Nadia CoreyIn the United States alone, there are believed to be around 20 million college students. These students have a wide range of different interests and study in a variety of different programs. While college isn’t a prerequisite for success, it is important for some professions and can teach you a wide range of skills and knowledge.
However, if you simply go to college and float through it, you aren’t getting the most out of your experience. You need to go above and beyond to truly get your money’s worth out of your time in college. With that in mind, this blog post is going to go over a few different ways to get the most out of your college experience.
Network Effectively
While you learn a lot in college, it is arguably the people you meet and the connections you make that is more important. Sometimes in life, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. While networking can feel uncomfortable early on for students, the more you do it, the easier it will become. You have to put yourself out there and get a little bit uncomfortable every now and then.
In addition to networking with other students, professors, and guest speakers, you should also look into networking events. These provide a great chance to meet a ton of people in your industry who likely share similar interests and are looking to meet people as well. People you meet today could help propel you further in your career down the road. Because of this, never turn down a great chance to network.
Participate in Extracurriculars and Get Involved
No matter the school you go to, there are likely dozens and dozens of chances to get involved every month. There are often events, guest speaker lectures and many extracurricular activities to participate in. This can mean a wide range of things for different people.
These include playing on a sports team, joining the cheerleading squad (check out some great custom outfits here for your cheer team) or simply participating in some other fun activities. Not only will these help you meet new people and learn new things, but many are free or incredibly affordable, so you might as well give them a try.
Be Aware of the Costs and Prepare For Them
As you are likely aware, attending most universities aren’t cheap. While some people will get scholarships or have family help them pay, most people will need to pay at least a little out of pocket to attend college. According to experts, the average cost for a standard degree at an in-state public college is over $25,000.
Unless you are made of money, having enough money to afford this much will take some preparation. You need to save up the money you have, find ways to make money during university and potentially even take on some student debt. If you do take on student loans, be sure to only borrow what you actually need.
Exercise and Eat Well
We have all heard about the “freshman 15”, and it is a real thing for many people. Many people have so little money and time that they just eat what is cheap and quick. This is often things like junk food and pizza. Also, with spare time at a minimum for most students, it’s quite difficult to be able to get to the gym.
However, you need to be sure to make your health a priority. As you get older and your metabolism slows down, you will begin to see and notice the effects of unhealthy eating and a lack of exercise. Cleaning up your diet and even taking a few days a week to run or exercise can go a long way in making you healthier.
Take a Wide Range of Courses
Every college out there has courses in dozens of different subjects and disciplines. While most courses you take will be related to your field, you should look into potentially taking some courses in other subjects.
Not only will this help you learn a lot, but will also help you keep an open mind and expand your thinking. College is all about growing as a person and expanding your ideologies, and taking a variety of different courses will help.
While most people consider enrolling into sports sections once they’re in college, there are students that are passionate about reading and writing. Writing, regardless of the fact whether it’s academic or professional, will come in handy sooner than later. Some of the best essay writers started with taking extra writing classes during their college and now they are well experienced, professional writers who turned their passion into a full time job.
Learn How to Effectively Deal with Stress
Any way you look at it, college is a very stressful time. You are not only stressed about getting good marks but also stressed about your future and career. Balancing your school with things like a job and a social life can also prove difficult.
This stress can severely impact not only your mental health and happiness but also your productivity. As a result, you need to learn how to effectively deal with stress. This could include taking frequent breaks during study, listening to music, meditating, and taking time for yourself.
Use the Resources and Services Your College Provides
No one wants you to be more successful than your school. As a result, they provide a lot of resources and services you can use. This includes career assistance, resume help, tutoring a fully-stocked library and many others.
If you want to get your money’s worth and truly have the best experience, you should take advantage of these resources as much as you can. Many can help you improve grades, give yourself a better chance at a good job and learn new things.
Give Yourself a Schedule
While you likely have a set-in-stone class schedule, college is about much more than just attending class. You need to give yourself a schedule when it comes to things like studying, homework, going to the gym and working.
Having poor time management during college is quite common, unfortunately, so you should do everything you can to stop it. This could be a robust schedule that you track in an app, or something as simple as using a physical day-planner to keep yourself on topic.
In conclusion, we hope that this article has been able to help you get the most out of your college experience. While college is about learning, it is also a time for you to grow as a person, meet new people and enjoy new experiences.