not paying all of this money to go out and make bad decisions (which you are bound to do it you party regularly). Sure, it's fun to go out with friends sometimes...but this cannot be anywhere near the top of your priority list.
Plan ahead. Keep track of your time. Write everything down somewhere. If you write it down, you're more likely to get it done. It's true!
Take as many classes as you can that interest you. I know we all are forced into taking specific (non-major) classes always, but try to aim for classes you think you may get the most from rather than classes that you heard are easy.
For the love of God, go to class. Don't be THAT person. THAT person doesn't get anywhere in the world. Although in come classes, showing up may seem pointless, it's better than anything else you were most likely going to do (sleep...watch TV...etc.) At least it's something. It makes you look better to professors and keeps you ahead of the game. It also makes you used to actually having to commit to something in your future lives.
Take life day by day. Meaning, don't stress too much about the mid-term next week. Focus on that quiz tomorrow in class, or that paper due Friday. Focusing on the "now" can help you do better in the "later".
And finally, BREATHE.
This is life. You're living life, and this is all apart of it. I promise you there are worse things than getting a C on that quiz. There are worse things than having a professor write bad comments on a paper. Life goes on. You will pick yourself up, you have to...otherwise you will never succeed.
Once again, don't let college control you. You control IT.
