A lot is riding on you making the most of your higher education experience; after all, unless you return as a mature student, it’s pretty much your only shot, and it’s the doorway to the rest of your life. No pressure! From earning potential to job satisfaction, and even your social circle, your higher education experience can have a huge impact on your life; here are just a few ways you can maximise it…
Pursue your passion
This may seem obvious, but if you know you have an interest or a natural ability for something (or both), it’s worth seeing if you can pursue it as a career. This could be the long and intensive route into something complex such as law or medicine, a degree in an arts based subject, or even enrolling on one of the many outdoor apprenticeships that various agricultural colleges and education providers offer.
Get to know your peers
College and university are the kinds of places where you can make friends for life, and the connections you make during this period of time can really enhance your time in higher education. You’ll likely get to meet peers from all walks of life either in classes, through your accommodation, or if you join any clubs or societies. This can lead to a rounded selection of friends who can open your eyes to different perspectives as well as different experiences. You also never know what employment opportunities these connections may present in the future.
Earn alongside your studies
If possible, take on some part time employment alongside your course. Not only will that give you some money with which you can either save for the future or enjoy your time in higher education to the fullest, but you’ll also have some valuable experience to put on your CV. Bonus points if you manage to get it in the same industry as your course – this will provide some extra, hands on context!
Get involved
Where possible, get involved in extracurricular activities provided by your college or university – some may be associated with your course, whilst some may simply be in another area of interest for you. You’ll gain confidence, meet new friends, and maybe learn a thing or two!
Get into a routine
Applying yourself properly to your course relies on you giving yourself the right amount of time to attend classes or lectures, and enough time to do the work expected of you outside of them. Therefore, we’d advise getting yourself into a routine, giving yourself the framework you need to get to where you need to be, and giving yourself the best chance of getting a high grade.
Look after yourself
It can be easy to shrug off the rigidity of both school and home when you head to college and university, with a certain amount of freedom now at your fingertips. As fun as this may seem, it’s easy to get into bad eating, sleeping and exercising habits, with takeaways and staying up late no longer groundable offences. Getting into these kinds of habits can affect your focus, and your work and health may suffer; as tempting as it is to take a relaxed approach, both your future and your health depends on you keeping up with the things that improve your wellbeing as a student.
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