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Essential Skills for College Students

College students today are in a high-stress environment and under pressure 24/7. Though there are many ways college students learn to cope with the active campus life and course load, some lack understanding of the essential skills college students need to help them succeed.

College student writing on a desk
Source: Pixabay

College students today are in a high-stress environment and under pressure 24/7. Though there are many ways college students learn to cope with the active campus life and course load, some lack understanding of the essential skills college students need to help them succeed. 

Around the world, college students have been actively reaching out to others for help on social media. Each post, made in hopes of finding advice on how to make it through their remaining time in college. College students need support more than ever with the current global issues.

A worried student posted on Reddit asking, “Is it normal to get upset when people say college is easy or a time to party when your experience is the complete reverse?”

Students in the U.S. are feeling relieved that the school year is coming to a close and are voicing their relief on social media. A recent Reddit post said, “I have my last final tomorrow and then that’s it for the spring. I know it’s redundant to complain, but it seems like this has been an awful semester for a lot of students (including myself). I’m just so happy to be done with my spring classes so I can start the summer.”

A recent Facebook post described the lack of sleep college students have been experiencing this year saying, “I thought my sleep schedule was messed up before this…now I don’t even know what a normal sleep schedule is.”

Source: Facebook post

Because so many students are struggling to maintain their mental health and are unsure of the essential skills needed to be successful in college, these are just a few of those essential skills for those in need of a simple list:

Time Management

College students are often faced with deadlines and fast-paced course schedules that require time good management skills. There is always a time for work and a time for play. The trick is to balance that time to a point where everything can still get done. College is a social and academic experience. 

Stress Management

The feeling of stress and being overwhelmed are among the most common problems for students. When school gets overwhelming, some students may feel the temptation to skip classes. Procrastination and denial can become problematic in college and lead to larger issues in the future. Working with academic advising to help with organization and prioritization could be a grade- and stress-saver. 

Self Care Skills

Struggles to eat right and stay healthy are others among the most common problems for students. Mental health support doesn’t necessarily have to mean going to an expensive therapist. Just going outside and partaking in physical activity may be all a student needs to take care of their mental health. Poor sleeping habits are prevalent on college campuses and can negatively impact academic performance

Ability to Ask for Assistance

It is very important for college students to be able to ask for help when in need of assistance. Whether that be for schoolwork or for other responsibilities, students can’t accomplish everything on their own. Having support can help students learn and improve their own skills without the fear of failure. Time spent with classmates, professors, and academic advisors can become more valuable than students may imagine. 

Display Honesty, Integrity and Perseverance

Personal values can get you a long way in college. Part of the path toward displaying these attributes is learning how to maintain commitments and establishing perseverance through challenges and being honest with yourself and others. 

Though these skills may seem daunting, they are ways students can help themselves avoid some of the common problems students are currently facing in college.