Utilizing Available Resources

One of the best tools in life is the resources that are available to help guide you through certain aspects of your life. Guidance is essential to help keep your goals and efforts in alignment with life’s journey. At the beginning of my academic career I felt that it wasn’t necessary to utilize the available resources. Fortunately, I was able to finally understand that my lackluster attitude towards these resources was hurting my overall performance as a student.

Resources Available

With the internet age upon us it’s much more efficient to sign up for classes online rather than in person with a counselor. What I found out was that the counselors helped align my long term goals with my short term goals. It may be confusing when trying to plan your semester for your academic career. Don’t fret; utilize the counseling services that are intentionally put are your disposal. These highly skilled individuals have the ability to simplify the scheduling process and help create a plan that best suits your specific needs.

In addition, it’s imperative to utilize the tutoring centers if you find yourself struggling. Every person retains information in different ways. The majority of the tutors are either students finishing up there Master’s Degree or professionals in their respective fields. Just remember, a little help can not only give you a deeper understanding of the material but your overall grade in the class. Asking for help sooner rather than later is extremely important. Sometimes classes are crowded with students and you aren’t able to get the one on one attention you deserve. By utilizing the tutoring centers you will be able to receive the one on one attention.

In the end, don’t be afraid to search and ask for help. Universities have established support systems to help guide the young minds of the future. By utilizing these tools, your ability for success will not only increase but the unneeded stress and confusion can be averted.

Establishing Short/Long Term Goals

In life it’s essential to establish both short and longer term goals. Being a procrastinator at heart; once I started college I soon came to realize that my earlier mentality wasn’t going to cut it. Having the feeling of total control won’t always be there. In the meantime, goals will help keep you on track and motivated to take that next step. Motivation and setting goals go hand in hand on the road to achieving success.

Short Term Goals

The reason you want to set short term goals is due to the fact that it keeps the ball rolling. You could compare it to a stepping stone on a long journey. In order to stay on the right track you must set stepping stones to advance on that journey. These goals could consist of studying enough to get an A on that next test or making sure you finish all of your reading material prior to next week’s exam. Short-term goals lead up to the bigger picture “Long-Term goals”!

Long Term Goals

When setting long term goals you want them to be attainable but difficult at the same time. An example of a longer term goal could be graduating college or find a career you enjoy. Don’t compare your goals to others because they’re most likely different. Long term goals can span anywhere from a year to 60 years there’s really no timetable. It’s imperative that when you’re working towards these goals that you believe in yourself and what you can accomplish.

A great way to remember the goals you set is by writing them on post-it notes and placing them around your room, apartment, or house. Having a constant reminder of what you’re working towards will help guide you along your journey. Like always, believing in yourself will allow you to achieve greatness!

Balancing Work and School

The balance between school and work can be a tough puzzle to solve. Sometimes it feels that when you take one step forward you get pushed two steps back. The equation can be solved by simply balancing your time between both aspects of your life. Yea it’s easier said than done but don’t forget that it can still be done. 
 

Time Management

In order to balance both work and school time management is essential. Even though a long day at work can be mentally and physically exhausting the day is only half over. It’s imperative to set at least 2-3 hours minimum each day to refrain from having to play catch up. From personal experience, I have found it easier to complete all the reading materials during the weekdays and save the written portions and activities for the weekend. Having a routine that’s consistent will eventually grow into a habit that will help balance both work and school.

Create a checklist

At the beginning of each week create a checklist of what needs to be completed. This may include reading assignments, written papers, discussion boards, quizzes, and tests. It’s easier to track your progress and separate the workload throughout the week if you know how much work is left. Everyone’s experienced the Sunday night freak out were you forgot to take a quiz or remember you had a paper due Monday morning. Creating a check list will help increase the balance between work and school. 

Nobody’s perfect and our memory can sometimes fail us. In the end, it’s up to the user to stay organized and on track throughout the week. Manage your time by separating your schoolwork and by allocating certain tasks for different parts of the week. Begin to get into the habit of making a checklist that lays out what needs to be done and when it needs to be completed by. Believe in yourself and you can achieve great things.