This advice is specific to those in college, but in some ways they can also apply to everyone.
- Who you surround yourself with is who you will become.
For the most part, in college, you can control who you surround yourself with through friend groups, clubs, etc. Maybe not so much with group projects with assigned classmates or even your roommate. But there’s always the option of asking to change groups / switch rooms.
2. Use all the resources at your disposal
It’s easy to push tasks into the future and pretend like it doesn’t matter in the moment, but you should make the most out of the four years. Apparently, it goes by fast. I just want to re-iterate that there are so many opportunities, regardless of the college you’re attending. There might be some great advisors for you, or really neat clubs, or a sports team, internships, etc. If that’s not the case and you’re struggling, consider transferring but definitely give it a chance before doing so.
3. Time management
I still struggle with this and I have been trying really hard. I don’t know the perfect way to do this. I’ve got a notion page with hourly plans but somehow my tasks don’t match up. I’ll dedicate an hour to getting ready but then I’ll run into someone and it ruins that time constraint. The worst is then the feeling I get. I’m upset and then I am less motivated. But I do recommend having some sort of to-do list to help keep you on top of things. I have heard that if you record everything you do in one day, you’ll realize what you need to change, etc. What you spend most of your time on, if you want to change where you spend your time, etc.
4. Keep in mind your future self when making decisions
I personally really like this piece of advice but for some, I know this is irrelevant. If you want to live and go crazy now, do it. But for me, I like to think about how current me is affecting future me and how I can improve myself :)
5. Have a healthy inner dialogue
I do understand that this piece of advice is challenging. I agree. Everyone is learning how to positively talk to themselves and it is a tricky one. Just remind yourself daily of some of the reasons you love yourself and be grateful for your caring heart.
6. Take time to reflect
I think this one is really important, especially if you’re trying to currently improve a situation. Perhaps with balancing certain aspects of life, a weekly reflection could show you where you are mentally and what you have been able to achieve, etc.
7. It is okay to take a break from friends
and dare I say, sometimes necessary. Being alone is definitely good for some self-reflection. It’s hard to constantly be surrounded by others. I know that some people go on long drives just with themselves and some music in the background. I know others that go into an empty spot in the library. Or if you can, just go on a walk and think.
“Our reality is a mirror of our thoughts, the people in our reality included.” — Jen Sincero (Author of You Are a Badass)
