How to Make the Most of Your Time in College

By Brittany Hawes on July 31, 2017

 You worked hard in grade school, spent days studying to pass all of those required tests, and then spent several more days freaking out after you received an acceptance letter from your dream school. Now you’re finally here, ready to make the most of your time in college.

With as many possibilities and challenges that college has to offer, you may find yourself getting overwhelmed at times or even distracted. It’s important to stay focused on your goals. Just in case you need a reminder or if you’re still trying to decide what you want to get out of college, here are six ways to make the very most of your years as a student.

Image via StockSnap

1. Do your best

We’re all here to learn — so make an effort! Don’t do the bare minimum and be happy with earning a passing grade. Give every assignment everything you’ve got. Put your heart into it; aim to improve and impress yourself. Make sure you give yourself plenty of study time and don’t skimp on homework.

If your studying techniques aren’t working, you can always look online for extra tools that will help you succeed in class. Remember: you’re working towards your dream job. You spent a lot of time, money, and effort to get into college, so do yourself a favor and give it your best!

2. Figure out your interests and explore them

You’re not here to only grow intellectually. College is about finding who you are, becoming the beautiful person that you’ve always been, and figuring out what it is that you want to do with your life.

Your school should offer plenty of clubs and groups that will appeal to an interest/hobby/talent of yours. Browse through your school’s extracurricular organizations online or make it a point to visit campus during an event where there will be college organizations present. If your search turns up fruitless, why not create your own club?

3. Find your people

I firmly believe that the people you surround yourself with should be people that are good for you. When I say “good for you,” I mean people that bring out the best in you. Find people who you can be yourself with, who are there for you, and who you never feel the need to put up a front for.

If you can be open and honest with your newfound schoolmates, boost one another up, and you share a mutual sense of respect for one another, then you’ve found yourself a true-blue friend. If you don’t feel respected or if you feel mistreated in any kind of way, keep looking. You’ll find your true-blues!

Image via StockSnap

4. Have a positive outlook

Negativity will do nothing but hold you back. Be it from yourself or from other people, don’t allow any kind of negativity to stop you from going after what you want to do with your life. If you ever feel overwhelmed or down about something (a bad grade, feeling lonely, a bad decision), take a deep breath and combat that negativity with the choice to think about the situation in a positive light.

If you make a bad grade: you’ll study harder next time, find a tutor, or ask your professor for help. If you feel lonely or like you have no friends: you’ll make an effort to go out more, get involved in a group and meet new people, or just focus on yourself for the time being. And everyone makes bad decisions. Don’t dwell on it; learn from it, grow from it, and move forward.

 5. Don’t be afraid to change

I used to be afraid of change. I like what’s comfortable and what I know. After living on my own for almost a year now, I’ve come to realize that change isn’t something to be afraid of but something that we should embrace. It’s an amazing and exciting adventure. Without it, there would be nothing but wasted potential and static.

So it’s okay to grow up and leave behind old habits, to break out of your shell and be who you want to be. I always like to think of college as a metamorphosis: you go in with bundles of potential and you come forth as an adult, ready to face the world.

6. Know what you want and go for it

If you want to join a sorority or a fraternity, try out for an acapella group, run for your club’s presidency, or apply for a competitive internship, don’t hold back! Never worry about what others might think; you know what you want more than anyone else does. Even if things don’t go as you hoped, at least you’ll be able to say that you gave it a shot; plus you’ll also have that experience under your belt.

The bottom line is this: you’re in charge of creating your college experience. So make it a great one!

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format