It’s not always easy to stay on top of your college schoolwork, even if you’ve been a good student in the past. Sometimes other commitments, such as work or family, can make it difficult to give 100 percent effort on your exams or assignments. Deadlines can come up quickly, and before you know it, you’re behind and struggling to keep up.
You might feel discouraged, but don’t give up. A few tweaks in your daily routine could make a big difference in your grades.
Kick these bad habits to the curb to stay successful.
1. “I don’t have time”
Most of us have priorities other than school. Setting up a schedule will make it easier for you to manage your time wisely. Be prepared to take time out of your day to focus on school, and make sure you give yourself ample time to complete assignments and prepare for exams. Rather than having an “I’ll do it later” attitude toward schoolwork, set a block of time each day – every day if possible – to study. Good time management will result in less stress and therefore, more success!
2. Procrastination
I have been guilty of procrastinating, but find that I have better results I give myself plenty of time to study, rather than cramming the night before a test. That time frame will vary depending on the length and complexity of the exam. For a regular class exam, you might start studying 2-3 days before. For a final exam or a certification exam, like the NCLEX, you should start studying a few weeks ahead.
3. Overworking yourself
Many students become flustered and overwhelmed at some point during their educational journey, and with that comes stress and lack of motivation. Remember that it’s okay to step away for a bit. The more that we stress over assignments, tests and deadlines, the more our work shows it.
Personally, I give myself a time limit when I’m reading or working on something, and at the end of that time, I step away for about 30 minutes. This helps me regain focus and removes some degree of stress. Allow yourself to breathe and relax, and you’ll do better work!
There are so many ways to stay successful, but most require a change in personal habits. Even a small change, like dedicating an hour each day for schoolwork, can help you see results. Staying successful in school does not come on its own; we have to work hard and do our part to make it happen!
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* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics 2022 / Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.
