Stepping Stones to Success College is the beginning of one of the most influential times of a person’s life. Although, for some this leap for a better future doesn’t go so well. A study by College Atlas found, “30% of college freshmen drop out after their first year of college” (College dropout). After doing some research on my own, I found that, in nearly all aspects of life, success depends on a well-formed plan. Often, a goal may seem nearly impossible if the steps to achievement are not clear. Since success is inclusive to one’s own definition, I have found that staying in touch with my physical and mental health, keeping the future in mind, having a successful life outside of school, and enjoying myself is critical for my success …show more content…
Like many, middle school was a turning point in my childhood but was also a turning point in my life. After several family-related issues and a tough month turning into several tough years, I found myself not enjoying the person I saw in the mirror. Having a family history riddled with bad mental and physical health, I didn’t want to follow in their footsteps. I have always wanted to get in a better mental and physical state of being, although it has been rigorous to get into a routine. The benefits are clear: having a routine is critical to one’s overall health. Not only does it lower stress levels, which leads to numerous health benefits, but also allows for better sleep (Daily Health). With better sleep comes better output, physically and mentally. In college, this is one of the most critical lifestyle changes I’ve had to go through. Without the proper amount of sleep, I not only am fighting to fall asleep in class but, I am not as mentally sharp. It wasn’t until the beginning of the semester that I committed to a legitimate routine, but the results didn’t take long to see. Being in a routine not only allows me to feel better but, has allowed me to make smaller changes such as going to the gym: which I was never able to do while sleeping in every day. In order to have higher success in college, I have to be mentally and physically healthy so I will be able to enjoy the benefits of what I worked so hard …show more content…
It’s not that I don’t have any hobbies or activities I enjoy, it’s just that I don’t make time for them. Majority of the reason this fails for me is due to how I always submerge myself in work. With that being said, I have always loved talking to people and making new friends. College is just the right place to do that. It is the time to meet new people, experience new things and make connections for life. Since the beginning of this semester, I have already began trying to make more time for my extracurricular activities. Things as simple as spending time with old friends, and taking time to just read a book of my choice is enough to break the monotony of life. In addition to making friends, I have already talked to professors that have assisted me in my choices of a major and future decisions. Being able to make these connections, and still enjoy myself makes going to school something to look forward to. When one does something enjoyable it is way easier to succeed in it. Most importantly, having a life outside of school allows me to appreciate and enjoy school more, while also keeping my head
It is true that sleep deprivation is a widespread issue, generally resulting from early start times. It is also a serious one; according to a study by Harvard Medical School, sleep deprivation can lead to issues such as obesity, heart disease, difficulty learning, and can genuinely shorten a person’s lifespan. As Robbins explains, teenagers have a different internal sleep clock than other age groups. It is most healthy for students in high school to go to bed around 11 and wake up around 9. Since school often begins as early as 7, students are told they simply need to go to bed early, around 8 or 9 PM. This contention does not take into account the fact that humans are biologically not wired this way, and it's virtually impossible for most teens to fall asleep this early. It also doesn't take into account that with clubs, sports, church, volunteering, other extracurriculars and hours of homework, students often struggle to start their homework before their suggested “bedtime”. It is contended that students can control their own schedules so that they can get more sleep. However, pressure from parents and peers to get into a “good” college can cloud students’ perceptions of what is right for them, making them choose to overwork themselves in order to build impressive resumes. I myself can identify with this phenomenon. During the weekdays alone, I volunteer two nights a
Even after the competitive race to get into desirable colleges has subsided, students are still finding themselves relying on the pressures of success to motivate them and push them forward. In Barbara Ehrenreich’s article “Bright-Sided”, Ehrenreich explains a mindset shared by those in the market economy that is also internalized by students in college and even workers in the workforce, “If optimism is key to material success, and if you can achieve an optimistic outlook through the discipline of positive thinking, then there is no excuse for failure” (Ehrenreich 538). Through Ehrenreich’s proposed positive thinking concept, the stress and pressures that young adults place on themselves are self-imposed and intertwined with their logic and reasoning, but those pressures are initially driven into their mindset by society. People in current society are brought up to believe that they as individuals must take responsibility for their own success; students think that if they use positive thinking, they will get exactly where they want to be, and if they fail, it is because they did not work hard enough. It is exactly this ideology that leads to students presenting “signs of depression, anxiety, and suicide ideation” (Alicia Kruisselbrink Flatt, The College
Growing up, my parents never expected perfection but expected that I try to accomplish my best. The effort I’ve put forth in learning has been reflected in my grades throughout my high school career. I’ve entered myself in vigorous course work such as AP Government and AP English to become well prepared for my college career, all while maintaining a 4.4 grade point average this year. Not only do I engage in AP classes, but up until this year I had no study halls. I wanted my day to be packed full of interesting classes that I would enjoy learning about. My grades and choice of classes prove the effort that I put forth in my learning. Working hard now can only pay off in the future. Learning now creates a well-rounded human being. Working to learn is why I am so dedicated to my studies now.
Students entering college for the first time become concerned with their college life. The students are on their own once they enter college. There are no parents or guardians telling them when to do homework, when to go to bed, or how to eat healthy. These students are now responsible for how they are going to succeed in school and meet their own needs. From the beginning, these students wonder what their experience is going to be like and are they going to handle the demands of college?
How many times has this happened to you; it’s six thirty on a Tuesday morning, your alarm has already gone off twice, your still laying in bed and your bus comes in twenty minutes. This is an everyday occurrence at my house. It is a proven statistic that the average high school student does not get enough sleep. While some experts like Dr. Lee Yanku say “It is not the schools starting time that is the problem as to why students don’t get enough sleep, it is because of facebook, myspace and cell phones” The truth behind it is that we can’t budget sports, homework and extracurricular activities into one day and still get nine hours of sleep. This is hurting student’s academic averages and needs to change. Changing the school time will help boost academic averages among students, and isn’t th...
This paper explores the factors involved in success in the teaching field regardless of the environment. The information is based on the interview of current teacher Jane Satrom and her experience with a variety of adversities as a long time educator such as attending professional learning community (PLC) and department planning period (DPP) meetings. Her responses to various questions are compared to written advice for success in the college textbook Peak Performance: Success in College and Beyond in order to verify which skills and strategies are necessary in order to succeed. Major themes discussed are self-control, motivation, time management, and goal setting as used to succeed in the classroom. There are varying perspectives in the definition
Many students who feel the pressure to succeed at the high school level have an unhealthy amount of stress. Students who feel this have been cheating, pulling all nighters, becoming depressed, and seeking relief in drug use, and self mutilation. On average in a recent study at Illinois high school students spend 3.07 hours of homework each night on just homework not including extra curricular activities(Jerushapope,2). Also in this high school students reported getting 6.8 hours of sleep each night, but 34.6% reported getting 6 or fewer hours of sleep(Jerushapope,2). Most high school students spend 2 hours of extra curricular activity each night thats not including homework so after those activities you have to come home and do homework and then you will not have a lot of time to sleep. Also most kids do not get a lot of time to spend with their parents during the weeknights. Some kids cannot even make it to the dinner table because they have so much homework and that is not healthy for the parents and their childs relationship. In ...
In conclusion, my dream is to become successful in college and benefit from college skills that will help me reach my future goals. However, I may have to be prepared for the obstacles that I might encounter, and learn to overcome them. Much of my success will depend upon my willingness to seek advice from experts and professors. In addition, I will have to learn how to build effective strategies that will help me achieve my dream of becoming successful students
"Tomorrow is the first day of what I will become." I wrote this in my diary the night before my first day of college. I was anxious as I imagined the stereotypical college room: intellectual students, in-depth discussions about neat stuff, and of course, a casual professor sporting the tweed jacket with leather elbows. I was also ill as I foresaw myself drowning in a murky pool of reading assignments and finals, hearing a deep, depressing voice ask "What can you do with your life?" Since then, I've settled comfortably into the college "scene" and have treated myself to the myth that I'll hear my calling someday, and that my future will introduce itself to me with a hardy handshake. I can't completely rid my conscience from reality, however. My university education and college experience has become a sort of fitful, and sleepless night, in which I have wonderful dreams and ideas, but when I awaken to apply these aspirations, reality sounds as a six thirty alarm and my dreams are forgotten.
College students have countless options, almost to the point where it inhibits their ability to make decisions. With more classes than we can imagine, it is often difficult for people to imagine the end goal for themselves. As a result, many people feel lost despite the fact that they have full control of their life path. A classmate advised to “choose the person inside yourself that you want to be” (Baduwal). An end goal is necessary so that college students can envision the person that they want to be at the end of their college experience.
College has been such a culture shock for me. I never would have pictured myself being here. I am a freshman at the Community College of Rhode Island after unsuccessfully tried The talent development program at the University of Rhode Island. When I first entered the Community College of Rhode Island I was scared. I didn’t have a clue of what I wanted to be I believed that college was going to be a waste. Evers nice I enrolled to The Community College of Rhode Island The path to my success has cleared its way, figuring what I want to be after struggling to pick a major. All my life I had to to work twice as hard to get something that most people require minimal effort to attain. In high school, I was known to be an athlete although I wasn’t the best I worked my tail off all four years of high school I won many achievements and accomplished many things. In high school math teacher let me slip by and let me go even if they didn’t believe in my excuses. In my high school career, I had a few tough teachers, but at the end they always all through because of my charisma. After being babied throughout my whole life I enter the adult phase and it hasn’t been so easy. I always have one motive that I carry on no matter what. The motive of bettering myself and in time is better than my sister since I’m always in her shadow. My character possesses many strengths and weaknesses My personality makes me who I am today my voice, my attitude my determination to be created is what pushes me to be great in life. I am a motivator who needs to motivate myself before anyone else and my passion to help people who in needs will forever be part of my life. Throughout my life I made mistakes like all humans do. In my lifetime, I met many wonderful people t...
There are several qualities to have to be successful in college. These qualities can range from attending class to going above and beyond what’s expected. Success comes from the journey taken or the path chosen. Success also comes from being prepared. As a student, I must step up to the challenge and find the path to success along the way. Several ways I define success is to uphold academic integrity, have the ability to prioritize, and to motivate myself to stay on top of what needs to be accomplished.
Fifty six percent of students report being tired throughout the school day, which can lead to missed information and confusion (Wysong). According to this statistic, over half the students in class are not going to achieve their maximum learning potential in school. In order to avoid this problem, a teenager's brain typically needs to sleep from 11:00 pm to 8:00 am (“High schools starting later to help sleepy teens”). However, most high schools require students to be in class as early as 7:15 or 7:30 am. As a result, many adolescents simply do not have the opportunity to get enough rest. Changing the traditional school time to start later in the day will benefit adolescent sleep cycles, promote learning, and prevent disease by regulating the body. Ideally,...
In the college success strategies (COLL 101) class, we had explored various areas of future possibility. Throughout the quarter, We sketched out the big pictures of the future. We identified potential destination and explored the path to get there. In this reflection essay, I would like to talk about and reflect on personal development throughout the quarter.
Currently there are many students tried to go to college and finish their degree. But some students don’t know what they should do in college and how to avoid the failure in classes. The failure will happen if you have no real goal or plan to finish it.