How to Balance Your Academic and Social Life, Especially While Transitioning From High School
Moving from college to high school is a significant milestone for many people and a huge transition into adulthood. This blog will serve you as a guide for how to navigate college without feeling overwhelmed.
- Master time management: College life can be busier compared to high school since your course load will differ each semester, and you will need to know how to manage your time and use all of that efficiently. Personally, I use Google Calendar to keep track of my schedule and tasks. There are a lot of options when talking about planners, and it’s up to you to decide whether you want to use digital or paper ones.. Using a planner can help you to manage your time by showing you what you should do or what tasks you need to complete each day.
- Ask for help when needed: I remember one quote from Laurie A. Watkins: “Asking for help is a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness.” I think it’s normal for people to be shy about asking for help, and sometimes they may think that asking for help is a sign of weakness. I used to feel the same way early in my time here, but later on, I learned that reaching out for help is empowering and essential for success.
- Adjust to the new environment: College is a time when you’ll be away from your loved ones and start living your life independently. It’s a great start to doing things on your own and making critical decisions. Embrace this transition because it is a very big opportunity to grow as a person.
- Budgeting: Having a budget is important when you want to save or spend money. On-campus jobs are a great opportunity to earn money, network, and learn professional skills. Getting a job will teach you how to balance a work-life setting while managing your finances.
- Health and Wellness: Living away from home is hard enough, especially for someone who recently graduated from high school. While you are very busy with academic life and extracurricular activities, it can be very easy for you to neglect your health. Arcadia has many resources for you to take advantage of, such as Student Health Services and Counseling Services. Utilize these and remember that there are a lot of hospitals that you can either drive to or take a bus to if there’s an emergency or Student Health Services is closed!
- Academic Goals: Everyone comes to college with different goals. Every day, as I walk past my peers I see the future; doctors, engineers, historians, chemists, etc. People that will change the world for the better. They’ve set goals for themselves and never gave up. Being academically driven made their goals more attainable. Being driven and staying focused on your academic goals will help you succeed in every path that you take.
- Networking and career opportunities: College is an amazing opportunity to make connections with the student body and faculty. Networking can lead to career opportunities you didn’t think were possible. Speaking to faculty, talking to peers, and even attending info sessions can get you a step ahead.
I hope that this guide serves you during your time at college. No matter what path you take, I believe that you will be successful. I would like to close this blog with a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
