Live your academic life to the fullest
Growing up. The path of becoming more experienced in life and gaining more freedom and independence every day, and yet something people fear so much. It’s true that at some point in your life, growing up gets scary as hell, and that point is when you graduate from college. Having a job and working full time will give a very defined structure to your life. Maybe you find yourself in a long-term relationship or you’re already planning for parenthood. But before that, there is college. There’s the time where you make your first experiences as a grown up and explore your individuality and personal freedom. Only a few people find their way back to university after their first degree and I would recommend making your time at college unique and unforgettable.
In this article, you will find tips for your professional development at university, as well as personal recommendations to enjoy your time as best as you can.
Visit optional classes and courses
When you go to college, it means opening the doors to an academic environment full of fascinating classes to visit, books to read and people to meet. Sounds obvious? It is, but once you graduated and start working, you will soon notice that you don’t get an education for free. You can enrol in online classes, video courses and the like, but all of them will cost you big time.
Studying is the time where you can just surround yourself with everything that interests you and this helps you not only to graduate but also to grow as a person. If your college allows it, you could just stop by a class in chemistry or history, although you are studying law, just because you can. Not only will you meet new people and maybe make new friends, but it is also a very nice way to educate yourself on other topics than your studies. Who knows, you might even find something you will keep pursuing.
If your university offers free courses like debating, art classes, writing courses, and so on, I highly recommend that you visit them! These are usually the courses where you learn really practical skills that you can always need in your future career or at least keep as a hobby.
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[Degrees, Should I Change Mine?]
[YouTube Channels: Top-10 Helpful Channels for College Students]
Get to know your professors
Your professors are the exact opposite of those evil demons who give you tons of research papers and scare you with bad grades on your exams. The earlier you get rid of this school-thinking, the better for you. Your professors typically have a long academic path, tons of experience and a highly professional network. And they are mostly, just like you, adult people who like to go out and meet others.
University offers many events and opportunities to get to know your professors. You will find that they have lots of knowledge to share and that keeping good contact with them will make your studies much more interesting. Your professors knowing who you are can also be of benefit not only for your time at college but also for your professional future. When you left a good impression on a professor, he or she can remain a good contact for you when it comes to academic questions or even finding a job.
Related:
[Emailing Professors: Do’s And Don’ts]
[Things To Do On A Sunday For A More Productive Week]
[The Ultimate List Of The Best Things To Pack For College]
Share a flat
Living in a shared apartment is probably one of the most exciting parts of life at university. When searching for accommodation, you should really consider moving in with someone else. If you don’t know anyone in specific, try searching on different platforms for shared flats. Moving out of “Hotel Mum and Dad” into a flat with people you don’t know is a great adventure and something that will make your student life more memorable.
A flat-sharing community writes some of the best stories in life, and even if sometimes it brings you close to pulling out your hair, one day you will look back and smile about the many stories you can tell from your life at college. Like that one time where your roommate fell asleep in the shower and flooded the bathroom. Or that one time where you got up in the morning and found the kitchen full of people you didn’t know. Or those many times where you actually wanted to study and your roommate burst into your room with beer and lots of bad ideas. I think you get the point here.
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[How to Find the Best and Most Affordable Accommodation for Students]
Explore the surrounding area
If you are studying abroad, that is a great opportunity for you to get to know the surrounding area. Not just the city you are studying in, but also the countryside and other cities nearby. Talk to local people, ask for great places to explore and just go ahead and visit them, even if it’s just for a day-trip.
Some people prefer to travel alone. When you count yourself to that group, just grab your backpack and start exploring the countryside and take a break from staying in the same area as your university day by day. If you prefer travelling together, see if you can find people from the area who fancy outside activities, like hiking or climbing and travel with them.
Feeling adventurous? You and your classmates should definitely take the train to the next city, spend the night visiting the bars and clubs there and take the train back in the morning so you can still make it to your first class in the morning. These are the nights you will never forget and you will laugh about the stories told from back then countless times.
Related:
[2 Days London Guide For The First-Timers]
[Discovering The World In College: Pros And Cons Of Studying Abroad]
[7 Unusual Destinations For A Remarkable Study Abroad Year]
Have sleepovers
Why put an end to a fun night if you can let it slightly fade out? Sleepovers are great. You probably had them as a child, when your mum was still packing your bag with toothbrush and pyjamas for you. You had them as a teenager when public transport was asleep and you were not allowed to drive a car yet. When you grow up and spend more and more of your time working, the sad truth is that sleepovers will quickly stop being a part of your life.
University is the time in your life where you can enjoy this privilege to the fullest. Have a night out with your friends, then invite them to sleep at your place or sleep at their place. Get some beer and snacks on the way home. Curl up together on the couch, talk about life or watch a movie. Spend as much time together as you can. When the sun rises, go out together and enjoy the day. When the sun sets, repeat. The best nights are never those when you walked home alone and went to sleep!
Related:
[Why You Should Join Clubs And Societies While In College]
[How To See The Best Version Of Yourself]
[Achieve your Highest Potential as a Future Professional]
Bottom-line
You may spend a couple of years studying, but with a blink of an eye, you will find yourself with a degree and you will only regret the things you didn’t do. I encourage everyone to keep the list of regrets as short as possible. Are you ready to do all these things before Graduating From College?
What’s on your bucket list before graduation?
Is there something you find that you HAVE to do before you finish college?
Let us know in the comments below!
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