6 Tips for Surviving and Thriving in College

By: Jasmine Demeester

The transition from high school to college is a life-changing one, as you are about to experiences new things in life. It is the time when you become an adult and you leave your parents to become self-sufficient and independent. It is the time when you begin to focus more on your studies and planning your career.

In a nutshell, college life is all about finding new dimensions of life and getting prepared for the changes that come with this transformation.

For a black woman, this transition can be a life-changing experience, and you’ll need to learn the art of adapting your life to the changes that come with this transition. Most importantly, you need to prepare yourself for the potential issues associated with being a black woman.

Since you belong to the minority, you need to work really hard to prove that you are above the average and as equally deserving as any other student to be at your school. Moreover, you need to learn to live with the academic pressure, work stress and homesickness. You need to work really hard to stand true to expectations of your college professors and stay ahead in the competition to get the top grades in your class.

So if you think that these things are too much to ask for, I present 6 tips to help you succeed in the college:

1. Learn to Manage Your Finances

Finances play a big role in being successful in college. Unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you’ll have to be careful with your spending in the college. From paying your college tuition and credit card bills to paying for rent and housing, you’ll have to be wary about your expenditures to successfully survive the financially-demanding life of the college. Having a budget can help you plan your finances and use it efficiently to support your life and studies.

2. Make Connections With Class Mates

Making social connections helps you in more than one way, especially when you are a black woman. Firstly, it provides you with a source of help that  you can turn to for assistance regarding assignments, sharing of information and seeking opinions for validation. Secondly, it will give you a sense of reassurance to deal with prejudices that you may face. So if you have any concerns and issues regarding the behavior of one of your classmates or instructors, you will have a strong support system to lend you a helping hand.

A day didn’t go by when I wasn’t the subject of many racist remarks from many white students. But once I got the support of the right people, there was no more emotional or physical harm.

3. Stay Committed To Your Studies

In the hustle and bustle of college life, having a plan alone cannot end your worries. The challenge of focusing on your studies can test your patience and will power. There will be days when you will feel down, but you have to wake up late in the night because you have the exams the next day.Therefore, you need to be fully committed to your studies and avoid diverting your attention from the studies. Remember that your studies are the most important part of your life and compromising on it will be the biggest blunder of your career.

Being a black woman, I have worked really hard to get quality education and it is your turn to set new standards of education for the next generation in the community. In other words, the future of black people, including women rests on your shoulders.

4. Organization is Key

College is a vibrant place where you encounter a lot of activities including the lectures, assignments, social hangouts, all-nighters, chores, and errands. In all this chaos, you are likely to run short of time to spend on your studies, unless you are highly organized and structured.Therefore, it is important to have a working schedule in place so that you can manage your life and give more time to your studies.

5. Balance is Key

Successful college life is about having a balance in your academic and non-academic activities. It is about giving your best in every role, whether as a student, a friend or a mentee. When you are able to successfully serve all these roles, only then are you able to do excel in your studies and get the desired results.

6. Get to know your your Academic Advisor

Your academic advisor is your mentor for getting advice, resolving the conflicts, organizing your on-campus activities and finding solutions to assignment-related issues. To continue benefitting from their knowledge and experience, it is important to have a healthy relationship with your academic advisor.

For black women, the role of an academic advisor is more than just a mentor as they can be a shoulder of support to overcome the racial barrier that the community of black students has to endure in the form of educational prejudices and social classification.

I couldn’t be any happier to get to know my own academic advisor and how he helped me sailed through the ordeal when things were all bleak and meaningless.Therefore, you need to take them into confidence regarding everything that requires their valuable advice or opinion.

Living a balanced college life can turn out to be a success in both your studies and career. Hopefully, the above-mentioned 6 tips help you make the most out of your college life.

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Author Biography: This guest article is written by Jasmine Demeester who works for a well-reputed Dissertation Help Consultancy. She has written numerous guides for those students who take initial starts in their college and university education.