Just accept it; you’re not going to love every class you take every semester. Whether the course is challenging or a boring subject, or you just haven’t meshed with your instructor, there are ways to stay positive and engaged. A recent study by USA Today reports that calculus, biology, and chemistry were the top three hated classes by college students last year. Here are a few tips on how to survive the drudgery and even get a solid grade.
Making Healthy Habits Stick
According to published research by Statistic Brain, 46 percent of us vowed to improve our health this year, and resolutions for 2018 will likely pan out the same. Another study reports that 80 percent of us will fall off that healthy bandwagon by February. Don’t be too hard on yourself. With commitments to your education and other interests, sticking to healthy habits is challenging. The goal of healthy changes is to focus on progress, not perfection. Here are a few tips to help you make healthy habits stick.
How to Balance a Full-Time Job and College
There are many situations in life where you will need to work full time while going to college. You may have a family to support, bills to pay, and can’t give up work to go to school. Even without these responsibilities, working full time while going to school is a good way to avoid too much student loan debt.
Regardless of your reason to work full time while going to school, you’ll need to plan carefully to balance work and college time, and still have room for free time to recharge.
Choosing Between In-Person or Online Tutoring
You’ve got a part-time job, a full college course load, and you’re on your way. But that calculus class is turning out to me a really tough nut to crack. In order to maintain your grade point average, and save your mental energy for everything else, it may be time to try tutoring.
Challenges and Resources for First-Generation Students
For many first-generation students — students who are the first in their family to attend college — post-secondary education is a huge deal. They’re taking a different path than the rest of their family, one that their parents may not understand or even support. In many cases, they have more financial stresses than other students and may also feel like they don’t belong on campus. Thankfully, there are plenty of resources to help first-generation students adjust to college life.
Being Undeclared Might Not Be So Bad
College sets the stage for employment, pressing students to choose the right education for their career hopes. Although it’s an easy prospect for students with clear work goals in mind, others are slow committing to an academic major. While picking a program early in your college career has advantages, being undeclared might not be so bad.
Avoiding Internship Scams
College poses plenty of legitimate challenges, so the last thing you need is a senseless setback during school. Unfortunately, scammers may have you in their sights, preying on your search for any valuable internship experience.
How to Handle Grocery Shopping in College
Colleges have gotten better at feeding students. Your university food service program probably includes more dining options than a single, predictable, cafeteria menu. While the variety may make campus dining more bearable, it isn’t exactly mom’s home cooking. For a more satisfying eating experience during school, spend some time at your local grocery store and explore other creative ways to stay nourished.
Federal vs. Private Loans: Which Is for You?
College is supposed to prepare you for the “real” world, so challenges are expected. Unfortunately, one of the biggest trials facing many college students is finding money to pay for school. Federal and private loans help them make ends meet.
Unless your college fund is flush, you may need help paying for school. Fortunately, there are several types of student aid available, including scholarships, grants, and loans. Most college students draw from one or more of these resources when covering college costs. Which one is best for you?
Paying For Your Education
College spending extends beyond the price of tuition alone. The cost of housing, books, meals, and other necessities pushes up the price of earning a degree. And regular expenses don’t go away during school either. If you are like most college students, you’ll need outside help to keep up with these extraordinary costs.
Financial aid comes in three forms. Scholarships are earmarked for high achievers who excel in athletics, academics, and civic capacities. If you are a star athlete or an exceptional student, you may be able to land a scholarship. Students who demonstrate need to pay for school are offered grantsl. If your financial outlook prevents you from paying for college, a public or private agency may extend a grant, enabling you to attend. Grants and scholarships do not require repayment.
Student offer a popular third financial aid option, issued by the U.S. government and private banks.
Public and Private Loans
Student loans are offered by private lenders and through U.S. Department of Education programs. These must be repaid after you leave school. Government-backed options have the best interest rates and repayment terms for students, so the Federal Direct Loan Program is the top source for low-interest college loans.
Before you enroll in school, it is important to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA asks questions about your family finances and the cost of attending the college you’ve chosen. Your answers help financial aid officials determine which types of student aid are best for you. If your FAFSA shows financial need, you may be eligible for federal grants.
The last option for students are Federal loans. These loans have the lowest possible interest rates and flexible repayment terms. Both graduate and undergraduate students are eligible for unsubsidized loans. Interest rates may not be as low as subsidized alternatives, but unsubsidized federal loans are still more affordable than similar private loans.
In addition to low interest rates, subsidized student loans offer flexible repayment terms. You have the option to defer payment under certain conditions. During deferment, the borrowed amount does not accrue interest, helping graduates get on their feet before interest payments are due.
When scholarships and grants aren’t enough to cover the cost of college, students turn to loans. Your best bet is a Federal Direct Loan, but private options are also available.
Dont Overschedule Your Life
College offers a world of opportunities, but trying to keep up with your grades, participate in extracurricular activities, and maintain a healthy social life is overwhelming. You want to make sure you don’t overschedule yourself; doing so can lead to burnout, fatigue, and more serious health issues. Here are some tips on how to prevent overscheduling yourself while in college.
Set Priorities
Setting priorities — for both academic and non-academic commitments — will help you tremendously. You’ll want to have an academic plan that outlines what courses you need to take. Before each semester, make sure to review your academic plan so that you schedule your classes appropriately. This is especially important if you choose to work part time or participate in extracurricular activities.
Next, you’ll want to review your non-academic commitments or other areas of your life that you value such as family, personal finances, and free time. Once you’ve considered your non-academic responsibilities, set priorities for them and compare them with your academic responsibilities. Now, set realistic priorities that allow you to focus on the most important aspects of your life. Make sure you’ve left yourself some downtime. Remember that if you have to squeeze something into your schedule, you need to either remove that task or rearrange your priorities.
Keep a Calendar
Try using a physical calendar like a planner to maintain your schedule. Using a physical calendar might sound pre-historic to most millennials, but think about using something visual that outlines your life laid out in front of you. You can see what you have to do on Monday and Friday all in one view. With a physical calendar, you can also write notes or reminders in the margins, which you can’t do with calendar applications on smartphones and other electronic devices.
Master Multitasking
If you thought you were a master at multitasking while in high school, then college will test those skills. In fact, multitasking will help you survive while in college. However, multitasking requires practice, and certain activities are easier to balance than others. For example, if you ride the bus or train around campus, you can open up your notebook and study your notes during your commute. Texting during class, on the other hand, isn’t such a great idea because it interferes with your learning.
Schedule Some Downtime
When setting priorities and creating your calendar, be sure you schedule some downtime. Set aside a block of time on your calendar that is just for you, and don’t alter it under any circumstances. You’ll eventually become an expert at telling people no when they ask you to do something else. You can spend this time alone or enjoy a night on the town with friends.
Every college student has felt stressed out for many reasons, but you can avoid stress from overscheduling. College is a busy time, but setting priorities and filling your calendar wisely is going to reduce stress levels. So, leave yourself time for mental breaks; your physical and mental health will thank you.
