You got into college, now what??? If you’re like me, you’re probably going to a school not in your hometown and have to adjust to a new environment. Or simply now going in an environment where you don’t have 24/7 access to your friends and family. So what should you do with your independence and free time in college? There’s many things you can do so let me list some.
Create New Goals
Creating goals for yourself is a great way to organize your life as you enter adulthood. Goals provide direction, motivation, and a sense of purpose. They remind you that you’re making progress, which can be reassuring. Working toward goals keeps your mind active, preventing college from feeling boring and repetitive. When you’re stuck in a routine of waking up, going to classes, enjoying the weekend, and repeating it all over again, it can get gloomy if you’re not actively seeking new experiences or working to improve your life. So, create goals like getting your driver’s license, studying abroad, learning to cook, or joining a club.
Build Time Management Skills
Having good time management skills helps prevent you from feeling burnout and maintain your stress level. For me here is how I break down my time:
– Time for your loved ones
This includes anyone you love and want to make time for. Creating time for your loved ones helps you feel a sense of home in college and reassures you that you’re not forgotten or falling behind on what’s happening in their lives. For me, this taught me how to show love from afar in many ways—like phone calls, playing video games with my family online, planning trips to see them, and more. It can be tough at first because your loved ones may forget or be unaware of your schedule, or you might struggle to find a time that works for both of you. But it’s important to make the effort to stay connected with your loved ones.
– Time to be productive
This time can be set aside for studying, working, or progressing in your career. Allowing yourself designated times to be productive is helpful because it helps organize your workload. For example, when I don’t set specific times for productivity, I end up spending longer on assignments because I didn’t plan my workload throughout the week. But when I space it out, I can focus on manageable chunks of work, so I don’t feel overwhelmed or stressed. Another thing that helps me manage my productivity is using a planner or calendar to track responsibilities. Setting time to work in the right environment also creates a more efficient daily schedule.
– Need to do time
This time is different than your productive time because this includes your life chores like laundry, making doctor appointments, personal care tasks, and etc. This may not seem like something you should dedicate a set time for but it’s definitely helpful. I know for me planning out a set to do my laundry prevents me from doing my laundry a time when I need to be doing something else like an essay or let a deadline for an application for a program I want to get into. Establishing a time for your need to everyday task like dinner not only helps you prevent procrastinating but also helps you not shorten your needs to do task due to lack of time. Like I enjoy my long showers compared to a shower on a strict schedule. So don’t forget to take care of your necessity tasks in life.
– Self Love time
This is the time you set aside to do things you personally enjoy outside of school. It could be going out with friends, having a spa day, or staying in to watch your favorite shows. This time allows you to focus on your own needs and desires, rather than always meeting life’s demands. Not only is it enjoyable, but it’s also healthy to make sure you don’t neglect what you want to do just for yourself. So, take time to relax and enjoy some much-needed “me time.”
Build Better Communication Skills
Building better communication skills in college can have many benefits, both professionally and socially. Practicing how to represent yourself in professional settings helps normalize how you present yourself in these environments. This includes learning how to respectfully disagree, share your opinions, and communicate who you are to others. Developing these skills will be valuable as you pursue your career, allowing you to navigate professional fields effectively.
You can build these skills by networking on campus or actively putting yourself in environments that challenge you to communicate. Additionally, improving communication is helpful for socializing, as it allows you to interact with a variety of people. The ability to speak confidently with anyone is a useful skill to have. Furthermore, learning to communicate well with others also helps you speak more kindly to yourself. Building communication skills is a lifelong asset that’s always worth developing.
Dive into Yourself Discovery Journey
College is always associated as a time to explore who you are but it’s only a time for that if you actively engage in the opportunities that’s around and put time into them. Exploring who you are can be pursue new/old interests, exploring a new career option, or even who you want to be in this world. So I suggest to take time for yourself to reflect on what you are currently doing once in awhile and see if what you are doing is actually what you want to do. Be willing to risk being uncomfortable for a potential new hobby or a better way of living.
Learn Good Healthcare Habits
Learning good healthcare habits means paying attention to when your mind and body need rest. Don’t overwork yourself or push beyond your limits just to keep up. Prioritize your well-being. For example, if you’re really sick, don’t try to attend all your classes—it’s hard to focus and learn effectively when you’re unwell. Similarly, if you’re mentally overwhelmed, take a breather or at least a moment for yourself before diving back into daily activities. Seek professional help if needed, as some support can only come from a healthcare provider. Also, be willing to let your loved ones support you instead of handling everything on your own. Overall, being gentle and kind to yourself, especially during tough times in college, is the best approach.