This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of SToK Cold Brew Coffee. The opinions and text are all mine.
It’s that time of year, friends! It’s back to college season, which means it’s time to pick out new dorm room decor, catch up with friends, and of course, get back into the swing of a serious study and college routine.
While I have been graduated from college for over 3 years now (wow, time flies), I know a TON of you are just diving into your first year or you’re deep into your college experience already. College is one of the best times of your life but it’s also a tough one. You’re learning so much about your studies but you’re also learning so much about life. Everything is a balancing act in college.
Since I have already gone through it all, I wanted to share some of my *knowledge* and tips with you today to help you ease into your back to college routine. As someone who wishes I had read about prepping for my college years back before and when I was in college, I really hope my tips can not only be helpful to you but I also hope that they can be motivating for you!
[bctt tweet=”7 Tips For Back To College Success” username=”SummerTelban”]
7 TIPS FOR BACK TO COLLEGE SUCCESS:
1. Learn How To Manage Your Time Well From The Start // Aside from studying well to achieve good grades, I’d say the top thing you must learn right away is how to manage your time. Time management is one of the most important things to learn in order to achieve a full college experience. I remember going into my first year of college and thinking that the time management part of it would come easily to me. Gosh, I was wrong! There is so much to balance. You’ve got your class schedule, study schedule, socialization, meals, and extracurricular activities to balance. If you’re also working during your college experience (like I did), you also have that to factor into your time management, as well.
My suggestion is before heading back to campus, already start to have a plan of attack for time management. Grab a new calendar and planner and start to block out certain times (classes, study sessions, etc.). When you first get to campus, your first two weeks are crucial for you to start to nail down your schedule. Always keep your focus on why you chose to go to college in the first place… your studies!
Some time management tips that worked for me…
- Always keep your planner with you and USE it.
- Read through your class notes before going to sleep.
- Always aim for balance. While studies are the key reason you’re in college, it’s okay to make time for friends and self-care activities.
- Check-in with how you’re doing on your time management on the weekends. See where you can improve and put those actions into practice the next week of classes.
2. Create A Relaxing Dorm Environment // I have always been a huge believer that your surroundings can impact you. Your dorm room should both be an escape from the rest of the campus for you, as well as a place that you can gather yourself and study hard. Target has a ton of amazing dorm room decor that you can use to make your space your own. If you’re sharing a dorm with a roommate, try to come together on a theme or figure out how you can both express yourselves through your decor.
Some other dorm room tips…
- Keep it clean and tidy at all times. If you’ve spent the morning trying on 5 different outfits but can’t put them away then, do it before you go to bed at night.
- Let your space be positive and never negative. This works through decor and also by not allowing toxic people in your space. Remember, this is your getaway space on campus.
3. Have SToK Cold Brew On Hand // Let’s get real for a hot sec here… the vast majority of college students run of coffee. I was one of them and I’d even bet that you probably are, too! My favorite SToK Cold Brew is their SToK 48 oz. Unsweetened – it’s bold and smooth. I have been drinking SToK Cold Brew for years now and I won’t be stopping anytime. It’s the perfect choice for college students to always keep in their dorm room to use for a boost when studying or pour a glass to go to get you through the day.
You can find SToK Cold Brew 48 oz. Unsweetened at Target along with all the rest of your college essentials. Target is the one-stop shop for all things back to college.
SToK is seriously the perfect sidekick as you get settled back into college and for the rest of the semester. Sometimes you need a little boost and that’s where SToK steps in to help you out!
Save 20% on select SToK cold brew coffee 8/5 – 9/8 on Cartwheel!
4. Wake Up 15 Minutes Early During The Week // Okay, okay… I know this is a tough one, especially for those of you who are not morning people. If it helps at all, know that I am not a morning person either but implementing this tip helped me to become more prepared for my days ahead. I didn’t start to implement this tip until my junior year and college and gosh, I really wish I had put this tip into practice from the start of my college years.
Waking up 15 minutes early during your class week is helpful because it gives you some extra time in the morning to review your schedule for the day. It gives you time to prep for your classes to make sure that you have all of your assignments and books that you need with you. I think that getting in the routine of waking up 15 minutes early also helps you wake up in a more healthy fashion, rather than snoozing your alarm, quickly getting dressed, and then running out the door. It’s amazing what an extra 15 minutes each morning can do for you. Oh, and remember… if you need that caffeine boost in the morning, that’s where SToK Cold Brew steps in to get your day off on the right foot.
5. Don’t Be Afraid To Put Yourself Out There // One thing that I was encouraged to do when entering into college was to put myself out there and I want to encourage you to do the same. In other words, you shouldn’t keep yourself locked away in a shell in your dorm room all semester. Put yourself out there and make some good friends. Friends are essential in college. They get what you’re going through because hey, they’re studying hard and making a future for themselves, too. It’s important to have a community when navigating through college. You shouldn’t do it alone – make some friends.
Another thing I’ll add in here is to get involved on campus. Find a campus job that you’re interested in, join a club or sport, or find some volunteer opportunities. I joined two dance teams in college and that was one of my best college decisions. Studying is important but so is self-care and that’s where extracurricular activities come into play. Everyone needs a positive outlet… don’t be afraid to find yours.
Pro Tip: Don’t ever let your activities or friends become your main focus. You’re in college to work hard and go after your dreams. Your studies should always come first.
6. Have Study Sessions With Close Friends // Studying… something every college student loves to do, right? Haha! I know, studying can be a dreadful task but it is the top essential task you have as a college student. I think it’s really important that you take time to study alone but I think it’s just as important to get some study sessions in with close friends who share the same classes as you.
Most study sessions seem to begin a week or two before finals. My suggestion? Start them right away. Having a study group set-in-stone from the beginning of the semester will extremely beneficial to you. Waiting until the end of the semester to get a study group going adds stress to your plate. That’s stress you don’t need. Instead of cramming at the end of the semester, get a good routine going from the start. Studying with other friends helps you to be more “on the ball” because you’ll have some healthy pressure to really nail down your answers.
7. Create Healthy & Positive Boundaries // Boundaries play an important role in mastering proper time management but boundaries also play a role in healthy life choices. You need to have personal boundaries set in place from the beginning of your college experience and throughout. You need boundaries when it comes to your studies and your social life. Sure, FOMO may kick in when you see your friends doing fun activities outside of studying but don’t let that suck you away from your studies. Instead, have FOMO about your classes and studies. That may sound silly but again, the reason you’re attending college in the first place is to learn and earn your degree.
Tips for staying true to your boundaries…
- Stay accountable to yourself. Check-in weekly with how you’re doing in regards to the boundaries you set for yourself.
- Have an accountability partner. Tell someone close to you that you trust your boundaries and check-in with them weekly. I recommend this being someone you’re not going to college with. Your mom, grandmother, sister, or best friend from back home are some great options! They all worked for me.
If you’re a freshman heading in for your first year or a senior needing some extra tips, I hope you took away some pointers today. Do you have any study tips or general college tips that helped you? Share them below!
Don’t forget to grab some SToK Cold Brew at your local Target to help you with your back to college success!
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