This Is About Being Involved and Avoiding Responsibilities

First things first, don't avoid your responsibilities. Especially your academic responsibilities. Avoiding your responsibilities is the worst thing you can do in your college career.

DID YOU GET THAT? Avoiding your responsibilities is the WORST thing you can do in your college career.

Being involved your first year is super awesome and helps you meet so many new and exciting people, but if you start putting your extracurriculars before your academics you will end up paying the ultimate price. You fall into this constant cycle of trying to please those around you, and you end up just focusing on that which is not your own academics. As a person who this is happening to, when you realize how far behind you are all this does is induce so much stress. So listen, and listen well, school always comes first. If you let your grades drop you will not even be allowed to do the fun things you enjoy because most of them require certain GPAs to join or maintain membership.

As we sit back and examine what part of campus we want to take control of, we also have to take into consideration how you will manage yourself and this semester. So it all falls back down to my favorite subject. Time Management. So try to do what I say before you go to college.

1. Get a Calander.

It sounds redundant, but in all importance find one that worked for you. I use the calendar on my iPhone. It lets me color coordinate what events pertain to what organization or class; so I have one for all my classes and then one for all my student organizations. It is a simple solution to some of the largest issues you'll face. This allows you to see where you have availabilities for extra studying or a well-deserved nap.

2. Start a Study Group

I am a person who holds my self more accountable to a large group of people rather than myself. It sounds horrible I know, but that's how I personally function. So when you get in your classes scope out a group of four or five people and ask for their numbers or Snapchats to start a study group. This way you can schedule a time weekly to sit down with these people to study and review your notes together. Not every class will require a study group, but the ones that you feel like you'll struggle with you should definitely get one going.

3. Get Your Space.

Some people can study anywhere, those people are blessed. But then there are people who can't, I fall into that group. So what do I do? I explore, and I find places where I can study and do work. Those places include the library, a local coffee shop, and a friends house. If all you do is exclusively study and so homework in these spaces you will feel weird when you're not doing either.

These three tips are minimal, but if followed well you will thrive. I know life can get messy, and throw school in there it can get worse. All photos are mine.