How To Deal With College Pressure Like A Pro

Academic pressure in college is intense. Both your coursework and your homework are designed to challenge you and your abilities. Many students get overwhelmed during this time because of the sheer amount of work that they face. While many students take shortcuts to get rid of the pressure, smart students utilize some simple tips and tricks that help them stay on track.

Keeping on top of coursework, social life, homework, and extracurriculars seems like an impossible task. It is, in fact, a straightforward thing to do if you stick to a few rules. So what can you do to make sure you survive college? Let’s find out!

Rule One: Schedule Everything

If you plan your time efficiently, 24 hours a day suddenly seems like 48. When you can track your activities and create boundaries for your concentration, you are expanding how much you can fit into the day. Compartmentalizing can help with efficiency, and scheduling shows how effective that is in the real world.

When you create a schedule for your life, remember to include online, offline, and leisure activities too. It might seem very neurotic to plan out when and how long to hang out with friends.

However, you must remember that if you set these limits for yourself, you are also creating opportunities. You can take 15 mins out of each activity and make time to meet a loved one. If you plan to finish your homework on weeknights, you leave the weekends free to travel.

Rule Two: Ask for Help

No one goes through college alone. Every student who graduates has a vast support network of professors and peers to thank. College courses are designed to test your limits and your abilities, and failure is part and parcel of the whole journey. You are supposed to get overwhelmed at some points in college, and it teaches you how to conduct yourself in stressful situations in your work life.

The important lesson you should learn from this is that it is okay to ask for help. Help can be in the form of getting answers for homework, helping with projects, guidance for assignments, or even helping you with practice tests. You should reach out to the administration and ask them what kinds of student support they offer, and you might be pleasantly surprised at what you’ll find.

Many colleges organize study groups and provide tutorials for struggling students and many other resources that you can take advantage of during your time.

Rule Three: Extra-Curriculars Matter

When you’re in college, it’s easy to forget that you have a life outside your studies. With the amount of academic pressure students deal with, most students forget about extracurricular activities.

However, these clubs and societies are there for a reason, and it is inexcusable not to take advantage of them. The extracurricular activities supervised by your college can add to your resume. You will make contacts across departments and build a strong network of future professionals in various fields. These clubs are also a great way to stay in shape and learn new skills.

Exercise is often pushed to the side in college, and it catches up with your health soon after. Avoid that hassle by taking advantage of the excellent infrastructure you have available to you. College clubs and societies are often a great way to have life experiences like trekking and mountain climbing as well. Make sure you don’t miss out by checking the notice board next time you pass it by.

Rule Four: Extra Credit Is Your Friend

Extra credit assignments are one of the easiest ways you can bump your grades up in class. While many professors look down on these, many professors are happy to assign extra credit projects for struggling and exceptional students alike.

The best part of extra credit assignments is that you can do them on your own time. Since they are voluntary, you can avoid taking them up when you have your plate full.

Instead, ask for extra credit assignments during lull periods in your academic calendar. You should inform your professors at the beginning of the year that you would be interested in extra credit projects if they come up, so they know you’re eager from the start.

Taking extra credit assignments also future proofs you from a bad grade later in the year. It can be like your backup plan in case of emergencies during significant tests. If you don’t have emergencies, you’ll get an additional boost to your grades. It’s a win-win situation either way!