College requires mental, physical flexibility
by Michele Whitehead, reporter

    Juggling requires coordination.

    The college experience can be just that—juggling.

    It is one of the most challenging times in our lives. There are constant struggles every single day from all different aspects of a student’s life.

    Most obvious are the academic requirements found from the first day attending a class. We are no longer spoon-fed. You have to put a lot of time and effort into your classes if you are the type of person who is not satisfied with merely just getting by.

    One of the most difficult things for me to learn in my own journey has been that instructors probably assume that when you have registered for their class, that means that you will be attending it. Besides absences that are arranged in advance or an illness, it is best to make it to class. You will not get much out of a lecture by missing it.

    When you are taking a full course load, there are times when things come up on the same day. You have a 15-page paper due in English on the same day as an exam in another course. That can be extremely stressful. Unfortunately, your teachers have no way of making sure it is convenient for you, so they make an assignment.

    Another factor that affects the outcome of most students’ college experience is how to balance everything. You have registered for the classes and spent the money. Now you need to spend the time.
    What happens to other areas of your life?

    It is no secret that most of us must have some kind of income. That means working. Some college students, including me, have more than one place of employment.

    So where do you draw the line? How do you divide your time so that you are not neglecting your work responsibilities and becoming unreliable to your co-workers?

    One more important area is a student’s social life. How about friends, family, a spouse or significant other and even children? Most people have things that they enjoy doing and people they enjoy spending time with. It is so easy to get involved with everything that has to be done that you forget about other people.

    On the other end of the spectrum, there is such a thing as “playing” too much.

    The biggest area of our lives that we forget about is to take time out for ourselves—alone time. One of the hardest things to do is to find a time when no one else is around and we have nothing that has to be done.

    With all of these different situations, it seems almost impossible to make it through college in one piece. However, it can be done.   

    Learning to set priorities is something that we will deal with for the rest of our lives, no matter where we go from here.

    Some people are better at juggling than others. They can coordinate their lives and set a schedule for everything. For others, it takes a little more work. I know how frustrating it can be. It is important not to get discouraged.

    College is not meant to be discouraging.

    In fact, it can be one of the most rewarding things you ever do for yourself. Stay focused on balancing your life and putting the big picture in perspective.

    College offers a perfect example of delayed gratification.

    Keep on trying. Eventually, you will get more coordinated.

    You just thought you weren’t a professional juggler.