Attending university/college is an exciting time in our lives. Parties, making new friends, and freedom are things we strive for over the years. But the most important thing is that we focus on our studies and succeed throughout our four years.
A lot of things could happen over the course of four years. Heartaches and other personal issues can occur in our lives and sometimes we’re not prepared for them. That is one thing I regret with my post-secondary, I let my personal issues reflect in my grades. Counseling services offered at school are great resources that should be appreciated. Never be ashamed of asking for help. I strongly believe that our mental health is more crucial than our education. Without taking care of it, it would be difficult for us to focus on school.
Another thing I learned is self-care. When we study hard for our midterms and finals, we sometimes forget to take breaks. It is important to take breaks when studying or working on an assignment. Studying for a final? Take a break every two hours. Our brains can’t handle that much information all at once and we can’t be overloading ourselves. I try to avoid burnout by taking a break for two hours, or work for half the day and take time for myself for the rest of the day. During my first two years, I did not use this method. I realized how important it was during my last years of university.
Also, go to the campus parties! Go downtown with your friends once in a while. It’s never a problem to do that. I was afraid if I went out, I wouldn’t be able to get enough studying done and wouldn’t finish my exam on time. But, make sure with any assignment, you start days or weeks before it’s due. It’s never a good feeling to start work a day before or cram for an exam the night before. Start early and I promise you, you’ll feel better about yourself.
Lastly, bad grades don’t reflect what you’re capable of or who you are. I had a teacher in high school once tell me that I wasn’t capable of being in university because she failed me in English. But I took the class again and passed with an A+. Don’t worry about getting a bad grade in university, it happens. In high school, we can get these amazing grades but when we start university, it’s like our lives come crashing down. Remind yourself that it’s just a grade, and you’re capable of doing things beyond it. I personally struggled with this. Whenever I got a bad grade I would be so hard on myself. Being negative about everything including yourself is what hurts your mental health. Make sure to always try to avoid that.
Post-secondary is an amazing life experience. What I regret the most is that I didn’t really take care of myself in the first two years. Take advantage of the opportunities you have to go out and enjoy yourself. Make new long-lasting friends, study hard and also, focus on your mental health. I promise you, you’ll have a great and successful four years!
