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By Jessica Kubacka, Staff Writer
As National College Decision Day, May 1, has passed and we are shifting into the summer, many of our recent graduates will be transferring out into the next leg of their collegiate journey. Some may feel the excitement of moving on to the next university and establishing further independence, and others may have their worries about what this next part may look like. Some of us may be feeling both thoughts at the same time, which is perfectly normal and healthy.
Many benefits of starting at community college include the ability to stay close to home, have a variety of courses at affordable rates to be able to dip your toes into many majors or occupations, as well as to have a schedule that serves as a stepping-stone into the real deal of four-year universities. Hopefully, our recent graduates were able to get into a rhythm of how to study, schedule their courses, and when and how to ask for help. If not, there is always power in self-reflection and making an action plan to work on any gaps in the collegiate process you may have had while studying at Moraine Valley.
Worries about what a new campus entails are normal. Asking yourself questions like ‘What will I major in?’, ‘What opportunities are there for me to meet new people?’, or ‘Will I be able to keep a job while going to class full time?’ are all great questions to ask yourself to help begin to chart out how to make the most of your next steps forward. Just remember to also schedule time to relax and soak in this exciting experience.
Some tips and tricks that you can complete over the summer before beginning at your new campus include the following areas.
Familiarize with your new campus Student Success or student help centers by visiting your college’s website
A lot of colleges offer tutoring centers, academic advising, counseling departments, and Student Life with clubs and organizations, because they want their students to succeed and feel supported. Take advantage of what is being offered; it comes with your tuition costs as well as there are many opportunities to network, get the support you need, and even meet new friends that will last you for the rest of your life.
If you find yourself having difficulty in starting conversations or meeting new people, you can try a few techniques such as introducing yourself to a few new classmates, asking other people what their interests are, or going to events around campus that interest you and strike up a conversation.
Review old study habits
New campus, new professors, perhaps new study tactics even. If you ever found yourself falling into the habit of attempting to cram a semester’s worth of material one night before the final, I’m sure your anxiety and stress were at an all-time high. It’s important to allow ourselves to take time when studying and spread out new material across a few days. Having a schedule and routine spent towards studying can be helpful to limit the stress we may feel when we cram the night before and allow us to actually retain the information and apply it later.
If you haven’t set up a good study plan for yourself, some tips and tricks may look like this:
- doing study session time blocks such as an hour or hour and a half blocks and taking small breaks in between
- setting aside specific times of the day to study (some prefer the morning before beginning the day, others towards the end of the night before bedtime)
- having a weekly schedule of which days to study which subjects
- looking for ways to learn the material through other means than textbooks such as podcasts or YouTube videos, and then using current habits, such as exercising at the gym, to listen to a lecture or video.
Not only will establishing a new study habit be fruitful in your endeavors in college, but it will also reduce the stress you may feel about the new material by taking it in smaller bites rather than large chunks.
Take time for rest and relaxation
Finally, allow yourself to take a breather each day. Whether that looks like watching an episode of your favorite TV show, going out for coffee with a friend, or playing some video games, it’s important to rest our minds and bodies. We’re human, not robots! We’re not meant to be working 24/7 with no breaks.
Remember it is normal to feel some anxiety over this next chapter in your life. And it is just as important to be able to talk about it. If you’re ever experiencing feelings of panic or doom, extreme fear or worry, or even having worrisome thoughts that won’t seem to go away, it’s important to go talk to someone such as a trusted loved one or even a mental health professional. Transitional anxiety is normal and very common among graduates; we just don’t have to have it take over our lives.
Wishing all our graduates the best of luck!
