Five Steps to Thriving in College

So you are in college. You are either a new person to all of this or have been doing the grind for a while now. Either way you probably could be living your best college life better. I personally went to junior college and a university. This means I spent time living at home for two year and two years living on campus. I got the full rundown of experiences basically. I wanted to share my tips on how to do the college thing feeling somewhat alive inside.

1: Know When to Say No

Just say no young adults. You may have a test or a paper that needs to be worked on and someone I promise you will show up to where you live or have something fun planned. It is okay to say no to those things. It if fine to tell someone “maybe another time.” Because surprise, they are not the ones giving you your grade or paying for your school. This means you come first. If they have a problem with that most likely means they do not have your best interests in mind. I feel like this goes without saying, but sometimes we all get caught over committing ourselves or pleasing others.

2: Self Care

This is one of the most important and critical times in your life to give yourself time to worry about yourself. This might mean for you face masks and watching Netflix a few times a week (this was me), or it means reading a book and eating a cookie. It is whatever gives you enjoyment and has no stressors tied to it. There is no one who can tell you what this looks like for you. But some other ideas are coloring, which is a great form of relaxation. Shopping for some new body care items. Playing a video game for a few hours to get your mind off of life. My motto is once you care for yourself you are better able to love and care for others.

3: Social life

Friends. These can seem difficult to find if you go to a college and do not know anyone. It may seem like your only option is to befriend your roommate that irritates you 75% of the time, but hey that's the only person who talks to you. I promise you that you can find people on your campus or outside of it who can become lifelong friends. Join a club, go out to a coffee shop and compliment someone or start a conversation with them and keep talking to them, actually talk to the person next to you in class. There is people everywhere and if one of them does not work to be your friend, there is many more to befriend. Find a person and hopefully a group that you can go out and have fun with, or stay in a have a board game night. Whatever it is, social support is so important to decrease stress and have a fulfilling time in college.

4: Go on Adventures

I bet, you want to stay chained to your college campus! It may seem like a nice environment, but I am telling you it will turn into a place of boredom very fast. It does not matter what state you are in there is things to do. There is nature to go see, cities to explore, back roads to drive down. Make memories that do not include sleep deprivation. It is as googling “things to do (wherever you are)” and looking through others ideas. And there is always something to do that does not cost money to do. If you do not have a car maybe there is public transportation, or remember those friends you have? They might have a car you could take (please remember to give people gas money if you can, be responsible). Find something to do!

5: Make a Happy Space to Live

Dorm rooms are depressing and rooms at home can be depressing. Make a space to sleep, eat, live, hang out that feels like home. Put something on the walls, add photos, put a rug down. I promise you these things will make a difference. And it does not have to be expensive. IKEA, thrift stores, taking things from home, Craigslist, Target and Walmart are all amazing places to buy. I found so many things from different places that were not incredibly expensive and were items I could sell after I was done with school if I did not need them anymore. The second half of that is do your version of tidy and clean. I know I could not study or write an essay till I cleaned my apartment. My room needed to have a clean floor and a place to put things. This will change your outlook and make things feel positive in general. Hey, even if your life is not together, your room can be on its top game.

I truly hope that these five tips will help you in your journey. College is fun and difficult, making as easy as possible is key. I found these tricks to be so good for my soul and make college an experience I will never forget.

Thanks for stopping in!

Ashley