Students at every level can find themselves struggling to succeed. Undergraduate students are going through a lot, from facing new academic challenges to feeling out of place in a new town. Graduate students are often working or raising children while going to school. No matter where you are in school, there are a few simple ways to ensure success. Here are some helpful tips for the student who wants to do her best.
Dress for the field you’re entering.
Freshman fashion is typically sweatpants and hoodies, but you might have noticed that the successful students tend to dress for the field they’re entering. If you’re going to school for education, you want to leave the impression that you’re competent and able to teach the nation’s youth. Baggy pants don’t scream professional. Look into the dress code of the industry you’re studying to enter and start to wear the appropriate garb for that field. A great pair of women’s ankle pants would be perfect for a law or medical student. What you wear becomes more important as you progress in your program—you wouldn’t defend your dissertation in yoga pants. Start practicing now and you might notice a change in how your professors treat you and how confident you feel in class.
Nail your papers by paying attention to the details
College students typically write between 92 and 146 pages a semester. Papers and exams will make up the bulk of your assignments, so it’s crucial that you nail them. For an exam, you can study to feel prepared, but papers are more of a challenge for some people. You may not feel confident in your writing. It might take you forever to start a paper or you can start it, but you quickly run out of ideas and don’t know how to meet your word or page limit. If you’re lacking confidence when you write papers, try paying close attention to the details. Focus on exactly what the professor is asking for, then create an outline that answers every aspect of the question. If you need to meet a certain number of words, use a trusted word counter tool so you can make sure you’re not getting points off for something as simple as word count. Get the most points you can by getting the details right and the writing will follow.
Make time for things that aren’t school-related
There’s no denying that students are stressed. They’re juggling schoolwork, friends, family, and, in some cases, work. You might spend hours in the library working on a paper or pull an all-nighter to study for your final exam. While it’s good to focus on schoolwork, it’s just as important that you make time for things that aren’t school-related. This includes self-care. You should be getting a good night’s sleep every evening and eating fruits and veggies every day. Make time for working out, which will help you stay physically and mentally healthy. When you take a break from work, it actually helps you complete your work when you come back. You’re ready to focus and you have the capacity to do what needs to be done. Don’t underestimate the importance of taking a break.
Have an organizational system that keeps you on track
If you’re unable to keep track of your work and appointments, you’ll just create more stress for yourself. The key to success is staying on top of what you need to do. Create an organizational system that works for you. It might be different from your best friend’s system and that’s okay. What’s important is that it works for you and helps keep you completing work and getting things done. Don’t fall behind or lose track of assignments and due dates. Have a system and success is almost guaranteed.
If you follow these easy tips, you’ll graduate at the top of your class. Focus on your work, but make time for other things and people too. Success is possible when you’re confident, organized, and relaxed.
