10 things to know to help you survive, thrive, & dive into college learning

bridgetalepore

10 things to know to help you survive, thrive, & dive into college learning Copyright © by bridgetalepore. All Rights Reserved.

Contents

1. Context Matters

2. Know Your Community

3. Change is Ubiquitous

4. Being Authentic and Honest Matters

9. Slow Down and Be in the Moment

6. Learning is Hard Work

7. College is Not About Your Opinion

Conflict is Inevitable. Empathy and Communication Can Help

5. Wellness is challenging

10: Success May Surprise You

1. Context Matters

Words matter, of course. But they only tell part of the story. In fact, the same words in different CONTEXTS (settings or situations) can mean very different things. Words, by themselves, can easily be misunderstood. Think about texting and emailing. Have you ever misunderstood what someone was saying because you did not understand the context? For instance, you may have been asked to do something later. But what does later actually mean? For some, it means much later- like a day or week. For others, it could mean in a few minutes. And for some other people, saying later actually means never. How do you know? CONTEXT!

Contextual details tell the audience

what is important

where and what assumptions they should draw about the idea

the meaning to what is being communicated

You add context to your communication by determining what the audience (the people who will read or hear your idea) already know about the topic, by determining what the audience could infer (conclude) from your idea, what they might not understand, and what could happen if they misunderstand, and if you have all the necessary information included. To add context, review your idea and make sure you view the idea or topic with empathy- meaning that you place yourself in your audience’s shoes.

You’ll use contextual details when learning and working with topics in college. Contextual details may be included in the writings you read. In college-level learning, you may need to seek out the detail you need (for example, you may have a dataset but need to look at other records to understand the time period and world events at the time the data was collected in order to understand the data more completely). In textbooks, the context will be clear; it is part of the writing. In authentic writings (those written for use by scholars and experts), you will need to work to add context, especially in unfamiliar areas of study.

Beyond the classroom, context shapes every interaction you have and your understanding of others and your environment. Your environment and the people around you are part of the context of your life and learning.

Without realizing it, you are paying attention to your environment (the setting), and your situation (what is happening around you). This constant analysis of context is important- it keeps you safe, and it allows you to understand what is happening. Context, in the physical world, relies on what you see, hear, and feel and what you have experienced in the past. It affects how you see objects, expressions, and emotions.

Paying attention to context is important- it matters for your personal life and relationships, your safety, and your studies. Using contextual information will help you understand the material in your classes and help you communicate your ideas in ways that will ensure your audience receives your message clearly.

-Dr. L

To thrive in college, you need to know:

a little about the history and inner workings of colleges and universities

general education core courses and major courses

college in the US today- who teaches it and who attends it

college departments you will interact with

places on campus you may want to visit

how to communicate with people in a college context

Higher education – and your college- is the CONTEXT for your studies and degree,
It has its own history, language, expectations, norms, and procedures.

Understanding the background and information about colleges and universities can help you thrive. If you do not know these things, you risk missing out on support and opportunities- and may not understand how things work, what is available to you, and how to manage challenges- and if you do not understand, it leads to the risk of missing out on opportunities

What is higher education? what are colleges and universities?

The term higher education includes any degree-granting program beyond high school. There are a huge variety of institutions, each with its own special details. These are colleges (typically smaller schools focused on undergraduates and may offer master’s degrees) and universities (typically larger schools that offer undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs). Many public institutions are part of larger systems that include multiple institutions.

Each college or university has a focus or type. For example, you may attend a liberal arts college or which focuses on knowledge related to the liberal arts. You could also attend a college focused on the arts or business. A university is often made up of multiple small colleges or schools focused on specific areas of study. The focus of a college will determine the type of degrees (for example, a BA or bachelor of arts degree focuses on the liberal arts, a BS or bachelor of sciences degree focuses more on math and science, or a BFA bachelor of fine arts focuses on artistic expression and methods). Some colleges or universities can offer both a BA and BS in the same discipline. For example, you may be able to choose between a BA and BS in biology or in management or business administration.

2-year vs. 4-year colleges

2-year colleges | 4-year colleges and universities

Grant associate degrees and or vocational degrees and certificates that lead to specific career paths or trades or are the foundation for transferring to a 4-year college.

These colleges are often less expensive and are usually flexible with how students complete degrees. Many of the programs in a community or junior college are oriented directly toward employment. They can lead to a certificate (not a full degree), a vocational credential (which is related to career requirements, often in a technical field), or can lead to an associate’s degree. Many healthcare programs like nursing are found in these colleges and include the clinical training that you would need.

It is important to read everything carefully to make sure you understand what the pathway to your degree is in a 2-year college to make sure you are following the correct one.Many of these programs are set up for adult students or for students who may not be sure about committing to four years- though more and more students are attending and completing associate degrees and then moving to four year colleges or universities. Many states have rules about transferring course credits between community or junior colleges and four-year colleges and universities.

If you start a two-year college with an interest in transferring, it is important to pay attention to these requirements, as the rules can be quite strict. Community or junior colleges are a great way to start college for many reasons and for many people!

Grant baccalaureate or bachelor’s degrees which focus on a discipline.

When most people think about college, this is what they think about. 4-year colleges and universities can be commuter (meaning all or most students commute to campus and return home each day) or residential (where students live on or close to campus), or have a mix of students. They may award a variety of degrees Four-year degrees have specific requirements and include courses in general education and major courses of study.General education is a set of core courses that focus on general competencies expected of college students- including communication and knowledge of science, math, history, and other areas that contribute directly to your success in the workforce and society.In this sense, practical has to do with a typically licensed professional practice (teachers, nurses, and accountants are all practical degrees that focus on license requirements). Practical degrees prepare you for one specific career path.In contrast, degrees focused on disciplinary skills (science, communication, arts) do not prepare you for a license and can be applied to a broad range of career options).

The type of college or university you are attending makes a difference in what classes you can take and the degrees you can earn. Your college may offer an associate’s degree in either the arts or sciences (there will be differences in your requirements for science, math, and humanities courses depending on your degree) or a bachelor’s degree in the arts and sciences. There are other bachelor’s degrees that you may see depending on where you attend. All are valid if your school is accredited (and if your school has a financial aid program, it should have met federal accreditation standards).

Did you know? A university is typically made up of colleges (it is a group of colleges under one name!)

Departments on campus that can be helpful

These may go by different names in your institution.

Registrar

manages class details and grades

Advising

provides support on course selection and majors/minors

Financial Aid

assists students in dealing with loans and grants

Student Accounting

maintains student financial records

Student Affairs

assists students in taking full advantage of what college offers and supervises events and organizations

Career Services

provides career counseling, assists with internships, resumes, and interview preparation

Places to visit

Library

Computer services/information technology

Career services

Health services & counseling

Student life

Tutoring

Gym and exercise classes

Theater

Cafeteria

Lounge or game room

**Remember, these can be physical, virtual, or even both!

2. Know Your Community

The people, ideas, and energy you surround yourself with matter because they shape your worldview.

Read that again- the people you spend time with, in class or at work or socially, SHAPE who you are. Surrounding yourself with people who are exactly like you will only lead you to be MORE of who you are and will not stretch your horizons or add to your skills, knowledge, or values.

And after all, isn’t that one of the reasons you came to college anyway?
To be the best version of you that you can be?

Your community is made of the people, resources, and environment all around you. In college, your community is made up of other students, faculty, staff groups, and the college environment itself. This environment might be physical- the physical campus- but can also be digital and part of the world you access using technology. You can build meaningful learning, work, and social relationships using technology.

Being part of a community comes with responsibilities, and also with benefits. Among the responsibilities are the need to communicate and treat people with respect. Among the benefits are the friendship, interaction, and intellectual challenge that comes from being with people with similar goals and motivations as you have. And support is probably one of the most important things that come from community- having people you can rely on when you need help and being able to provide help to others when they need it is necessary for success in college and life itself. After all, none of us lives on an island!

Meeting new people, learning how to engage with them and respect them, and understanding that everyone brings something of value to the work we do will help you to build a worldview that lets you THRIVE in any environment.

As Sarah, a former student of mine reminded me at a very difficult moment in my life: life begins at the edge of your comfort zonee.

Step out of your comfort zone!

-Dr. L

Where are you now? 

Your environment, including the people you surround yourself with and the resources you access, shapes your story. Like a college assignment, much of what you need to know for college is NOT stated explicitly. You have to figure it out by looking at the world around you. The context of your life, including college, is filled with new people, experiences, and ideas. Taking advantage of this time to expand your understanding of yourself and the world around you is part of building a satisfying and successful life.

Ask yourself:

What is this college environment like?

Who is part of this world?

Who do I stay connected with from prior years?

What experiences and resources can I take advantage of in college?

Where can I find friendship and social experiences?

Who is available to offer me support?

How can I get involved in college?

Who do you surround yourself with?

Take a look at your life. Who do you spend your time with? What are they like? How do they talk, what do they do, what do they believe? Most people surround themselves with people who are very much like them, and a clue to who you are lies with the people you spend your time with.

In college, you will likely find yourself surrounded by new people and work with others who are very different from you. Some of these new people may become your friends. Others will be classmates that you see in various classes or on campus. Like your life before college, who you spend time with will influence your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs.

Who attends college- and why? 

We all come to college for better- to be better, do better, live better. This “better” can be different from one person to another, but all of us- faculty and students alike- want to be better as a result of being part of college and university life. After all, college is a big commitment of time, money, and energy. While 66% of graduating high school seniors immediately enrolled in college after graduation in 2019, many will not finish in 4-6 years because college is tough (and not just academically).  While we don’t know how many of these students from 2019 will graduate, we do know that 37.9% of adults 25 or older in the United States have a bachelor’s degree or higher. You can learn more about these numbers from sources like Fast Facts: Immediate transition to college (51) and Census Bureau Releases New Educational Attainment Data.

So, we come to college with the goal of being better. But what reasons do students give for why they chose college instead of a trade or joining the workforce? After all, in 2019, 34% of graduating high school seniors did NOT go to college. 

Some come to college because they have a clear plan for their future, and college is the key to unlocking that path. In my experience, this is not a common reason. Among the many reasons I’ve heard are:

My parents wanted me to

I’m not sure what I want to do with my life, so college seems like a good idea

My high school said that college is my next step

I want to make a good living

Everyone I know is going to college or has gone to college

It just seemed like a good next step

Let’s look at some statistics about college students from 2022:

These are statistics from https://educationdata.org/, a team of researchers who analyze and publish reports based on data on the US education system.

In 2022, over 20 million students enrolled in higher education institutions in the US (at all levels).

Of these, 12.8 million (42.1% of American 18- to 24-year-olds) were between 18 and 24 years old.

A typical college student was likely to be

between 18 and 24 years old (67% of college students were in this age range)

note: the number of adult students, those over 24, is increasing.

Attending full time (62% attend full time, which is 12 or more credits in a semester)

Enrolled in a public college or university ((schools that receive some public funding, though just about all schools need college tuition and find other ways to make money to survive.

Most undergraduates are likely to complete degrees in

Bachelors degrees in: (over 50% of degrees are conferred in these fields)

business

health professions and related studies

social sciences and history

psychology

biology and biomedical science

Associate’s degrees in: (over 65% of degrees are conferred in these fields)

general studies and humanities

health-related professions

business

https://educationdata.org/collegvariousent-statistics

Depending on the location and specialty of your college, there are likely to be more caucasian/white students in your college, followed by Hispanic students and Black or African American students. These numbers are changing, with increasing numbers of Hispanic students enrolling in college, especially female students.

Overall, female students are enrolling in college more and graduating more than in the past. You may see classes with a majority of female students, though in business schools, it is still more likely you’ll see classes with more students who identify as male.

Why do we have different years of statistics? Researchers seek to answer various questions each year and share some of these statistics and reports. Some studies report the same type of data year after year, but mostly, when looking at research, we will find different questions answered from different time periods. Reports are always behind because it takes time for data to be compiled, checked, analyzed, reviewed, and reported!

Diversity, Disabilities, and Inclusion

In the beginning, college was available to a very small set of individuals (typically those who wanted to become clergy or were wealthy white landowners or politician’s sons). That was where college started in the US. Over time, though, a college education has become possible for many people with very different backgrounds.  There is still a lot of work to be done in these respects. College populations typically reflect the population of people who live near the college, and you will encounter many people with different experiences, beliefs, and views.

Among the differences you will encounter in college, you’ll find differences in

Race, ethnicity, culture

Gender, sexuality, sexual orientation

Health status

Disability status

Family structure

Religion

Political beliefs

Lifestyle

Income

Life experience.

As you embark on your college journey, you’ll encounter diverse individuals. The changes in college and its demographics over the past 50 years ensure that you’ll meet people who are different from you. They may hold different beliefs, have had different life experiences, and care about and value things you are unfamiliar with.

Your approach to differences will shape your mindset and the skills you develop during college.

You might come across the term’ cultural competence’ in college or the workplace. This crucial skill means being aware of your own culture, beliefs, and values and how they might differ from others. It’s about understanding that different does not mean better or worse; it’s just different. You can learn about and from others and treat their beliefs and values respectfully. Culturally competent individuals are aware of their biases and prejudices and work to overcome them, ensuring they meet people as equals who value the differences between people, not just the similarities.

Some things to keep in mind when working with others

Ask for clarification on words and phrases used so you are clear on what they mean

Avoid using stereotypes or prejudice to determine what a person can, should, or will do

Ensure you know what signs and symbols mean, including dress, signals, and images

Realize that a person’s behavior is based on their culture and can lead to miscommunication. This includes body language, gestures, facial expressions, approaches to time and work, manners, and norms.

Avoid thinking of “us vs. them”. Instead of thinking of people who think and act like you as “us,” approach people as individuals, especially in college situations. Try to avoid labeling anyone as “them” or “other” which will make it hard for you to listen to, respect, and work with them.

You do not have to agree with people who are different from you and hold different beliefs.

Your goal is to be able to work with them as needed, share the same space with them as required, and expand your knowledge of the world by interacting respectfully and openly. Part of college is forming your new belief system- based on what you already believed and knew before college and what you learn as you move through your college experience.

Finding support at your college

We all hope to have friends and family we can rely on for support and fun. When it comes to college, though, we may need support specific to college and what we are doing and experiencing.

Counseling and health services

College is a time of change; part of this affects your physical and mental well-being. The transition to college can be complicated, busy environments filled with people can intensify physical illness, and students often struggle to learn new materials in a new environment. During adolescence, individuals may begin to develop mental illnesses or mental health issues and require specialized care. For this reason, many colleges and universities have counseling and health services departments that can connect students to health resources and even provide care on campus. Some campuses have full health clinics that offer preventative and acute care.

In an emergency

If you or someone you know has a physical or emotional emergency, be sure to call for assistance. On campus, call the campus police. On or off campus, reach out to emergency services.

Basic needs

During your degree, you or someone you know may struggle to meet their basic needs (shelter, food, healthcare). More and more campuses are adding basic needs support to student services. This can include a food pantry, help with navigating public support, housing options, and guidance on healthcare. You may find this group on campus as part of student support or services through wellness programs or other areas.

Help with classes, your studies, and plans

There are places on campus that can help you with your studies and more. Knowing these areas early will ensure that you have support when needed.

Tutoring and writing support

Colleges and universities offer academic support for specific classes and topics, writing support that can help you identify how to improve your writing, and even sessions on improving time management, reading, and other core skills.  College writing centers can provide guidance and suggestions on how to start and improve your writing assignments.

Library

Your college library offers access to works in their physical and digital collection and access to materials from other libraries. Your librarian can help you start work, find sources, and offer guidance on your next steps. Your library may provide help in person, online, and over the phone. Use the library for a quiet workspace, too.

Career services

Career development can help you with your resume and prepare for internships and interviews. They also provide job listings and leads. Your career center may have counselors who can meet with you to clarify your career goals and path and help you prepare for them. Getting in touch with career services early on is a good idea.

Student comment

My cousin is a professional writer- but when it comes to college papers, faculty are looking for something else. The writing center is really helpful- and doesn’t judge my writing like my cousin did.

-A student in a first-year English class

Getting to know others in college

Colleges and universities are filled with people, yet you can feel totally alone surrounded by them. Loneliness is a common college issue; many students report significant loneliness and sadness during their first year. How do you manage this if you feel this way?

Engage with people in your classes

Get to class a few minutes early

Smile and say hi when people enter the classroom

Avoid staring at your phone before class

Say hello to the students around you before class

Ask classmates what they thought of the last lesson or homework

See if any of your classmates have other classes with you

Ask if a classmate you chat with wants to exchange contact info or study together

Talking about class is a great icebreaker!

Take advantage of organizations and activities

Most colleges and universities have an area devoted to the student experience outside the classroom. These experiences include campus life, events, activities, student organizations, and clubs you can join. Some will be focused on an activity or sport, others can be related to your major field of study, and community involvement groups that support the local area around your college are also popular.

Clubs and campus organizations are often the best way to find people that share your interests! Consider attending meetings to try out the club and get to know the people in it.

Attend events on campus

Go to campus events, even if you do not feel like it

When you see people gathered together, join them and ask what is going on

Introduce yourselves to those at the event

Ask questions and show interest in what is happening

Be friendly and open

Greet people with a smile

Say hello when people come into your personal space

Sit near people in a casual space and consider introducing yourself when you sit down

Acknowledge people from your classes when you see them outside of class “Hi, aren’t we in Dr. X’s math class?”

If you are struggling with loneliness or sadness you cannot manage, reach out to the counseling center and let them know that you need support immediately. Talk with your family as well. You need to remember you are not alone, even if it feels that way.

Group work: Necessary AND difficult

I know my students will be less than happy when I assign a group project. Well, many of them, anyway. Some people enjoy group work and the energy and ideas that come with it. For others, group work feels difficult, and students worry about one person taking over and possibly doing all the work without respecting the ability and knowledge of others in the group, while others feel frustrated that they cannot participate easily or even do no work at all. So why do professors assign group work?

Working with others is one of the most important skills you can learn. You learn when you work with others who are different from you and have different ways of working and seeing things or different communication and time needs and styles. Every relationship you have relies on the ability to collaborate. Still, collaboration does not come easy to many of us.

Collaborating on a project effectively can lead to:

Better understanding of the material you are working with

Improved ability to communicate the topic and ideas from the project

Creative options for presenting the material to the class and professor

More ideas to choose from and new perspectives on the content itself and how to communicate it

Higher satisfaction with the final project

One of the main issues in group work is communication- and things become difficult when you assume that everyone has the same expectations, work habits, and beliefs as you do. Setting expectations from the very start- before you even begin the project- can help you work productively.

How to structure group work for success

In your first meeting with your group, set up a contract.

What to do to prepare for group work

Review the project goals

Determine how much time you each need to contribute to the project

Discuss what time each person is available

Set up communications among all members

Identify the strengths of each person in the group

Set roles and goals for each person

Determine specific tasks or things to be done and set due dates and ownership for each

Decide how you will deal with common issues (such as a group member not answering message or not completing work)

Plan frequent check-ins in person and/or through technology

Putting this in writing as a group contract will help your group stay accountable, on task, and able to communicate effectively. Review your contract as the project progresses, especially if work or group member issues occur.

What if someone doesn’t do their part?

Every college student is an adult and is responsible for their own work. That said, not doing work in a group is a problem for everyone in the group.

If your group has determined steps for problematic group members, you should follow what you outlined. This could include alerting the professor that a person is no longer participating and how your group handles the rest of the project. You could also choose not to alert the professor, especially if the due date is close, and leave the person’s name off the project. Either way, be sure you keep a record of communication within your group and outreach to the members.

When in doubt, seek your professor’s advice—ask for ideas about approaching the group and working. Be prepared to make tough decisions and manage what happens afterward.

Student comment

I love group contracts. I like knowing what each person is doing, including me, and how to deal with problems. I like having everything in writing so that if a person does not do their part, we know what to do next- and not feeling like I have to do all the work if other people do not want to.
Group work is hard!

-A student in a sociology class

3. Change is Ubiquitous

The only thing I can promise you and that you can truly expect in our world is change- change is everywhere and happening all the time (ubiquitous). Change happens around us, because of us, and to us.

Learning  to manage change without too much stress or anxiety is important.

One of the areas that changes constantly is knowledge. Most people do not think about this- that knowledge changes all the time. Everyday, society expands what it knows, changes what it knows, and drops ideas that no longer make sense or stand up to rigorous examination.

Information is just one place where change takes place. We see change throughout our world today- in our climate and weather patterns, in our technology which advances faster than we can adapt to it, in the marketplace, travel, health, and communication. We ourselves change quickly, especially in college as we are exposed to new ideas, people, and methods of gaining knowledge.

You yourself can expect a number of changes throughout college. Many college students report changing relationships throughout their college years- losing friends, making new friends, and seeing changes in relationships and how they work. Students talk about differences in relation to their family members and in understanding how the world works. Many students find an interest in politics, psychology, and other areas that focus on how people think, feel, learn, and determine how power and decisions are made. With this interest and knowledge, it is possible to engage more with society and be more critical in evaluating and assessing how the world works.  You might find yourself questioning things more as you learn in college- and less likely to accept things that you are told, without evidence to back it up.

Embracing change is hard, but necessary to survive in today’s world. What we know today may be disproven tomorrow and a new set of skills and knowledge may be needed to move forward.  Learning how to navigate change – by determining how to move forward, evaluate and accept new information, and integrate it with your existing knowledge and experience is a key to thriving.

-Dr. L

How do you want to change the world?

As I’ve mentioned, everyone comes to college to be better. Even a supervillain goes to college to be better at villainy. (Side question: Does a villain think they are the villain? Probably not—at least not most of them. They think they are doing the right thing. Don’t we all think we are right and doing the right thing?).

Part of doing better includes how you want to change the world. Some people have big goals- and want to make extreme, sweeping changes that affect everyone. That’s great. But not all change has to be big; you don’t have to want to change the world for everyone. You likely want to change the world for those close to you who share the challenges you have experienced or witnessed. You may want to make things better for a certain group of people or people in a specific location. You may want to improve things for your family and friends or future family and friends. No matter how big or small, the change you want to make is a big part of your college experience.

So we all have this drive for change- yet change is a scary topic for many people. Even if you want change, if you seek the change (like coming to college), it can still be

overwhelming, anxiety-producing, and scary

Change and opportunity

Imagine if change always led to good things- to a kinder, safer, cleaner, and more comfortable world. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Humans are wired to seek out novelty- we like new and positive things. This is part of our drive FOR change, this desire for new and better. It is powerful and probably is one of the things that led you to college. Unfortunately, your brain is also aware of the risks of change and tries to take steps to protect you from the negatives of change.  Your brain is constantly filtering what could happen through your previous experience of what has happened. It uses resistance and fear to protect you- which might be good in some cases but can be problematic in college (and beyond).

Why do we resist change?

Simply put, because a lot of change is negative.

Think about change in your life. When you reach college, you realize that change is often negative. Negative changes bring us more work, less rewards and enjoyment, and a higher risk of failure.

We don’t like change that might:

hurt us

increase our risks of failure or losing someone or something we value

take too much energy

not make sense based on what we already know

When we get to college, everything feels more serious, and focusing on the negative consequences of mistakes is easy. Of course, it seems easier to play it safely and repeat what has worked before. After all, our brains filter anything new through our previous experiences and knowledge. When it comes to college, though, this filtering through prior knowledge and experience can increase our resistance to change, push us to use older learning and work patterns, and make us unaware of where we need to put our efforts in classes.

Let’s look at fear and resistance in more detail.

Fear and change

Change is scary.

These three words are so small and so true. When I talk to students, I hear about stress, overwhelm, and anxiety. Remember:

Overwhelm comes from many demands being made without a system or strategy to manage them.

Stress comes from feeling that you lack the necessary resources to tackle the challenge you are managing.

Anxiety is an emotional state with feelings of tension, unease, and worry, plus physical changes, including sweating, shakiness or dizziness, and changes in blood pressure or heart rate. Anxiety can be linked to something that will or could happen in the future or to something vague or non-specific.

So, each of these- overwhelm, stress, and anxiety- is slightly different from fear. However, fear is often driving or at least adding to these feelings. For example:

Being overwhelmed is often made worse by the fear of failure and letting others (or yourself) down

Fears can cause stress, and fear can make stress feel worse by making you feel even less able to handle the challenges you have (remember, a challenge can be a paper or test in a class, getting to school on time, or balancing school, homework, and work hours—the list is endless).

Anxiety and fear are different since anxiety is focused on a future possibility, and fear is a short-term response to a real threat or problem. That said, fear and anxiety are words that are used together and interact with each other- it might not be possible for you even to separate these ideas right now.

What kinds of things do college students fear?

The number one fear I hear from students is that they have a FEAR OF FAILURE.

When I talk with students, they are afraid of letting their families down, letting the people around them down, letting themselves down, or losing their opportunity for a good future.

College and all adult decisions seem significant, important, and PERMANENT. It can feel like failing a class, choosing the wrong major, or handing in a paper that is not quality work can completely derail your future. The stakes seem high in college, and the fear of failure can be overwhelming.

You might think this pressure would make students work better, but strangely enough, the fear of failure causes students to FREEZE or FLEE.

Have you heard of fight, flight, freeze? These are the things that people tend to do when they feel threatened.

You can’t fight a professor, or an assignment, or an exam. It doesn’t work, though we do see students get angry. In my experience, angry students are often managing fear (or overwhelm, stress anxiety, or a combination of them).

Flight or fleeing doesn’t work either in a college class and typically leads to a student stopping attending and, ultimately failing. Many students tell themselves they will miss just one day and be in better shape for the next class, but fear prevents students from returning to the classroom, an assignment, or even college once they stop participating.

Freezing shows up when students attend but don’t do the work. Students I’ve spoken to about this say that they hope that class, a topic, or an assignment will make sense if they push it aside. For most students, though, this never happens, and they fall behind.

Fear of failure, of making the wrong move or choice, and the idea that you’ll never be able to recover from it is both common and toxic. It disables your ability to think, destroys your motivation, and leaves you feeling terrible.

One of the ways that fear of failure shows up is by resistance to change. Students- and faculty- are often resistant to change because of fear. We might also be resistant to change because we do not understand the change or the process of the change. We can also be resistant because they do not realize they NEED to change.

Resistance to change

We are all resistant to some change. Remember, our brains filter what can happen through our previous experiences, which may encourage us to resist changes. In some ways, avoiding change can be a survival strategy- because if things are working, why change them? It’s ok to sit in the same seat in the classroom, like coffee the same way every day, eat the same things for breakfast, or take the same route to school. But sometimes someone else sits in our seat, our coffee IS different, the breakfast we prefer is not available, and there is a detour on the way to school. These changes can be tough in the moment, but we usually recover pretty quickly. The problem is when we must be flexible and change how we think or behave, and we struggle with it. That can be resistance.

Resistance to change can range from a refusal to try something new (I ONLY have my coffee with sugar and milk) to fear-driven responses like anger, avoidance, and freezing.

Resisting change is often a problem. Since college is a time of change, you will likely need to constantly adjust your thinking and behavior.

In college, resisting change actually means rejecting growth.

Suppose you refuse to change how you tackle a writing assignment. In that case, you’ll likely find that your work does not meet college standards (high school writing typically is not what your college faculty are asking for). In fact, you should listen to each faculty member about what they expect because it can be so different from what you think or have done.

If you resist change too much:

You may not learn what you need in a class.

You may not perform well on tests or projects.

You may rely on older learning patterns, such as high school or elementary math, writing, and reading skills.

You could learn less, miss out on developing essential skills, and prevent growth in your field.

You could miss the chance to meet new people or to try new activities.

You could increase the chance of health issues and negative emotions.

Accepting all change can be a problem, too. In college, you may find yourself surrounded by options for activities, mindsets, and behavior. Accepting these and changing yourself without thinking carefully about how they may affect you can be a problem.

If you accept change without considering it carefully:

You may take risks with your health and wellness.

You may take safety risks.

You might ignore important information in class and outside of class.

You may make impulsive or illogical decisions (for example, spending money).

You might damage or even lose meaningful relationships.

You might lose control of who you are and want to be because you are not looking at how changes could affect you.

A balance between too much and not enough resistance to change is necessary to live a full, stable, productive life. Numerous researchers have worked to understand how resistance relates to a person’s prior experiences, current state, and decision-making.

It is enough to know that resistance to change—the amount you seek or reject change—is a trait related to how you handle internal and external change and how others view you. Each person balances resisting and embracing change based on their history, life experiences, current state of mind, lifestyle, and resources.

How do people cope with change?

It takes time to accept change, even good change. It’s tempting to jump into change (for example, starting college, you might want to do everything available). For many people, though, a slower start makes sense because it allows them to see what is happening, form ideas and expectations, decide how the change will benefit them, and plan steps, including actions and steps.

Some people cope with change by AVOIDING the change- for example:

ignoring what is happening

acting like nothing is happening

refusing to change their habits, routines, and behaviors

skipping classes or meetings with faculty or advising

not completing paperwork or assignments or other important tasks

While avoiding change works in the short term, it likely causes problems. Managing change is hard work- and it could be helpful to:

Let yourself experience your emotions and discuss how you feel

Try to keep your feelings managed so that they do not cause you harm or damage your relationships

Seek support from people who can help you work through how you feel and accept and integrate the change into your life

Create new routines and adjust your existing habits to adapt to the changes in your life

Identify and then take steps to make sure the change is positive for you in the long term

Want to learn more about coping with change? Read Coping With Change – Facing Fear and the “New Normal”

How do you approach- or retreat- from change?

Everyone has a way of managing change and a general way of reacting to change. Some changes can be handled with little stress or reaction; others may cause immense stress and a strong emotional and behavioral response. You can react differently based on the change type and when or how it happens. You might find your reactions to change are different than other people’s because your relationship with change is uniquely your own. Knowing your pattern will help you manage your reactions and feelings.

Think about recent events in your life and how you have reacted to them. Consider the following:

How do you typically react when things change?

How easily do you establish and adjust to new routines?

How much do you think about the change when things change?

How easily do you change your mind? What does it take to change your mind?

How do you react emotionally to change?

These questions can help you assess how you handle change- and knowing your typical reaction can help you determine the changes you want to make to your mindset to help you thrive in college.

A student’s perspective

I hate change. Change scares me, and I can’t stop thinking about what might happen. My thoughts are almost always about the bad things that might happen. I find I can’t turn my mind off, and it affects my sleep and classes. I’m talking to counseling on campus to get help.

-A first-semester student

Changes that you may need to adapt to

Relationships

Students I’ve spoken with tell me that their relationships change as they enter and progress through college. This includes:

Friendships- as you and your friends experience new and possibly different things, build new mindsets and habits, and find new interests. Students often struggle to figure out how to maintain established friendships while building new friendships that are connected to their new college life. Some students report having difficulty finding time for two sets of friends (college friends vs. established friendships) or shifting between the two types of friends.

Family relationships- as you learn about life outside your family and community, form your own ideas and become more independent. Students have told me that they’ve found it hard to talk to their parents and siblings, that they have new and different views on life and work after attending classes, and that they struggle with expectations, especially if their family is unfamiliar with the demands of college. It can be challenging to transition to your identity as a college student with so many responsibilities when your family sees you as they did when you were a child. You may find that you need to discuss your needs and responsibilities regarding your college education and set boundaries that allow you to attend college and do your work while remaining an involved, responsible family member.

Casual relationships- such as extended family and people in the community. Some students have shared that others expect them to answer questions about their future plans or treat them differently because they choose to attend college. With these types of relationships, it’s okay to be vague with your answers or be pleasant and walk away- especially if they do not support your choices.

Technology

Technology will change as you work towards your degree- and your relationship and use of technology will also change. An example is using basic productivity software like word processors, presentation slides, and spreadsheets. You might have been using this type of software since you were young (many schools teach these starting in late elementary school, around third grade). In college, you will continue to use these technologies, but you will likely use them for either new forms of work or more involved work that builds on what you’ve done in the past.

Your relationship with searching will change, too. You will likely develop better searching, skimming, and reading skills and a new ability to determine what evidence is worth using. This is related to information literacy—the ability to find, assess, and use informational sources to make decisions and produce work.

Even your relationship with your phone might change as you identify how you can use it to manage how you navigate your day and organize the work you need to do.

As you consider technology and its role in your life, consider how it can help you meet your goals, make organization and workload easier to manage, and ensure that your college work is accurate, based on good informational sources, and fits your ideas and values.

Knowledge

One of the most valuable and challenging things you learn in college is that knowledge is temporary. We- humans- are constantly learning new things, which means shedding old ideas that no longer make sense. This is tough, and forming a new relationship with information, knowledge, and wisdom can make you question what people tell you. It SHOULD make you question what you hear- and cause you to think deeply about who is telling you the information, why they are sharing it, where it came from, and if it makes sense given everything else you know. We’ll talk more about that later- because knowledge is one of the reasons why we attend college.

How you think matters

Once you know how you handle change and how much you typically resist it, you can identify the parts of your mindset that can help you thrive during change. Thriving with change means reacting in a way that you feel is healthy, supports your goals, and does not cause you too much stress or anxiety.

Some general tips about changing how you think:

Relax your mind- including letting your guard down and not worrying about being “right.”

Avoid focusing, and let your mind wander so that you can try out new ideas and possibilities.

Think deeply for a short period of time, and then take a break. During the break, do something different (preferably physical, like taking a walk or a shower). This lets your mind wander as you focus on something else.

Change your environment. Leave your room, go outside or somewhere new, close your eyes, or dim the lights so it’s dark. By changing your environment, you are more likely to think differently.

Avoid distractions. Turn off your phone, avoid chores or work to be done, and even regular everyday things that remind you of work you need to do. Instead, sit with yourself, with no one and nothing to distract you. After some time, your imagination will kick in.

Examine one of your strong beliefs. Consider it, define it, and then sit and think about why you may be wrong. Come up with reasons why others may have a different idea or conclusion. Think about why or how you could be wrong. This isn’t about changing your beliefs but about examining what you think and how you think.

Set yourself up for a positive experience and emotion. Find something that brings you joy, happiness, contentment, gratitude, or satisfaction. Small moments of positive emotions can help you be open to new experiences and thoughts and help you be energized for your next challenge.

Types of thinking that can help with change

Flexible thinking

Thinking about a situation, task, or problem in different ways

Use when:

You are stuck on a task

Have problems managing time and workload

Do not know enough about the topic

Need a new approach

Critical thinking

Analyzing information with an awareness of your knowledge and biases to inform your judgments

Use when:

You need to make an important decision

When things you hear or read do not make sense

When others are trying to sway your thoughts or emotions

When topics are complex

Creative thinking

Considering a task, event, problem, or opportunity in new ways (for example, by brainstorming solutions)

Use when you:

begin a project or paper

have a goal and control over how to meet it

have experience and knowledge of the topic

should create a unique work

4. Being Authentic and Honest Matters

You might wonder who you are, or if people know the real you, or you may feel like you know everything there is to know about yourself. Well, the answer to all of these is NO. You are constantly changing and evolving.

College especially is a time of change as you push your limits, try new things, explore new ideas and ways of thinking, and get to know yourself in a whole new world. But if you are not really sure who you are or will be, how can you be authentic and honest?

Being honest is not just limited to sharing facts (because one of the things you learn in college is that facts are sometimes not as clear as we’d like them to be) or telling someone everything. Being honest means acting with integrity- in a way that you and the people around you are proud of. Being authentic means sharing what is real, what you know (and don’t know), and acting within your values.

Simply put, being honest and authentic means being who you are – and bringing all of yourself to the work you do. It also means respecting that others are who they are and giving them the space to bring all of themselves.

Being honest and authentic also means doing your share of the work, in a real way. Not at the surface level, not by cheating or stealing, and not by allowing others to take on your responsibility. Integrity is an important part of your work in college and your career.

Being yourself and accepting others as they are will help you adapt to new environments and build new connections.  Shortcuts may feel good in the moment, but have long term costs and affect who you can and will be in the future.

-Dr. L

Who are you, really?

If you are like most students, there is who you know you are, the person you want to become, and the person that the world sees. At times, these 3 versions of you are similar or even the same- but at other times, you might find that who you truly are is not visible to those around you. Students often share with me that they feel unseen as if the world has no idea who they are or what they are capable of. Other students have shared that the public version of them is what they believe they need to be, and they hide what they see as weaknesses, insecurities, and vulnerabilities. It is hard to manage these 3 versions, and it can be exhausting. One of the goals you may set for yourself is to be more of your authentic self in public and to bring yourself- your skills, knowledge, experience, and possibilities- to everything you do.

IMAGE HERE

Who are you, truly, inside? Who are you working to become? Who does the world see? How can you bring those versions together?

How do you want the world to view you and your work?

You probably have a vision of the future you, of who you want to grow into (by building on your strengths, adding new experiences, deepening your knowledge, and filling in gaps in your skills and learning). If not, today is a great day to start envisioning yourself in 10 years!

Take that vision and turn it around- what does that person look like to the world? How do they act and communicate? How do they showcase their abilities? If you describe future-you and the work you’ll do, you likely use words like:

Confident

Capable

Responsible

Exciting

Collaborative

Inspiring

Strong

Resilient

Creative

A problem-solver

Purposeful

Cooperative

Responsctful

Respected

Open

Improvement-focused

Mindful

Caring

Courageous

Compassionate

Influential

Self-aware

Agile and flexible

Intelligent

All of these words show up frequently when people discuss good leaders,  colleagues/coworkers, friends, and partners.

When you think of the work you want to do, you might describe it with words like:

Meaningful

Impactful

Honest

Innovative

Responsible

Rewarding

Sustainable

Valuable

People who are described this way and actions or work that make a difference result from reflection, planning, and hard work. Knowing what you want to accomplish and how you want to be seen can help you take steps now to become a person who is comfortable with themselves, confident in their skills and abilities, and ready to take part in our world.

Take a moment and think about who you are and how the world sees you. Then, compare these to the person you want to be and how you want to change the world. These are important parts of your future plan and will help you plan how to move forward into your future self.

Why being honest and authentic is valuable AND difficult

Being someone else and acting in ways that do not align with your values, experience, and knowledge is exhausting. It is also unlikely to lead to success in any part of your life- personal, social, academic, or career. When you try to hide what you are or be someone you are not, you use so much energy and emotion to maintain that mask that you miss the opportunity to learn and grow.

Being authentic means being self-aware and understanding what motivates you, your reactions, and what you want. You take steps to build the life you want, and that fits you, and you are honest with yourself and others about that life. In short, authenticity lets you live your life in a very real way.

Being honest is a critical part of living your life authentically. It requires that you be honest with yourself about who you are, what you want, and why you want those things. It means that your goals are clear and stated and that you do not hide them (though you do not need to share everything with everyone all the time- you can be selective). Honest work is part of this, with you taking responsibility for what you need to do, the mistakes you make, and the valuable ideas and contributions you make.

Being authentic and honest isn’t easy. Some risks you take when you are honest and authentic include:

People could judge or reject you.

You may develop a worldview that is different from what your family or friends believe or value

Being honest and authentic requires energy and attention.

Constant self-assessment may make you face things you want to change about yourself.

Even so, being authentic is important for your well-being, self-esteem, mental health, and overall success in life. While it requires you to spend energy and attention on managing how you act and react, being fake drains your energy, leaves you feeling bad about yourself, and can lead you to actions and decisions that do not fit with who you are and what is truly important to you.

Being honest and authentic does not mean ignoring your weaknesses and insecurities. It means facing them, evaluating them clearly, and taking steps to manage those weaknesses by seeking help and working collaboratively with others who have strengths in those areas.

For example, if you know that interpreting and analyzing data is a weakness for you because you do not have the foundational math skills that you need, instead of avoiding math and data-related work, you can seek assistance on campus, work with faculty to build your skills by observing their work and working (where it’s appropriate) with people who have strengths in the data analysis area so you can not only be successful in your work but can learn from others.

Being honest and authentic has risks and costs, but it also leads to a life in which you are aware of who you are, are accurate with your strengths and abilities, and can take on new challenges. You’ll be able to make decisions you are comfortable with and a life that reflects who you are and how you want to live- not what someone else says you should do.

Understanding who you are and want to be

Each of us has values, motivators, strengths, and weaknesses that affect who we are and how we approach our lives. Being your authentic self, acting honestly, and working towards the person you want to be requires understanding who you are.

What are your values?

Values are standards you live by, put effort into meeting, and judge others by. Your values act like guides, and you may not even be aware of the values you hold.

This is different than what you value (or care about). You may care about something like freedom of speech or money. These are things that you value and you may want from others and from or for yourself. Things like this are not really values, as they do not directly guide your actions.

Examples of values include honesty, kindness, dedication to your family or studies, fairness, and empathy. Each of these guides the choices you make and the actions you take.

While you likely have many things you value, you have a set of core values. These 3-5 values are present in all aspects of your life.

Your values are often based on your culture- how you are raised, what your family sets as values, and what those around you as you grow up have as values. In college, many students find themselves evaluating these values and deciding if they are inherited or truly core values.

Some common values are:

Autonomy

Fairness

Faith

Honesty

Justice

Kindness

Learning

Love

Loyalty

Religion

Reputation

Responsibility

Security

Safety

Success

When you do something that goes against your core values, you will likely find that you feel uncomfortable and unhappy- even if the reward for doing so is high. When someone you know does something against your values, you likely will judge them and see them differently and in a negative way.

Your values guide your behavior and decisions and motivate you to learn, think, and take action. Identify 3 or 4 values that are your core values and consider how what you do, the decisions you make, and the life you lead match them. Do you need to adjust any of your plans, goals, or actions?

Focusing on 3 or 4 core values can help you be your authentic self and approach your decisions, work, and relationships with honesty and integrity.

What motivates you?

Motivation is the force that pushes you to do things. It is the WHY of what you do- and lack of motivation leads to you not doing what you think you should, are assigned to do, or need to do to live your life.

Motivation is a process that includes initiating action, guiding your choices, and ensuring you continue goal-directed behaviors (actions that get you closer to whatever it is that needs to be done). Motivation is complex and includes biological (physical), emotional, social, and mental (thinking) processes.

Motivation includes

Activation   Starting | Persistence Continuing | Intensity Pace and effort
The decision to start an action, the change from not doing to beginning to working | The effort to work towards a goal despite difficulties or complications | The amount of concentration and energy you need to put into working towards your goal

There will be some things you are motivated to do—for example, checking social media, playing video games, and eating your favorite foods. These all feel good, and from a motivational standpoint, that is enough to initiate the action you want to take (checking, playing, or eating).

For many students, initiating action is the issue- getting started is difficult and overwhelming, especially when they do not enjoy their classwork, feel confident in their ability to do the work, or do not recognize how it applies to them.

You may feel low motivation when:

You don’t see the value in the task you need to do

You think that you must be perfect or the situation must be perfect before working

You think that whatever your task is should be easy for you

You think that there is only one way to do things, and it doesn’t fit how you work

You have low confidence in your ability to do the task

You can increase motivation- and the chance of initiating action- by reviewing what needs to be done and connecting it to your goals and future. It helps envision a future where the task or assignment is done and one where you do not do the work. It might make sense to break tasks and assignments into smaller, easier-to-complete parts so you can see your progress (which will help you persist). You can remind yourself of past successes, of positive feedback, and of the strengths you have that make the assignment or task possible. These will help you start and persist until the task or assignment is completed.

When you tackle a task you are not invested in, you need to find ways to become invested and make the task or assignment part of your life- and this requires changing your mindset.

To identify what motivates you, ask yourself:

When do I feel most alive and energized?

What do I love doing? What did I love doing in the past and miss doing now?

What do I really want for myself, and have I always wanted for myself?

What matters most to me, and how much energy and work will I put into it?

What do I care enough about to risk failing at, over and over again?

Once you understand what motivates you, you can begin adjusting your work and mindset to connect your task and assignment to something that does motivate you.

Some things that might motivate you (big general ideas that you can reflect on and make more specific):

Connection to other people

Creating new things

Comfort, security, or safety

Influence

Possessions and wealth

The knowledge your life has meaning

Accomplishments

Creativity

Curiosity

Competition (with yourself or others)

Respect, status, and recognition from others

You can find motivation within yourself or borrow it from outside by considering rewards and consequences. Either way, changing your mindset and connecting your task to your knowledge of who you are and the vision of who you want to be can help you initiate action. Reflecting on past success and future rewards can help you persist, and attention to what you are doing in the moment can help you control the pace of your work—even if it isn’t something you would choose.

Who influences your thoughts, emotions, and actions?

The people around you, the information you are exposed to, and the messages you hear all contribute to how you think, what you feel, and the actions you take.

Things to keep in mind:

The novelty effect says that people, things, ideas, or information that is new to you will evoke the strongest response. You may find that something new captures your attention and becomes the focus of what you do, think, and say.

Repetition, or seeing the same information (no matter its quality), can help you remember something and lead you to believe something (even if you know it is false).

Emotions can be contagious, with negative emotional reactions like anger, misery, sadness, and discouragement spreading easily between people. This happens because of unconscious mimicry, mirroring, and feedback you receive from others through body language (including facial expressions).

Look at the following to see what type of messages you receive throughout your day and consider how they may influence your thoughts, emotions, and actions:

What do you read on social media?

Where do you get your news?

Who do you talk to, and what do you talk about?

How do the people around you discuss life events?

What emotions do the people you spend the most time with tend to share?

As a student, if you surround yourself with people who take college work seriously, consider their goals important, and approach problems and situations in a somewhat positive and logical manner, you are likely to do the same. If you spend time on social media that portray unrealistic lifestyles, over time, you are likely to compare your own life to theirs in a negative way. If you focus on emotions like anger, distrust, and unhappiness, you may feel negative emotions and stress more than others around you.

As you consider who you are and want to be, be careful with the information sources you use, the messages you expose yourself to, and the people you spend time with and listen to. This will help you be your authentic self and support the future you are building.

Understanding your strengths

Everyone has things they are good at. You have skills and a knowledge base with which to work. You have talents and abilities. While you may have been born with the possibility of being good at things, you likely had to work to develop your strengths. Not everyone is comfortable thinking about what they are good at – sometimes because it feels uncomfortable or because it’s hard to identify since your strengths are such a part of what you do.

Examples

I am curious about the topic

I am willing to take risks

Once I start something, I work until it is done

I know a lot about this topic

I can write quickly and easily

I am comfortable talking in front of an audience

I work well in a group

I have self-control and don’t lose my temper when frustrated

Acknowledging your challenges and working to improve them

No one is good at everything- and we all have areas we can improve. These challenges, the things we haven’t yet learned, find more difficult to understand or need support in, can feel bad, and many people try to avoid them. But we can’t- facing your challenges and working to learn more, develop more skills, and find the right support (which could be technology, other people who can assist you, or step-by-step instructions) is important. Since these challenges are internal, you have control over them and can work to find a way to learn and be successful.

Examples

I’m not interested in the topic

I am nervous when I speak in front of my peers

I am not comfortable with analyzing data using statistics

I don’t know how to ask for help from my instructor

I struggle with organizing my thoughts and work

I tend to procrastinate on big assignments

I am afraid of getting a bad grade and doing poorly

I don’t sleep well, and it is hard to concentrate on reading when I’m tired

Being aware of external opportunities and threats

Opportunities are all around you- and so are threats. Think of these as external things you can not control but can manage. For example, an opportunity you have in college is to seek out help from groups like the writing center, tutoring center, or library. You make a choice to increase the odds you’ll succeed in your work. An example of a threat could be your work schedule, team members in a class group project who are unreliable, or family members who need your attention or distract you. You can’t control any of those, but you can be mindful of these possibilities and have a plan on how to minimize the impact of them.

Examples

Opportunities

I can use the campus writing center

My instructor has office hours

My campus has helpful software

The library is open and has quiet study spaces

I know 3 students in my class to work with

Threats

I have to work 24 hours this week

My younger sibling is very noisy and distracting

My friends want to go out very late

My parents expect me to help when I have class

A group member is not doing their work

SWOT analysis

One way to evaluate a situation, goal, action, or decision you are making is to do a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and is a simple framework to help you assess something you are considering. SWOT is used in business for decisions, goals, and project work, but it can also be used by you, as a student, to:

prepare for an assignment

plan how to approach a class

assess a goal you want to achieve

identify how to move forward when you are stuck

You can use the SWOT frame to write down and organize your ideas, thoughts, and next steps.

SWOT frame

I want to evaluate:

Strengths | Weaknesses
Opportunities | Threats

Steps I  need to take:

To do a SWOT analysis

Set up a SWOT frame like above

Write out the assignment, goal, situation,  or decision you need to make

Consider each block within the frame and fill in:

Strengths

Strengths are things you do well, knowledge or skills you have, resources, and experiences that are yours to use and benefit from. They are internal and within your control. You should use your strengths as you work and learn. However, it can be difficult to identify your strengths, as you may take them for granted or not realize what you are good at and able to do.

Examples: curiosity, background knowledge of the subject, asking for help, and writing

Weaknesses

Weaknesses are things you need more practice and experience with, things you do not understand, and areas where you have not had experience or developed knowledge and skills. Like strengths, weaknesses are internal and something you can work on and improve. Weaknesses are opportunities for learning and skill-building.

Examples: procrastination, organization, reading speed, note-taking

Opportunities

Opportunities are external resources and relationships that can help you be successful. You can use these opportunities to increase your knowledge and skills and for support, feedback, and guidance.  Look outside yourself for opportunities and consider who can help you with your classes, work, and career.

Examples: faculty office hours, study groups, tutoring/writing center, and library

Threats

Threats are external things that can prevent you from being successful. They can be positive or negative and are often unintentional. Threats include those that can distract or draw your attention from what you need to do.  You can’t control threats, but knowing what they are lets you plan and manage them.

Examples: work schedule, family commitments, friends, and social activities

Success   =

recognizing and using your strengths,
taking opportunities,
improving on weaknesses,
managing threats

Taking steps to be authentic and honest

Work on your emotional control

An honest and authentic person can pause and reflect on their feelings and manage those feelings in a non-destructive way. They reflect before they react and are aware of how acting on their emotions can cause damage to relationships, prevent them from learning what they need to, and lower the quality of their work.

To regulate yourself when you are emotional:

Walk away from whatever is happening and pause any reactions (this is hard to do).

When upset or emotional, change your physical state (by moving, changing temperature, or turning on music) to calm your limbic system.

Identify how you feel  (name the emotion) and what happened before the feeling.

Accept what you are feeling and avoid judging yourself or how you feel.

Reframe the situation by asking yourself what your choices are and what will make you feel safer and in control in the moment.

Consider how you could react to these feelings and identify the best way to cope with them.

People react emotionally, and emotions are not right or wrong- but what we do with those emotions can damage relationships, prevent us from success, and make us feel terrible about ourselves. Removing yourself from the situation, calming your limbic system, and processing your feelings and options for reacting can help you regulate your emotions and control your life and choices. 

Being true to yourself

Being true to yourself requires knowing yourself, your values, and your goals. It requires time to reflect on what you are doing or have done, how it has felt, and what you need to change for the future. Knowing these can help you make decisions that fit you and are true to who you are now and are working to be in the future.

Being true to yourself requires that you:

Know who you are

Understand your motives

Identify your feelings

State your strengths and weaknesses honestly

Are clear about who you are and what you have done and want to do

Pay attention to your choices and how they feel

Adjust your actions when they are not working for you

Acknowledge and take care of your needs, including mental, physical, emotional, and social

Accept that you will sometimes be uncomfortable

To make decisions that align with who you are:

Revisit your values. Consider the person you are and want to be, and think about your goals

List all of your options and consider how they will affect you or the results of each

Determine what course of action or decision fits your values, goals, and who you are

Make your choice and monitor actions and reactions; adjust if you can and need to

Being true to yourself requires that you know and trust yourself and are comfortable making decisions, building relationships, completing work, and collaborating with those around you. The trade-off for this hard work is that you’ll be more comfortable with yourself and what you do and have an accurate view of who you are and what you are capable of. 

Managing fear

While managing your emotions is important, managing fear is necessary for authenticity and honesty. Fear can prevent you from taking chances, learning and growing, and building experiences and relationships that enrich your life. Understanding what you fear, facing it, and making choices that enrich your life helps you move forward.

To manage your fears:

Examine your fear: Identify what you are afraid of, break down your fear into parts, and consider what could happen and why you fear it.

Trust yourself: Spend time reading about the issue, learn what you need to manage it, and recognize that if you make a mistake, you can correct it.

Make a choice to manage the fear and deal with the parts of it- for example, set up a plan for the best, worst, and most likely scenarios and identify support if needed.

Monitor what happens and how you feel, and when necessary, remind yourself that you can make changes and adjust how you manage the fearful situation.

Fear is powerful and a natural response to things that feel threatening. It can also limit what you do, learn, and achieve by keeping you from taking risks or trying new things. Identifying why you feel fear and then taking steps to build your knowledge, skills, and confidence can help you move past fear so it does not limit your life. 

Being mindful

One of the most important steps in being honest and authentic is being mindful. Mindfulness requires that you be aware of your experiences, actions, emotions, and thoughts without judging yourself. It also requires that you be aware and accepting of yourself and use what you learn about yourself to understand yourself and how you react and live.

To practice mindfulness:

Take breaks to think about your thoughts and emotions.

Start by focusing on your senses—touch, smell, hearing, and sight—and what each tells you about your environment and emotional state.

Let your mind wander as you focus on breathing and your senses.

Consider why you might feel how you do or what led to your thoughts.

Avoid judging yourself.

Acknowledge and explore negative thoughts and emotions instead of trying to ignore them.

Mindfulness can help you become aware of how you feel and think, accept and understand those thoughts and feelings, and manage uncomfortable emotions. It can also help you manage stress and anxiety and build a stronger sense of self and confidence. 

Authenticity and integrity in your college work

For most students, authenticity refers to doing work that is uniquely yours, using your own thoughts based on the sources you’ve read and worked with. Honesty typically refers to how you complete your work. Together, honest and authentic work showcases your learning and ideas. While it uses other people’s work as a foundation, it is your own and something to be proud of. You’ll hear the term academic integrity used to describe work in college.

Academic integrity and college

The term academic integrity refers to how you approach and complete your work in college. It includes any work you complete, including presentations, exams or tests, and written work. Acting with academic integrity includes being truthful, taking credit only for your own ideas and work, and giving credit to other people’s work and ideas when you use them. It also means that you complete your own work, with the requirements of your class(es), without cheating and falsification, completing work for others, or helping them cheat or falsify work. It is important ot understand that academic integrity and your school’s academic integrity policy may limit how you can use technology.

Academic dishonesty- anything less than acting in an honest way in completing your work- is problematic for several reasons. It prevents you from learning. It undermines the academic environment, which requires that you and your instructor trust each other and work together. It makes you appear to have skills and knowledge that you do not- and that is an issue when you are called to use those skills and knowledge in a new situation (in college, your personal life, or the workforce).

Plagiarism is a significant concern in college environments and refers to the use of other people’s work without proper credit. Your college work will rely on other people’s work; the trick is giving credit. When you give credit to an author for their ideas, you make it clear where your ideas came from, support your own work, and build your credibility as an educated person. It is also the right thing to do, based on college expectations of academic integrity. As a general rule, you should give credit when:

You use other people’s exact words (quote)

You use other people’s ideas or discoveries, for example, from research

Your college or university has an academic integrity policy, and it includes consequences for academic dishonesty and plagiarism. You should become familiar with this policy as it will help you be confident that you are approaching work with integrity, and without cause to be concerned.

9. Slow Down and Be in the Moment

It is tempting to move fast and get to the next thing as quickly as possible. In doing so, you miss the “now” and what you can learn and experience. Fast movement feels good and productive but won’t give you enduring ideas, learning, or experiences that stay with you for life. Slowing down has benefits in all areas of your life. By slowing down movement, you can better appreciate what is happening around you AND be aware of any possible issues heading your way. By slowing down emotional reactions (not your emotions, but the actions you take due to your feelings), you have time to think about what is happening and how to approach the situation best. This helps you preserve relationships, gather information, and make the best choices. Slowing down thinking gives you time to take in details you usually ignore. This leads to deeper understanding and connections with people, ideas, and the world around you.

Slowing down sets you up for critical thinking. Critical thinking is a way of thinking where you take in the information carefully and slowly, thinking about what it means, how it was formed or gathered, and how it connects to other ideas. When you are thinking critically, you are aware of the quality of the information and where it should- and should not- be used. Critical thinking requires you to read, listen, or observe carefully (hint: slowly!) until you have a full understanding of the topic, and then analyze, evaluate, and infer as you make decisions and take action.

In our society, slow does not seem like the right choice. That is partly because things are moving so fast that we don’t realize where slow fits in. Your college years will go by quickly, and the constant demands on your time and energy will make you want to get things done fast. By intentionally slowing down, you’ll be able to learn in a way that allows you to use it throughout your life, building a knowledge base, skills, and relationships that will be part of who you are and become.

There will be times when fast is the right choice. To truly thrive in college, you need to know when slowing down will enable you to dive in and become the person you want to be.-

Dr L

Speed is not your superpower: reflection is!

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Some people would be superspeed- and few would choose to be slow. But SLOWING down IS a superpower. Let’s look at why!

Slowing down feels like a luxury in our very busy world. For good reason- allowing down lets you experience and understand things at a deeper level, with more emotional and intellectual involvement. Reflection, a slow review of what you know and feel, and consideration of information you have is a superpower that flows from slowing down.

The myth of multitasking

Learning requires that you actively work with an idea—not just passively look, listen to words, or watch videos. When your brain starts an activity, it:

Sets a goal

Identifies what is needed for that goal

Identifies and ignores irrelevant distractions

Monitors progress

Your brain can do this well for one activity at a time. When multitasking, the brain is not able to efficiently manage these steps.

One of the most toxic ideas for college students —and probably adults in general—is that we can do more than one task at a time equally well and that doing so will save us time. It doesn’t. Humans cannot pay attention to two tasks at the same time. What we can do is switch tasks. Switch tasking is necessary for life but not effective for a lot of the work you need to do to learn.

Your brain can manage multiple functions simultaneously if they do not demand active attention. For example, you are reading these words (I hope) and breathing (I’m sure) right now. Your brain oversees breathing automatically as it does not need attention and is actively focused on reading. If you begin to cough or something prevents you from taking a deep breath, your active attention switches to breathing, and you are no longer reading. Simple idea, right? You can study and listen to music- but at some point, you may find yourself singing the music and not noticing what you learned. Your brain switched focus on you. It’s the same with video games and studying- you can’t do both equally well. Your brain can only focus on one actively, leaving the other to be done poorly or not at all.

Even so, many of us try to multitask, thinking it will save time or keep our attention focused on a task.

Attempting to multitask:

increases the chance of errors, including making judgments, thinking about consequences, and retrieving what you already know

lowers your ability to understand, pay attention, and perform well.

increases your stress level, causing you to feel overwhelmed, and even make you react impulsively.

Lowers your ability to disregard irrelevant information, for example, movement and sound in your environment, which then increases distractibility

affects the quality of your work

increases how long it takes to complete work

Since you are not truly multitasking, switching between tasks can limit the action in your brain that allows you to work automatically, tap into existing knowledge easily, and generate new and novel ideas.

What could you do at the same time you are working on your academic work?

simple, repetitive physical activities

doodling on paper while listening to a lecture (as long as you do not need to pay attention to what you are drawing)

listening to music without lyrics or to white, brown, or green noise to block distractions

eating or drinking something that does not require attention to avoid choking

Slowing down to work and focusing on one task will increase your chances of success.

The problem with fast

Doing things can mean being efficient- but more often, it means getting the task over with. Getting the task over with means you don’t see the value in it, you don’t experience the process, and you don’t get the satisfaction of completing the task to the best of your ability. Doing things too fast can lead to regret as you weren’t fully present in the moment, didn’t ensure that you understood the importance of what a class covered, or left you with misunderstandings and confusion.

Fast often equals rushed. Fast often equals surface level. Fast often equals regret.

Fast vs. slow thinking

According to Daniel Kahneman, author of Thinking Fast and Slow, your brain has 2 thinking “systems.”

System 1 is automatic, fast, and nearly impossible to avoid. It is good at assessing situations and communicating. It uses prior knowledge nearly effortlessly. You can see why it is useful! We use System 1 all the time.

System 2 is always running in the background. When system 1 alerts system 2, system 2 takes over your thought processes. This usually happens when things are difficult, require computation or consideration, or involve higher risk or costs. System 2 thinking requires most (or all) of your conscious thought. It is very capable and takes work to tap into, which can be a problem when you need it—for example, for statistics class.

What does this have to do with college? System 2 thinking can have profound benefits in your learning journey. Students who rely heavily on System 1 thinking- fast, automatic, and requiring little effort are not likely to learn or perform well in college classes that require you to learn new theories, language, and working methods. However, students who put effort into using System 2- the slower, intentional thinking- and training themselves to slow down to use it have an advantage.

Your slower thinking system can make meaning from what you see, hear, and experience. The trick is finding ways to slow down so this part of your brain engages AND pushing through the hard work required by using this type of thinking. It is easy to think fast, it is more work to think slow.

The many benefits of thinking slowly!

Being present in your own life

You have one life, and this is your chance to build it.

Setting goals is important for planning for the future. Being present in the moment, fully immersed in your own life, is important, too. In fact, the main regret people have—regardless of age—is that they did not take the time to be present and enjoy the moments and opportunities they had.

Stress, anxiety, and a feeling of being overwhelmed all make it challenging to be present in your own life.

Being present means:

Being fully alive, including all your senses

Engaging with your environment and recognizing your physical and mental feelings without judgment

Giving your experience your full attention

Recognizing your needs and taking care of them

Being present benefits your health- in all dimensions. It also helps you to learn more deeply, think more clearly, and avoid regret.

To be present in your life:

Take advantage of the unique opportunities in college.

Be aware of risks and open to new experiences.

When you are in a new environment, look around, observe the space and people, and listen to the sounds.

Put down your phone or other distractions and spend a few moments immersed in the place you are.

Make eye contact with people around you and give them your full attention.

Think about experiences and how they enrich your life- including physical, emotional, and intellectual ways.

Learn what puts you into a “flow state”- a mental state in which you are so involved in what you are doing that you no longer think or worry. Use this state when you are overwhelmed and stressed.

Focus on the process you are using and involved in, be present in class discussions, pay attention to what happens in your classes, and walk through the steps you are taking to learn.

Spend time each day thinking about how you are doing. Check-in with your body to see how you feel and what you need (and then take care of your needs). See what is working for you and what is not working, and make changes based on this awareness.

Identify what you use to keep your distance from the world—this could be your phone, for example. Set goals for yourself to put those items away. It could also be staying in your room, which helps you keep your distance—in that case, set goals for how and when you will leave that comfortable, safe space and interact with others.

Walking through learning experiences can help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) and prepare for the next time you face a similar learning experience.

Recognition and Regulation

Recognition and regulation are important parts of slowing down, experiencing life, and learning to the fullest. These key activities allow you to be present in your life and anticipate and work towards the future you have planned.

You will use your ability to regulate your emotions and reactions and reflect on what has happened, how you’ve reacted in the past, and how you’d like to respond in the future.

Regulation

Regulation refers to the ability to monitor and manage your emotional state and behavior. It is what makes you comfortable in your body, able to manage challenges,

You use self-regulation to

Monitor how you are feeling and doing

Manage your emotion

Manage your behavior

Think before acting

Being able to regulate your emotions and behavior helps you to:

Calm down when angry or upset

Manage your mood when sad or anxious

Think and react in flexible ways

Adapt how you work to other people

Adjust to change

Reflection

Being able to reflect is a unique superpower that lets you accurately review what has happened and determine how to move forward. Reflection slows your reactions and thinking, helping you think more holistically.

Building SLOW skills

Slowing down to deepen your experience and understanding of your life is not something that we are trained to do. In fact, you might need to work hard to develop these skills.

Let’s look at 4 skills for slowing down.

S Self-regulation | L Listening | O Observation | W Wonder
The ability to identify, understand, and manage your behaviors and reactions to the people and situations around you in a healthy way. | The ability to identify the explicit message (what is said) and implicit message (what is meant) by a person’s words and body language. | The ability to perceive and identify something as important or significant, with attention to its details, meanings, and impacts. | The ability to feel curious and surprised mixed with admiration, especially for something beautiful, unfamiliar, unexpected, or unexplained.

Building SELF-REGULATION

Self-regulation is a skill; like all skills, it can be improved through practice. Since self-regulation is about knowing yourself and controlling your actions and reactions, it relies on understanding yourself.

To build self-regulation skills:

Be open to change

Identify your triggers

Build self-awareness

Be aware of others

Know your goals and keep them in mind

Work on your self-discipline and revise your habits

Revise your habits

Build habits that help you stay calm under pressure

Be aware of consequences

Work on your confidence (this is why self-recognition is important!)

Practice adjusting your perspective by considering what you can do with the situation.

Create a plan for when you find it hard to manage your emotions. For example, you could include steps like removing yourself from the situation or environment or reaching out to a person who can offer support.

During challenges, take a step back and breathe before reacting.

Avoid reacting until you can think about the situation (sometimes, this means removing yourself to a safer space for your reaction).

Consider how the situation affects your goals.

Adjust your behavior and reaction to be productive.

Reframe negative thoughts into actions you can take.

Identify what success will look like and feel like and how it will affect your life.

Focus on how you will feel when you are done with the challenge.

Improving LISTENING

Effective listening is an empathetic behavior- meaning you feel with someone as they speak. Empathetic behaviors improve your ability to focus on what is being communicated, your connection to the speaker and topic, and your understanding of the material presented.

Active and effective listening requires that you take in what the speaker is communicating with their words, body language, and materials and then reflect it back to them. Active listening is a set of steps and processes that you use to ensure that you can fully engage with what you hear.

Listening actively means hearing, understanding, and reflecting what is said.

In a classroom, active listening can:

Help you focus on the class

Improve your understanding

Alert you to what you do not understand so you can seek clarification

Build relationships with your classmates

Active listening steps you can take:

Focus on the goal of the communication (which means identifying it before you listen when possible)

Pay attention to the words a speaker uses and what they mean in the context of the conversation.

Notice the speaker’s nonverbal cues and how they interact with the words they use.

Monitor your understanding, writing brief notes about things you need to look up or verify after class.

Avoid interrupting.

Use nonverbal signals, including nodding and facial expressions, to show you are listening.

Use words like “I see,” “OK,” and “I understand” to show that you are paying attention.

Avoid making judgments.

Ask questions.

Rephrase your understanding.

Avoid distractions like your phone or looking down or away.

Active and effective listening requires that you give your full attention to the speaker, demonstrate that you hear and understand, clarify any unclear points, and take time to process and respond to what you hear.

Ensuring careful OBSERVATION

We are constantly observing the world around us, and most of what we see is processed and disregarded automatically. Our brains determine if what we see is relevant to us- deciding if we need to pay attention to it to stay safe and healthy or if what we see is important or interesting. This means that we are good at noticing big things that are new or out of place but may ignore details that we should pay attention to. In a classroom lecture or when reading course material, For example, our brains will pay attention to images or drawings but may disregard blocks of text, numbers, and anything that does not stand out. We need to work at observation to ensure that we get what we need from what we see.

You may have to observe things as a participant—being part of what is happening—or at a distance by watching. Your observation might be obvious to others (like listening in a classroom) or more low-key, like looking around your college library or in a public area.

To use your observations for learning (for class or other reasons), you’ll need to:

Understand what you are observing

Know why you are observing

Pay attention

Ensure you retain what you see

Use what you saw

Steps for improving your observational skills

Walk slowly and look all around you when entering a new space

Identify the things you expect to see and then notice the things that are a surprise to you

Use your senses- vision, touch, smell, hearing when you observe an environment or person

Take pictures or notes on what you see (hint: ask professors if you can take a picture of a screen or board in person and online capture the screen)

Avoid distractions while observing- put away your phone, computer, or anything that distracts you

Pay attention to people’s body language, movement, and facial expressions

Ask yourself questions about what you see

After you observe something, take notes of what you remember (this is great after class as well)

Effective observation is an active process that gathers information about a person, space, or topic based on your senses.

Experiencing WONDER

There are 2 definitions of wonder that fit college.

the desire and curiosity to know something. This feeling can help you focus on your coursework and learn deeply.

a feeling of surprise and appreciation, usually for something beautiful, unfamiliar, unexpected, or unexplained.  You may wonder about a topic or theory or why something is the way it is. You could wonder about something that a person has created or how something works (or doesn’t work).

Either way, wonder is something to seek out in college- after all, you are constantly exposed to new people, ideas, and knowledge during college!

How to use curiosity

Learn some basics about the topic; curiosity only usually emerges once you know enough to get started.

Generate questions about the material you are learning and then answer them.

Talk to other people.

Seek out new information sources, especially those that disagree with what you already believe.

Take a different perspective and see how someone else perceives the same idea or topic.

Make a list of what you don’t know or could learn

Try something new related to the topic you are learning about

Ways to encourage yourself to feel wonder

Study something carefully in small, focused parts.

Look at something created by a master to understand why and how it was done.

Experience something through someone else’s perspective (look at an instructor’s enthusiasm and adopt their energy).

Pay attention to small details, especially those that stand out.

Make sure you understand the big picture and why the idea or item is essential.

Change your lens—look at the same item from a new perspective (for example, consider a topic in a course from a different point of view or use other ideas to help you understand).

Reflection and mindfulness as tools

Reflection and mindfulness are two processes (or tools) you can use to slow down and deepen your experience of your own life. They also lead to success because you will better understand yourself and how to approach challenges.

Reflection is the process of thinking about what has happened and how and why it has happened (or not). Mindfulness ensures that you clearly pay attention to the moment and what is happening around you.

Reflection and mindfulness work together to help you understand where you are and how you got there- and to direct what you’ll do moving into the future.

How to reflect

Think about the event or material you want to reflect on and:

Identify how you feel.

Write down what comes to mind quickly.

Sit quietly and walk through an event or material step by step.

Write specific goals about the topic or event you want to know or understand.

Avoid judgment or negative thoughts. You cannot change the past, but you can use prior experience and learning to determine what to do in the future.

Note your strengths and abilities.

Identify challenges you had and how you can approach things differently next time.

Make notes on your process and the specific event or material you reflected on (hint: write this as a journal entry or short story).

Ensuring you are mindful

Mindfulness is a state where you are fully present and aware of yourself, others, and the environment. When you are mindful, you are calm and observant. For most people, being mindful is intentional and requires practice and steps to reach this state.

Actions to take to encourage mindfulness:

Concentrate on taking deep, calming breaths.

Visualize success and the steps you will take to get there.

Take brain breaks where you sit quietly and think without interaction with people or technology.

Pay attention to your feelings and identify where they are coming from.

Think of the past as over and done, and choose to live for today. This means using techniques to stop yourself from overthinking or self-criticism.

Work to understand others and respect that they can have different experiences and points of view.

Treat others with compassion and kindness by accepting their needs and differences (including how they think and experience the world).

Treat yourself with compassion by accepting that you are not perfect, offering yourself support when needed, and acknowledging your needs.

Using metacognition

Metacognition refers to you being aware of and understanding how you think. This process of thinking about how you think is a powerful tool for learning and change- both important parts of college learning and experience!

In practical terms, metacognition relies on you constantly asking yourself questions, including:

Do I know:

What I know and don’t know about the topic?

Which strategies will help me be successful?

How to plan my work?

Can I:

Take the steps I need to for success/

Solve problems as they happen?

Modify my actions and approach as needed?

Evaluate my results?

Ask yourself: Do I have a plan? Can I monitor my understanding and activity and adjust my actions as needed? Can I analyze my work, thinking, or learning for success?

6. Learning is Hard Work

Learning is complex, takes work, and frankly, is hard to do! Have you ever seen a baby learn to walk? They try and cry, and then repeat many times until they can do it. Even then, babies are wobbly and need practice. Still, they continue- no baby ever says “I’m not perfect at this, forget it, I’m not going to walk”. College learning is hard work too. At a quick glance, it looks like the work you did in elementary and high school. But when you start to dig in deeper, it’s different.

College-level learning requires that you:

Use COMPLEX COMPREHENSION SKILLS (develop a deep understanding of what an idea or theory is and how it connects to other ideas and theories)

apply PRACTICAL (skills and knowledge used to accomplish tasks) and THEORETICAL (understanding of a subject beyond the practical, including why and how things happen and how they interact and change other things in complex ways)

Yes, in some classes you will be expected to memorize (I’m looking at you anatomy and physiology and math) but that is because it is the first step in learning the content within those disciplines. You need to have things memorized in order to use them- but you will need to be able to move past memorization to demonstrate that you understand, apply, analyze, and use your knowledge.

To make the jump from childhood educational learning to the deep and enduring learning you need in college and beyond, you’ll need to understand how your brain works, strategies that help you learn, and ways of monitoring your progress.

There is much more to learning, so let’s dive in! After all, you are here to learn- and you will need to continue to learn throughout your life if you want to thrive!

-Dr. L

Why is college learning hard work?

Of course, college is hard work. Even so, many students enter college without accurate expectations of what college learning is and isn’t. It is easy to underestimate how much work college is- after all, compared to high school, you spend so much less time in class and usually have more time between assignments. You also get to schedule your time and time for your work. All of this sounds great- until it isn’t great. College asks you to think more deeply, be responsible for your time and learning experiences, and ask for assistance when needed. The college environment expects that you already have (or can quickly build) skills like time management, work management, organization, reading, note-taking, studying, and self-efficacy without having someone telling you what you need to do and how to build these skills.

It’s easy in college to misunderstand what learning is (and isn’t) and to ignore or avoid what is expected of you.

How much time do you plan to spend on college work?

Any one course is typically manageable. The work can be challenging and difficult, but if it is the only thing you need to do, you could likely do it. College students usually take more than one course, though.

The complexity increases as you add more full-time college students who take at least 12 credits. Courses are not aware of each other’s timelines and workload. The freedom to complete work when it is best for you can encourage dangerous habits like procrastination- ending with you turning in no work, late work, or work that is not your best (no matter how it scores against instructor expectations). Spending less time in class means needing more time to work on your learning on your own.

For every 1 credit hour of class, you should expect 1-3 hours of independent learning (like studying, homework, reading, and writing). So for a 3 credit hour class, expect and schedule 3 to 9 hours of work! Let’s multiply that by 12 credits- you need to schedule between 12 and 36 hours of learning on your own!

12 credits * 1 to 3 hours of
independent learning
=
12 hours in class PLUS 12 to 36 hours per week for a
total of 24 to 48 hours!

15 credits * 1 to 3 hours of
independent learning
=
15 hours in class PLUS 15 to 45 hours per week for a
total of 30 to 60 hours!

Does it sound overwhelming? It certainly can be! Many first-year students need help managing their workload, scheduling their time, and making sure they manage priorities first. For students who need to or choose to work, these hours can be overwhelming and set them up for failure, even if things are manageable at the beginning of the semester.

You should expect to do MORE work in online classes than in traditional classes, especially in asynchronous classes (meaning they do not meet live).

Understanding the expectations of college learning is very important—to be successful, you have to know what your instructors want from you and how you should manage yourself and your workload.

What kind of learner were you in high school?

Who were you in high school when it came to learning? Maybe you were a strong student who handed things in on time. Maybe you were a creative student who took new approaches to the work assignment. Maybe you were a scattered student, pulled in many directions- for example, sports, school organizations, a part-time job, and social life.  The student you were in high school may still be who you are in college. It is important to know what you struggled with AND how you want to manage those challenges in college.

Ask yourself:

Did I do my assignments on time?

What type of assignments did I do well on, and which were difficult for me?

When did I complete my work?

Where did I complete my work?

What things got in the way of my assignments and studying?

What did studying and assignments prevent me from doing that I wanted to?

How do I feel about myself as a student?

How did others view me as a student? (including teachers and other students)

4 big areas you might want to consider about yourself and how you FEEL towards yourself as a student and your PERFORMANCE as a student are:

Reading: how you process written words to understand their structure, language, and purpose, identify ideas, and infer meaning in an independent and sustained way.

Math: your ability to use numbers, calculations, mathematical functions, geometry, variables, equations, and complete word problems

Writing: your skill in writing in a coherent, clear way, focused on content and goals, with good grammar, paragraphs, and overall organization

Self-regulation (managing yourself as a learner) refers to managing your emotions and learning, including planning, monitoring, anxiety management, and a mindset focused on mastery (not just grades). Self-regulation also means managing your time and work and knowing how and when to ask for help.

These four skill sets provide the foundation for your learning. While you may be stronger in one and weaker in another, you’ll want to build strong skills in each of these areas to manage the challenges of college learning—both the content and the learning process itself.

What is college learning, and how is it different from high school learning?

High school learning is filled with rules. You are typically told what to learn, how to learn it, and how to demonstrate your understanding or mastery. You likely had detailed assignments and rubrics or other information about how your work was scored. Your teachers were trained to be teachers- while they knew about a subject or content area, they spent time in college learning about how people from 3 years old to 18 years old typically learn and develop. Your learning was structured, with times and teachers who collaborated and communicated with each other. High school learning was focused on YOU and helping you learn.

And then you get to college… and trade rules for responsibilities

College learning is filled with responsibilities. You are not told what to learn, how to learn it, and how to demonstrate your understanding or mastery. You are often given assignments and expected to find out how to complete them on your own. Your faculty instructors are experts in their fields but typically have little to no background in how adults learn. They may care very much about your learning, but that does not translate to them being “teachers.” Faculty are called professors for a reason- because their expertise lets them know and explain topics- but not monitor your learning. College instructors usually do not have contact with each other, are unaware of workloads and expectations for other classes, and seldom collaborate, even within their own departments. Many college instructors are adjuncts (part-time on short-term contracts), meaning they only teach 1 or 2 classes, do not have an office on campus, and are only present for the classes they teach- and are not able to get involved in many campus activities.

Rules told you: | To | Responsibility which expects you to know:

What to do

When to do it

How to do it

Expectations

How it would be graded through information/rubrics

—>

What needs to be done

When it needs to be handed in

How to ask for and receive help

The level of quality and depth for your work

Let’s compare high school and college:

High school | College

Classes were taught by individuals trained to teach and monitor learning

Teachers are responsible for monitoring your learning and progress

Learning is often done inside class with teacher guidance and reinforcement

School personnel and parents determine if a student needs extra help; extra assistance is reserved for students with documented/diagnosed needs

Classes are taught by individuals with deep subject knowledge who likely do not have a background in teaching or learning

Instructors are responsible for providing content and assessing your learning

Learning is often done outside of class

You will likely need assistance throughout college and are responsible for knowing this, identifying the help you need, and seeking and using assistance

Demonstrating learning: Bloom’s taxonomy reimagined

A taxonomy is a way of organizing something, in this case- levels of learning. In Bloom’s Taxonomy, learning progresses from the basic level of knowing to the highest level of creating. Bloom plots learning as a sequence where you demonstrate your knowledge at each level through specific activities. | Bloom’s Taxonomy 

If we reimagine this taxonomy for college, it becomes less step-by-step and looks more like this, where the foundation is knowing followed by and understanding and using knowledge as explained (by faculty, readings, or other resources) and then a space where you increase your knowledge and skills, followed by three more ways of using what you know- any of which you could be asked to use in a college class.

The first 3 levels (know, understand, use) are what you, as an adult in a learning environment, are expected to do. You are responsible for ensuring you know what the content is, that you can understand and explain it, and that you can use that information to complete coursework.

| About this level | Words to look for in assignments

Know
Knowing, or remembering, is the first level of knowledge. It allows you to build your vocabulary and theory knowledge. Assignments for this level involve showing you know about something or can identify the language or parts of the topic.
Define

Describe

Explain Identify

Quote

Memorize

Recite

List

State

Label

Name

Select

Copy

Locate

Retrieve

Recall

Understand
Understanding involves your ability to internalize and explain a topic. Assignments at this level ask you to demonstrate your understanding of the topic.
Cite

Classify

Compare

Contrast

Infer

Paraphrase

Relate

Summarize

Describe

Discuss

Distinguish

Translate

Discuss

Report

Articulate

Express

Use
Applying, or using your knowledge relates to your ability to use what you know in situations or problems that are similar to how you learned them (so you can apply the work as you were taught. Assignments at this level ask you to replicate what you’ve done, with similar but new problems, situations, or content areas.
Change

Complete

Solve

Use

Apply

Choose

Demonstrate

Calculate

Operate

Solve

Prepare

Choose

Practice

Load

Determine

Present

The next 3 areas (analyze, evaluate, innovate) refer to ways you can demonstrate your mastery of topics beyond using the material in classes. For example, you might:

| About this level | Words to look for in assignments

Analyze
Analysis asks you to look closely at work (for example, writings or data), think about the content and how it was formatted, and explain your understanding using theories and other knowledge gained in a class. Assignments might ask you to identify connections, interpret relationships, or locate key parts in structure and content.
Categorize

Correlate

Conclude

Connect

Contrast

Organize

Relate

Breakdown

Calculate

Criticize

Distinguish

Inspect

Debate

Relate

Experiment

Question

Evaluate
Evaluating refers to looking at a source, topic, or other item’s merits (or good or bad points). Evaluation assignments may require determining how and why something was created by considering the author, how it was rated, and the topic’s accuracy and value. In evaluation, you determine if the work does what it is supposed to and if it should be accepted based on its good and bad points, how it was created, and who created it. You’ll also determine its limitations (where it can be used and what it should not be used for) .
Assess

Criticize

Defend

Judge

Justify

Plan

Appraise

Argue

Conclude

Rate

Recommend

Interpret

Predict

Estimate

Score

Measure

Innovate
Innovating or creating is a level where you use your learning to create new and novel works. Assignments you might find at this level include creating new solutions to problems, creative works that showcase new methods and ideas, and designing and building unique examples of work
Collaborate

Create

Design

Develop

Invent

Code

Produce

Combine

Assemble

BuildTest

Propose

Construct

Prepare

Adapt

Simulate

The mismatch between expectations as a student and the requirements of a course can cause frustration, confusion, and low grades. I’ve seen many students get upset because they think they are doing what is expected when working at the level of “know” when they need to be at “analyzing.”

Understanding the depth of a class

College classes are often numbered, starting with 1, 2, 3, or 4. These numbers often correspond to the year you could take them- for example, a 100 or 1000 course in the first year and a 400 or 4000 course in senior year. With that in mind, you’d think that the content is harder. Actually, it might not be for many colleges, the course numbers reflect the depth and breadth of the course, not the difficulty level.  Let’s look at this in more detail.

A  100/1000 level course is often very wide (breadth, the variety of content it contains) and quite shallow in how much it covers each topic (depth, the level of detail it goes into on the topics in the course). So, a 100/1000 course might cover many topics at a very introductory level, introducing key theories, ideas, people, concepts, and skills. At the end of an introductory course, you will have a foundation of general knowledge to move more deeply into the ideas covered- but you likely will only know a little about any topics.

For example, a 100/1000 level psychology course will teach you the basics about key theories in psychology, vocabulary, skills, and ideas you need to understand what psychology is, as well as the key people in history. With so much to cover, you’ll learn just enough to get started and move on, but not much about any topic in depth.

In fact, if you look at a syllabus from a course like this, you will likely see topics changing each week!

Other introductory or survey-style courses could be found in Sociology, English, Science, Anatomy and Physiology, Music, or Art—all providing an overview of the subject at the college level. It can be tempting to think you can skip these courses, especially if you’ve learned a bit about the topic in high school, but the material covered in college will be deeper than in high school and will help you see the topic in a new way.

A 200/2000-level course has less breadth and is likely to cover fewer topics. Instead, 200/2000 courses cover a smaller list of topics in more detail for each one. Instead of switching between topics each week, you’ll find that your topics are more likely to build on each other to create more depth in your understanding.

For example, if a 100/1000 level Music course was about the history of music, what it is, and how it shapes culture (quite wide, with a variety or breadth of topics), a 200/2000 level Music course might discuss one area (for example, Music in the United States) in more detail. A 300/3000 Music course could cover a specific type of music (for example, Jazz).

A 400/4000 course would then be even more narrow and more deep in its coverage. So it might cover a specific composer or musician, music from a specific time period, or a specific outcome or role of music.

Things to know about college

College learning is different from learning in other areas, including high school or career/workforce learning. Although there may be similarities in some areas, do not underestimate the workload, depth, and expectations of college.

College learning

Is independent

You’ll spend most of your learning time on your own, outside the classroom.

You will manage your own work, assess your learning and knowledge, and complete work.

You are responsible for digging deeply into topics, seeking new information, and using support and assistance as needed.

Increases work difficulty

Work may seem similar to what you’ve done before but will require more effort and thought. The depth of a college class is much deeper than what you have in high school- and requires you to focus on complex topics and ideas.

A note: if it seems easy, you likely need to review the material, as you may have missed something.

Has a heavy and fast-paced workload

Material is covered quickly both in class and in homework.

You may be asked to do extensive work quickly. Papers, tests, and projects may have very short time frames.

Classes do not take into account other responsibilities you have, which can lead to very busy weeks and months.

Requires extensive reading

College classes expect heavy reading from students. In fact, some classes can ask for 100 pages in a week! Effective reading requires strategies- careful steps that ensure that you understand what you read, take effective notes, and can use readings.

Most classes assign readings before lecture or activities, with the expectation that you will know the ideas and vocabulary for use in class..

Uses critical and creative thinking

In college classes, you are expected to take in the explicit (what is said) meaning of information and then look at it from many viewpoints and perspectives. You are also expected to take information and see how it applies to what you know and to other contexts.

Creative (unique ideas ) and critical (objective analysis ) thinking help you generate new ideas and work.

Has new expectations

Sometimes college seems like high school- even though it isn’t. You may be asked to use things you learned in high school, but you’ll likely be expected to do more, think more deeply, read more widely, and work harder.

If you continue to expect that what worked in high school will work in college, you will likely find that you do not do the quality of work that is expected – or reach what you are capable of.

In many ways college may seem familiar since you’ve been learning throughout your life. College itself may feel like high school as it uses many of the same foundational elements. Even so, college learning is different and knowing these differences can help you to assess your learning and progress towards your goals.

Memory and learning

Memory and creating memories are critical processes for life and learning. Memory supports learning by storing information and retrieving it when needed. However, memory itself is not learning—just as memorizing (knowing) something does not mean that you understand or can use it.

There are 3 main processes in memory:

Encoding- your ability to take in information through reading, experience, and listening- is affected by many things. Imagine if you encoded every experience, everything you read or experienced. Your brain does not do this- in fact, it is highly selective in what gets encoded and what does not. Things that encourage encoding are:

The length of the material (it is harder to encode long material)

How organized and clear the material is (it is easier to encode organized and clear material)

How familiar you are with the material (it is easier for your mind to encode things that are connected to what you know)

The situation you are in when you heard, experienced, or read the material

Your physical, mental, and emotional state when you heard, experienced, or read the material

Motivation (why it is important to you and how you’ll use it)

Once information is encoded, it is stored (retained) so that you can use it. During this process, your memory decides if the encoded information needs to be held in short-term (temporary) memory or long-term memory. Your memories are organized so your brain can retrieve them, with short-term memory items disappearing shortly after use and long-term memories staying in storage for when you need them.

When you need a memory, your brain then retrieves what you need. When you are cued to a memory by seeing, hearing, smelling, or feeling something, your mind is able to recognize the stimulus and then retrieve your memory. This recall is usually fast- especially if it’s for recognition (identifying something familiar to you). For full recall, your brain works fast but needs two steps: searching and retrieving items that match and then choosing which one fits what you need.

This process is not perfect, as you likely know from experience. We forget so much of what we hear, see, experience, or read- and some is stored so deeply that it takes a great deal of time to retrieve it (have you ever experienced remembering something after sleeping? That’s the retrieval process taking time as your mind locates and sorts through deeply stored memories).

How to support your memory:

Repeat what you want to remember.

Do this at different times, in different places

Take breaks between repetitions

Quiz yourself

Use an active process that requires you to think about the material or use it

Review and revisit materials you need frequently over time. Memory degrades (is harder to access) the longer it sits unused. This can be as simple as thinking about what you know.

Give yourself frequent, small tests (what we test ourselves on, we are more likely to be a retrieve and use)

Space out your reviews over time

Practice your skills together, not one at a time, by creating a challenging activity

Pay attention to your mental and physical state when you learn, and try to match that physical or emotional state when you want to recall that information.

Consider your existing knowledge and beliefs related to the material (the schema or mental framework for the ideas) for your materials, and consider the way that what you are learning confirms or contradicts what you already know or believe and push yourself to be more flexible in your thinking.

Chunk your information together into blocks that are related in a way that makes sense to you.

Make sure you sleep when your body and brain demand it- during sleep, your brain organizes information and material, which in turn supports retrieval and recall.

You probably noticed that supporting your memory sounds a lot like study strategies- and that is because “knowing” or being able to recall and retrieve information is the foundation for learning.

College learning requires self-regulation

What is self-regulated learning?

As an adult, you have the ability to regulate your own learning (self-regulated learning, or SRL). This means you can intentionally decide how you want to engage (or not engage) in your learning process.

Healthy self-regulated learning includes your ability to:

Transform goals and work to be done into manageable tasks

Use skills to complete tasks

Decide what learning efforts and methods you should use

Make decisions on what to do or not do regarding learning based on the outcome

Healthy self-regulated learning means that you intentionally decide and adapt your learning activities to your goals. As part of this process, you:

plan and determine what you need to do to meet your goal

perform and apply learning methods you believe will be successful

monitor how you are doing and make adjustments when needed to your learning process, conditions, motivation, or access support

Adding in a final step- reflection- creates a process where you manage your learning and continue to learn about yourself and what works for you.

SRL can be used in an unhealthy way, too

Since self-regulated learning is about you deciding how you want to engage or not engage in learning, you could find yourself using these strategies and making decisions that won’t lead to your success. For example, you might choose to procrastinate instead of working, could significantly underestimate the time or difficulty of an assignment (for example, a paper, reading, or exam), or take on too much work (overcommitting), which allows you to blame your performance on the amount of work you had to do, setting up self-fulfilling prophies by deciding you won’t do well before you even start, and making excuses before you begin.

These types of academic self-handicapping strategies can be used to protect your emotions and ego from discomfort. By setting up reasons why you could fail, you are more likely to fail while deciding on how you’d explain that failure to yourself and others. This momentary protection comes at a high cost, limiting your ability to live the life you want.

The SRL cycle

SRL is not a specific skill or task—instead, it is a cycle of behaviors you use to understand and direct your work. It focuses on YOU understanding yourself and the work you have to do in the specific class environment. As a cycle, it is continuous, helping you understand your work, performance, how you learn, and what you need to do your best.

7. College is Not About Your Opinion

Ok, this one might be a bit confusing. What do I mean by college is not about your opinion? Shouldn’t your opinion matter? Of course, it does! But college itself is not about opinions. It is about ideas and evidence. It is about building an argument based on a careful process, step by step. College learning expects you to make evidence-based decisions- meaning you do not work from your opinions. You can form ideas that are based on what you read, but you need to be ready to justify your ideas with valid and reliable sources.

So what is the difference between opinion and ideas?

An opinion is your view or judgment that you’ve formed. It may be based on emotion or experience but was not formed with a careful, step-by-step process using reliable and valid evidence. An idea based on evidence is different from an opinion. It may match your opinion- but when you create an idea based on evidence you are aware of your thought process, the readings and information you’ve used, and have spent time working through your idea to ensure that you can explain how you came to it and why you believe it to be correct. When I talk about ideas here, they could also be arguments, decisions, or actions- all based on careful processes and good-quality information.

It also is helpful to understand how knowledge is created. Knowledge isn’t just something that is written down- it is something created. And like all things created, it can be created poorly or well AND it can be supported or proven wrong as new knowledge is created.

The process of creating knowledge 

Data   ->  Information  ->  Knowledge  ->  Wisdom

In college, you’ll work with knowledge- created by others who are experts in the field. You’ll also work to create knowledge, by transforming data to information and from information to knowledge. Wisdom, however, is the enduring knowledge in a field that has been continually supported by evidence and research. You’ll study wisdom, though it may be called many other things. You’ll study many things and transform data and information into knowledge. But remember, college is not about your opinion, it is about a careful methodological process based on careful analysis of reliable evidence.

-Dr. L

What information sources do you use?

Our world is filled with information. Some is educational content, but much of it is entertainment or opinion. When I talk to students, I often hear that they use social media to learn about the world. There are so many sources of information, both formal and informal. The issue we have is not being able to find information, it is deciding what information can and should be used.

As you think about the information you see or hear each day, consider:

Where do I typically hear about recent events?

Do I trust the information I hear or see?

Do I take steps to verify what I hear or see?

What sources could I use to understand topics or events with more depth?

Where do I need to build better information-gathering and analysis skills?

The sources you use for information, both casual (in daily life like social media) and formal (those you seek out to learn more), are important as they shape how you think. To complicate things, you are likely to choose sources that match what you already think—a concept called confirmation bias. Working only to confirm what you know will limit your learning and success and set you up for errors in the decisions you make.

How do you make decisions?

You likely make many decisions in your life. Some are small, like what to eat, and others may have lost lasting impacts, like what to study.   Either way, you likely have a way to approach decisions. Some people use what feels right to them, and others may make decisions using what they feel is a logical process. Think carefully about how you tend to make decisions- and then think about how those decisions usually work out for you.

In college, you will be asked to make decisions, including

How to manage your physical, mental, and emotional health

Choosing topics for a paper

Determining what classes to take

How to approach an internship application

Choosing to study vs. spending time with friends (both are important!)

How to prepare for an exam

How to handle financial aid and loan paperwork

When to reach out for help- and who to ask

What sources to use for a project

The list of decisions can feel endless! If you look to make decisions you are comfortable with, you’ll need more than just an emotional response. You’ll need information. When we work with information, you may see a clear answer just from reviewing what we know and what is known about a topic. However, if the problem or decision is complex, you might find that making a decision using a step-by-step process can be helpful.  For example, you might:

Explain the decision you need to make and the problem that you are facing

Read sources related to the problem

Determine what a successful outcome will look like

List your possible decisions and the likely outcomes of each, including positive and negatives

Envision each of these possible decisions and how they will fit into your life

Make your choice and decide

Monitor what happens and react

Steps like this can help you make a decision you are comfortable with. For most people, a successful decision is one that maximizes the positive outcomes while minimizing the negative outcomes. A decision that uses information readings and careful consideration is likely to feel comfortable and take advantage of both your head (thinking) and your emotional intuition.  Even if a decision ends up not being ideal, using a process and monitoring what happens will let you make the best of the decision and the resulting situation.

Information, evidence, and college

One of the things that you learn, or should learn, in college is that your opinions, ideas, and decisions should all be based on INFORMATION and EVIDENCE.

Information is data that has been organized and analyzed. It helps us to understand the situation, cause or affection, experience or process. By itself, it does not tell us anything- it is only through careful reflection and application that we can use information in a useful way.

Evidence is information that has been carefully selected, evaluated, and used to support a position, idea, or outcome. For many college assignments, evidence is created by others, and you base your work on it—for example, journal articles that summarize research. (Hint: You’ll need to cite your evidence and sources because it is the right thing to do and because it protects your work by showing where you drew your ideas and background from.)

As knowledge workers, scholars (which include your faculty, the students in your college, and YOU) use a structured method of inquiry (that’s a fancy way of saying we have a careful, step-by-step approach to information and problem-solving) to gather what others have learned, learn what isn’t already documented, and to propose new solutions and ideas.

Most of college-level work requires that you explain your ideas and present the process and evidence you’ve used- not just the outcome of your work.

Why do I need to use sources for information and evidence?

Throughout your education and life, you’ll build a vast knowledge base filled with information on many different subjects. When you think of a subject or topic or work to solve a problem or make a decision, you’ll filter this knowledge through your own experience. It is easy to misremember or misstate information when you work from memory. And often, you won’t have the information you need in your memory.

Using sources in your work will:

Ensure you remember and interpret information correctly

Increase your credibility with others, as you give proper credit to the people you are basing your ideas and work on

Given proper credit to the original authors which ensures that your audience can track back where the information came from. This is especially important if a topic can be controversial, as you are not the one who said or documented the information.

Working with sources

You’ll need to work with sources throughout your college experience and beyond. As information is easier to find (and create), one of the most important tasks we have is to ensure that we use good information, provide credible (trustworthy) evidence, and approach each source with caution.

The kinds of information available to you

Since there is a vast amount of information available to you, it helps to break it down and look at what they are and when you will use it. Most sources use similar or even the same technology to access them, which makes it even more overwhelming. There are many ways to sort information – by who created it, who or where it is published, and by the type of information it has (and these are just a few). Let’s look at some of the common ways you could separate information.

Primary vs secondary vs tertiary sources

You’ll use different types of sources in your writing, depending on what you need to do.

P

R

I

M

A

R

Y

Use PRIMARY SOURCES when you need the most original, first-hand sources that are the closest to the initial information gathering, knowledge creation, or event.

These include data sets, scholarly journal articles, recordings of events like original images, video, or first-hand accounts or explanations of events.

Primary sources are considered authentic but can also be dense or difficult to work with. You might need assistance to help you understand the source.

Hint: Talk to the library when you need help with these sources, as they can help. You’ll use these types of sources in many academic assignments.

S

E

C

O

N

D

A

R

Y

Use SECONDARY SOURCES of information when you need to understand something or want to hear how someone has interpreted a primary source. You’ll use these to expand your knowledge and look from another perspective.

Secondary sources are one step removed from the original and added to the creator’s view or take on the original source or topic after they’ve reviewed the primary source.

They are often easier to work with and understand than the primary source.

You may find that you use secondary sources in college to understand and expand your knowledge base, and even in some writing assignments, especially with scholarly sources.

Hint: Many internet sources and articles that provide background on topics fall into this category. Depending on the assignment, you may or may not use these in academic work.

T

E

R

T

I

A

R

Y

Use TERTIARY SOURCES when you want an overview of a topic without analysis or critique. These sources can help you understand a topic but are typically shallow and lack depth or critique.

Tertiary sources are created by people more than one step away from the primary sources that inform the work. The authors may not have specialized knowledge of the topic and may not have seen the primary source.

They can help you understand but should not be used alone as they are not as credible as other primary/secondary sources.

Hint: Many sources will fall into this category, especially those found on social media and the internet. Avoid using these in academic work!

There are other sources of information that you should use with caution (or avoid) including personal opinions on topics that the speaker or writer has minimal or no knowledge of. Many internet sources fall into this category and should not be used for decision-making.

An important note: where you find a source may not tell you (at least not always) what type of source you are dealing with. You can find primary sources in library databases and on the internet, just as you can find secondary and tertiary sources. You will need to analyze the source to understand what type of source you have and how or if you should use it.

In the past, you could make general statements like “newspapers are primary sources,” but that is no longer true. The same newspaper that has primary sources also has secondary and tertiary sources in it. The pressure is on you to know what you are looking at and how to use it.

Sources of information

You will have access to an overwhelming amount of material as a student, but most will fall into these categories. The challenge for a student is to decide what type of source to use and then how to find and use it. Start here by deciding what type of material you want to look for.

Class
Material

Textbooks

Videos

Activities

Reference
Material

Encyclopedia

Professional materials

Government sites

Popular Material

News, trade, business, and entertainment websites and materials

Scholarly Sources

Scholarly and peer-reviewed journal articles

🕮 | 🕮 | 🕮 | 🕮
Created for classes with information and activities to support learning Use these to learn, but usually not as a source in your writing or work. Use what you learn to look up primary, scholarly sources. | Designed to store background and basic information on ideas, theories, and topics Use these to learn about topics and to provide foundational information in your work or writing | Written for the general population with easy-to-understand language,  can be in many forms Use these, with care,  to understand what is happening around you and to connect your work to the world | Created for and by scholars to store knowledge and considered trustworthy Use these to understand existing research and in your own work as background and evidence

🗈A note about Data Sets: Datasets are collected data, usually in raw numbers or text, that have not been analyzed. Many of the sources you do read- both popular and scholarly- are based on data.  Before using a dataset, talk with your instructor to learn how to read, interpret, and analyze them.

As a student, expect to use

*Reference material

*Popular news sources

*Scholarly works

When writing a paper or creating a project

Where should I look for sources?

Finding sources of information is easy- ensuring you use good sources is the challenge. Depending on what you need, you’ll start by searching the internet, using specific online sites, or your college library. When you are not sure where to start, reach out to your librarian- your college library will often have someone on the reference desk who can be reached by phone, email, or live chat.

Searching the Internet Using a search engine with keywords can help you find sources; however, it does not guarantee that the information is safe, accurate, or relevant. The first page of results is often filled with paid placements, which can be problematic. Still, it is a good place to start. | Specific Online Sites If you know who has the source you need- for example, a document from a government site or a nonprofit organization, you can go directly to the site and then search there. This is helpful when you know where to start. | Your College Library Starting with your college library gives you access to material without extra charges, a librarian to help you, and information that is more likely to be reliable and valid. Libraries can also request sources from other libraries, including scholarly and popular works.
↖ | ↑ Where to find sources | ↗

A note on websites that end with org, gov, and edu.

Websites that end with .gov are owned and managed by government organizations. This means that the material should be accurate when it comes to information. However, websites that end with .edu or .org may not be accurate as these extensions can be purchased (in the case of .org) or built by people with little or no oversight (in the case of many .edu sites). There are many extensions for websites that are purchasable. It is a good practice to trust .gov websites and treat all other sites with care and evaluation before choosing to use them.

Reading with purpose- and strategy

Once you have sources, you need to road them. College reading can be extensive—a class can ask you to read 20 or more pages weekly. Multiply that by a full course load of 4 to 5 classes, and you can easily find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of reading you need to do. Sources are often long reads too- including journal articles that are 20 or more pages long.  So what do you do?

Schedule your time: block out time for reading.

Preview your readings: Quickly skim through them so you know what they include and how long they are.

Plan by deciding how to divide your reading time (hint: read and take notes on small parts of readings on a schedule).

Read and take notes.

One good reading strategy is this 3 step model that my students use.

3 Reads

Read 1: Preview your reading by looking through it as quickly as possible. Pay attention to bold text, large text, and anything that stands out.

Take a break (do something else to let your brain process what it read)

Read 2: Read your text, paying careful attention to the first sentence of a paragraph and then reading the rest of the paragraph faster. Pause at the end of each paragraph to write down the key idea in the paragraph.

Take a break (repeat this reading and break process until your text is done)

Read 3: Return and quickly skim read(reading very quickly, ignoring some words and sentences)  and skip read (read the first and last sentences of each paragraph) through the text, highlighting keywords and ideas and adding notes next to each paragraph.

There are many other reading strategies, like the S3R or PSR that can help you with reading.

Following a strategy (a set of steps designed to increase your chances of success in a task) can make your reading time more effective and useful.

Taking useful notes from sources

Notes can be helpful if they target what you need to remember and retain. Physical writing can help you remember what you read, and taking notes can help you as you read and after when you have something to refer back to. A good goal for taking notes is to write what you need to remind you of what the source contains and to keep your notes focused on these ideas: what confirms what you believe or have experienced, what contradicts what you think or have experienced, what you are now curious about and need to look into or think about more, what has confused you and you need clarification, and finally, what you can connect to your prior knowledge and experiences.

When you begin taking notes, write down the information about the source, including the article or reading name and author and where it was published (for example, the website URL or the journal). If you have a citation for it, write it down- it will save you time later.

Good notes will have:

Article information (title, author, date, publishing information, etc.)

Main idea

Brief summary

Specific facts that are useful to the work you are doing

Connection to the work you are doing (for example, your paper, test, or project)

You might want to annotate (take notes physically on) the reading, and if so, you can add the following to the file or paper you are reading:

Highlights for key points and vocabulary

Summary notes (1 per paragraph or a few sentences per section)

Things to remember about notes:

Notes are there to help you recall what a source includes

Notes should not recreate the sources, so do not rewrite the source

Your  notes should be written in your own words

Keep a section for things you need to look up. For example, you may want to look up a theory or idea, a researcher or other person

Keep a list of new words or familiar words used in new ways

Bullet points, drawings, and other short-form writings can be helpful in your notes

Write down page numbers for things  you take notes on so you can easily refer to the reading as needed

Focus on making sure your notes remind you of the source instead of replacing the source

Think of notes on readings as a guide to the reading itself, with just enough detail to help you remember what the reading includes so you can locate and revisit it when needed.

How to approach learning on a new topic- the deep dive

In your life, you will have times when you need information. Not the shallow information you gather from simple conversations or web searches, but rather deep and detailed information you can use to make important decisions. People use this type of deep and detailed information for:

Personal and lifestyle decisions

Health decisions

Financial decisions

Career guidance

Complex situations that have no easy answers

Understanding problems that are uncommon or have significant risk

When you need to manage one of these decisions or situations, you’ll need to work with the best (most accurate, reliable, and recent) information. But where do we even start?

As a college student, you’ll build the skills needed for a deep dive and practice them in most of your classes. You’ll find that you use a deep dive process in a variety of disciplines with different goals and topics. In each, you’ll need to identify your focus, determine what evidence (sources of information) you will need, synthesize it, and present it.

College deep dives are good practice for your personal life and career—after all, you’ll be faced with many important situations, problems, and decisions in your life.

Building informed opinions

Deep dives are good for helping you build an informed opinion. In your classes, you work towards this, too, but often, you will find yourself needing to learn about topics on your own. This is where the deep dive process is helpful. An informed opinion means that you have enough background information to understand what you read, you know the language used in more rigorous, dense, and scholarly readings, and you can apply what you read to real-world issues in your personal or academic life.

Brainstorming new ideas

The first step in a deep dive is determining WHAT you want to learn and WHY you need to. Sometimes, this will be assigned to you or obvious to you, but other times, you’ll need to decide on your own how to take what you need to know and make it interesting and realistic. When you have a topic, consider this model:

Topic + 2nd topic + population= deep dive topic

So, for example, you might take a prompt from faculty in a health class about mental illness. You could refine that to depression and then add in impacts on daily living and young adults. You can further refine that into a question. The same goes for a class on American history asking about culture and its impacts on society.

Depression + impact on daily living + young adults

Music in the 1920’s + gender roles + women 

Creating new knowledge

The idea of new knowledge sounds heavy- but it is about answering questions that still need to be answered or applying known information to new situations or problems. For example, you may take your topics from above and look at what has already been answered and what hasn’t. You likely will find writing about a topic that others have written extensively on to be boring since you won’t find much room to be creative and curious. On the other hand, taking the assigned topic and finding new ways to approach it can let you focus on what you are interested in and make the project or paper your own. You’ll start the process with a question:

Depression + impact on daily living + young adults = How does depression treatment, including therapy and medication, affect activities related to working for young adults? 

OR

How does the music in the 1920s reflect the accepted gender role of women during that time period? 

These types of questions can help you build your deep-dive plan, identify the sources you need, and guide your choices as you begin your work. By planning before you begin, you’ll have a deeper understanding of what you want to do, building on your informed opinion, and you may be able to approach your project in a way that is interesting and meaningful to you.

Your next steps

Once you know what your focus is and the question you’ll seek to answer, you’ll then:

Locate the sources you need

Read and synthesize those sources to come to an answer to your question

Document your answer in a paper or presentation as assigned

Things to remember

Save your sources as files on your computer

Take notes on every source

Plan breaks in the reading and writing process so you have a chance to think about what you are learning and how it fits together

Use proper formatting- many college classes use APA formatting, though some may use MLA or Chicago (or another format). Follow the instructions from your instructor and seek help at your campus writing center. Remember, writing formats like APA help you structure and format your paper and document your sources.

What is research?

A deep dive into a topic can be called research, especially when answering a new question or applying the knowledge you gained to a new situation or problem. That said, the word RESEARCH has a specific meaning in colleges and universities.

Research is a rigorous, systematic, first-hand investigation into a phenomenon. It uses a carefully planned and documented set of steps with goals to proceed. Research may describe or explain what is happening or test ideas (hypotheses) that have been formed. It can be conducted to explore what is happening or to try to predict or control what can happen.

The goal of research is typically to understand and improve our lives. Research contributes to the “body of knowledge” in a field, what is known about a specific topic, subject, area, phenomenon, or problem. Research is published and stored in scholarly peer-reviewed journals for use by others in the field.

Things to know about college and university research:

Research has a structured and organized set of steps, from planning, data collection, analysis,  and documentation.

Research strives to be objective and unbiased and requires the researcher to be aware of their own preconceived ideas and how they can affect the research process.

Research can only be done with formal permission by the Institutional Review Board.

Research requires empirical evidence collected through hands-on work, including surveys, interviews, observations,  and more.

Research starts with a clearly stated question, problem, or hypothesis and focuses on that throughout the project.

Researchers working with people, animals, or their information must follow a strict code of ethics to ensure safety and privacy and to avoid harm to their participants.

Researchers use critical thinking (and tools like statistics) to analyze and draw conclusions from the data they collect.

There are many different types of research methodologies, each with its own guiding principles, language, and tools.

Want to get to know a professor? Ask about their research! Many of your faculty have done research or are in the process of planning research. Talking with them about it can be very interesting and can even help you visualize yourself as a researcher.

Your college likely tracks faculty and student research (hint: your librarian can help you find research). Many faculty members invite students to participate in research initiatives, so if you are interested, ask your major department what research is active.

Research is a major part of college and university work- and yet most students are not aware that it is happening. In fact, many universities are research institutions, with full-time faculty spending more time completing research activities than teaching classes!  Colleges and universities are known for the knowledge they create through research- and change the world daily by their work.

Conflict is Inevitable. Empathy and Communication Can Help

If change is a hallmark of college,  that you change and your world changes, then conflict will happen. There is no way to avoid it- and you shouldn’t avoid all conflict. In fact, conflict is a learning experience. Conflict, used carefully, will help you grow and learn.

This might sound stressful. I know that I personally dislike conflict. When I first entered the college environment, I was very upset to see people I worked with arguing. And then I was confused because those same people who appeared angry during a meeting were laughing together as they went to get coffee. It took me a while to accept that they were able to disagree professionally and still respect each other deeply. In my world, arguing was something to avoid because it broke bonds and relationships. The thing I did not know was that what seems like conflict can actually be respectful dialogue. Who knew? Not me. I learned though, pretty quickly. I could and can disagree on topics with those around me and still respect who they are, work with them effectively, and learn to understand their perspective. I won’t say that these conflicts, or disagreements, do not sometimes make me uncomfortable because I still try to avoid conflict. I’m much better at dealing with it though, and because of that, I’m able to keep an open mind

So what allows two people with strong, opposing views on a big issue to remain friends? It turns out the not-so-secret recipe was:

respect + empathy + communication

– Dr. L.

This chapter is under revision and will be added by this weekend.

5. Wellness is challenging

You are not a finished product- you are constantly evolving into the person you will be. Treat that person well as you’ll spend your entire life with them.

We all want to be happy. Being happy can also be thought of as being well.

We may not know how to be happy or how to take the steps we need to be healthy and well.

Wellness, physical-mental-emotional-academic is hard work!

Being well means paying attention to what we need and ensuring that we take care of all aspects of ourselves. For you, as a student, this can be a challenge. Transitioning to a lower structure learning environment (elementary and high school was very structured with adults monitoring your progress) can put pressure on skills like time management, work management, and stress management that you are only starting to develop.

College students often struggle with balancing college, a job, family responsibilities, and social needs. Many students report having issues with keeping themselves on track, managing their emotions and moods, avoiding distractions, and taking care of physical needs like healthy eating, exercise, and sleep. This is true for both students who excelled in high school and those that did not.

A lot of this struggle comes from carrying adult responsibilities, possibly for the first time, without making sure you are using the support available to you.

As an adult, you are responsible for your well-being in all areas including:

*Physical – your body

*Mental – your perceptions, understandings, and ways of thinking

*Emotional- your feelings and reactions and how you manage them

*Academic – your approach to learning and problem-solving

Social – who you interact with and how you interact with them

It is hard though, to balance these needs with the need to progress and build your adult life. As an adult you’ll face pressure to support yourself, make decisions for yourself and others, and to develop new skills. It requires you to learn and use new ways of managing yourself, your energy, and your time. It’s tough work!

So if it’s so difficult, how do we change how we manage ourselves?
Let’s take a look at that- because you will live in your body and mind for a lifetime, and deserve to take care of yourself.

-Dr. L

4. Wellness is challenging

You are not a finished product- you constantly evolve into the person you will be. Treat that person well, and you’ll spend your entire life with them.

We all want to be happy. Being happy is often a temporary state of mind- and being well is essential to being happy and enjoying your life. We often think of happiness as joy- those moments where everything comes together, and we feel seen and valued. Joy, though, is where we spend only some of our time. Instead, for most of us, happiness is a state of living where we feel good about our lives, our opportunities, and ourselves in many dimensions.

Unfortunately, we may not know how to be happy or take the steps to be healthy.

Wellness, physical-mental-emotional-academic, is hard work!

Being well means paying attention to what we need and ensuring that we care for all aspects of ourselves. For you, as a student, this can be a challenge. Transitioning to a lower-structure learning environment (elementary and high school were very structured with adults monitoring your progress) can put pressure on skills like time management, work management, and stress management that you are only starting to develop.

College students often struggle to balance college, a job, family responsibilities, and social needs. Many report having issues keeping themselves on track, managing their emotions and moods, avoiding distractions, and taking care of physical needs like healthy eating, exercise, and sleep. This is true for students who excelled in high school and those who did not.

This struggle comes from carrying adult responsibilities, possibly for the first time, without ensuring you use available support.

As an adult, you are responsible for your well-being in all areas, including:

Physical

Mental

Emotional

Academic

Social

It is hard to balance these needs with the need to progress and build your adult life. As an adult, you’ll face pressure to support yourself, make decisions for yourself and others, and develop new skills. It requires you to learn and use new ways of managing yourself, your energy, and your time. It’s challenging work!

So, if it’s so difficult, how do we change how we manage ourselves? Let’s examine that because you will live in your body and mind for a lifetime and deserve to take care of yourself.

How do you treat your friends?

How do you treat your friends and family? Do you listen to them carefully? Offer support? Help them with challenging tasks and provide encouragement when they need it. Do you think about what is best for them and take steps to make their lives a better place and experience? Probably. Most of us treat those we love and value with kindness and work to anticipate and meet their needs. We treat them with compassion- an awareness of their needs, discomfort, and pain AND take steps to meet them, limit their discomfort, and alleviate their pain however we can. Underlying our compassion is a deep desire to make sure our friends and family are WELL.

How do you treat yourself?

Do you treat yourself with the same compassion you offer those you care about? Do you pay attention to your needs, discomfort, and pain and take steps to manage them?

If you are like many students (and people of all ages) that I know, you likely don’t. Many people I know have decided that they deserve whatever unmet needs, pain, or discomfort they have and that they should live with it. Instead of thinking about how they feel and why they feel this way- which can lead to steps to manage stressors and things causing discomfort and pain- they hide from it by doing simple things that feel good at the moment but don’t solve things or by feeling bad. Many people feel like treating themselves with the compassion they offer others is a failure and a waste of time.

Research shows that treating yourself with compassion—by acknowledging failures, unmet needs, and pain or discomfort AND then taking action to resolve what is causing those feelings—can increase your success!

To learn more about self-compassion, visit: https://self-compassion.org/the-three-elements-of-self-compassion-2/

What does it mean to be well?

Being well means having a general state of well-being (how you feel in the moment) and wellness, which is linked to your choices and is a continuously evolving process. Wellness requires that you constantly evaluate your options and choices and choose what works best for you.

Think of it this way:

Well-being: a measure of how you are doing at a specific moment

Wellness: the choices and actions you are making

Since wellness is a set of actions you choose to improve the quality of your life, you can always work on improving it. We can break wellness and wellness choices into dimensions, and you may have a different level of well-being in each. While it’s easy to focus on your well-being (I feel good today, I feel ill today), your wellness and choices are complex and personal.

Dimensions of well-being

Developing and supporting your well-being means that you look at aspects (or dimensions) of your life, including:

According to the National Institute of Health (2017), these eight dimensions affect your overall wellness. For more information, see:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5508938/

Let’s examine each of these briefly and consider the actions you can take to increase your wellness and well-being in these areas.

Physical wellness relates to physical health and body. It enables you to participate fully in your life and learn, communicate, and engage with others and ideas.

Eat balanced meals with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Get a good night’s sleep regularly.

Include physical activity in your daily routine.

Maintain personal hygiene habits.

Visit the campus health center when you’re not feeling well.

Be mindful of high-risk activities and take precautions to prevent illness and injury.

Emotional wellness includes reacting and processing feelings in a productive, positive manner. Building your emotional wellness can help you to feel positive and optimistic about your life and future.

Recognize and manage your feelings, especially during stressful times.

Take moments to reflect on your emotions and why you feel a certain way.

Show empathy toward others and try to understand their feelings and position.

Use your emotions as a source of motivation and positivity.

Aim to maintain a positive outlook on college life.

Intellectual/Mental wellness refers to how one thinks and processes information. Those with intellectual/mental health can slow down, ensure they have good information and understand it accurately, and make decisions carefully.

Improve your problem-solving skills by seeking help from professors or academic advisors.

Stay curious about your class topics and explore new areas of interest.

Embrace intellectual challenges and approach them believing you can manage and learn successfully.

Expand your knowledge through reading, research, and engaging discussions with peers and faculty.

Social wellness involves how you relate to others and manage relationships. Increasing your social wellness enables you to build a supportive network and feel comfortable meeting and collaborating with new people.

Be a caring and supportive friend to others, and allow them to support you in return.

Communicate effectively with your peers and build meaningful connections.

Actively participate in campus activities and clubs to form friendships.

Join study groups and work collaboratively on projects.

Reach out to professors during office hours and engage with classmates in discussions.

Spiritual wellness means aligning your life activities and work with your values and motivations. It means knowing what is important to you and using your time, talents, and abilities to build a life that fits your beliefs and feels authentic and meaningful.

Find meaning and purpose in your college life by exploring your interests and passions.

Engage in activities or clubs that align with your personal values.

Reflect on your life goals and what truly matters to you.

Spend time with people with the same values and purpose as yours.

Vocational wellness refers to the relationship between how you make a living and how you contribute to the world around you. It leads to a satisfying career and mindful decisions about what is best for you and how best to use your talents, knowledge, and abilities.

Choose a major or career path that resonates with your interests and values.

Seek internships or part-time jobs related to your field of study.

Connect with professors or career counselors for guidance.

Collaborate with classmates who share similar academic and career goals.

Work on projects and seek experiences outside class for new learning and skills.

Financial wellness involves managing resources to ensure short—and long-term security and growth. It gives you the tools to manage emergencies, take advantage of opportunities, and feel confident and secure about the future.

Create a budget to manage your college expenses.

Make informed financial decisions, like applying for scholarships or part-time jobs.

Set both short-term (buying textbooks) and long-term (saving for future goals) financial goals.

Starting building your emergency fund for short and long-term expenses (for example, work to save enough for three months of expenses)

Be aware that your peers may have different financial situations and priorities.

Environmental wellness involves respecting and connecting with your physical surroundings and your safety and comfort in the spaces you inhabit. Developing environmental wellness ensures that you consider your impact on the natural, built, and social environments and how those environments impact you.

Learn about the social, natural, and built environments around you

Understand how your surroundings can affect your health and well-being, such as adjusting your activities for poor air quality.

Take actions to improve the campus environment, such as participating in clean-up initiatives or sustainability programs.

Understand the unstable state of the early and how your daily habits affect it.

Showing commitment to a healthy planet

Academic wellness is not on the National Institute of Health’s list, but it’s important for you as a student! Academic wellness involves learning, collaborating with others in and out of class, demonstrating your understanding of course material, and using what you learn to create new and novel applications.

Academic wellness includes:

Your understanding of the material

Ability to ask for and access help

The use of course material in new ways

Your use of time, attention, and resources to learn

How you connect with faculty and other students

A student with academic wellness is confident in their ability to learn, aware of their strengths and challenges, and takes advantage of the opportunities and experiences available in college.

Wellness and well-being are big topics, and you may want to learn more. You can find more information online, and a few good sources to start with are:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5508938/ https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2017/06/19/what-does-it-mean-to-be-well/

https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/what-is-wellness/

The role of regulation and habits in wellness

Though most of us know what is good for us and what we should do (or at least what is NOT good for us and what we should avoid), it is not always easy to make choices and take action toward wellness. Both regulation (your ability to control your behavior to achieve your goals and meet standards) and habits (behavior that is routine or nearly automatic) affect your wellness.

Self-regulation

Another word for self-regulation is willpower. We have a lot of words for self-regulation! They include willpower, determination, drive, resolve, self-discipline, self-control, and delayed gratification.

Self-regulation = willpower = resisting short-term temptations to meet long-term goals.

Your ability to regulate your thoughts and behaviors is vital to learning and wellness. Self-regulation is a process that lets you monitor and control your thinking, motivation, and behaviors as you work towards your learning goals. Though we’ll discuss learning more later, learning requires that you:

Plan your actions and set your goals

Exercise self-control and perform whatever learning tasks fit your goals

Monitor your progress and reflect on your performance and learning process.

Self-regulation or willpower is one factor in getting your work done. With it, you may be able to sit down and complete the work you need to do, especially if you are not very interested in the work itself.

Self-regulation takes energy to do well, and given how many distractions you have in your life, it can be very tough to do! The less energy you have, the more you feel overwhelmed, the less likely you can self-regulate. Many external factors make willpower and self-regulation difficult. These may include:

Living arrangements (where you live)

Demands on your time (family, work, school, social)

Your health status (physical, mental, and emotional).

It is important to realize that you may not be able to control internal or external factors. Even so, you can learn how to manage them for your health and well-being. The first step is identifying them, and then you can try strategies to make wellness and well-being a priority.

Specific self-regulation skills

There are 4 self-regulation skills that you will want to strengthen as you pursue your degree. They will help you in classes and beyond as you build your life and progress in your career.

Goal setting: determining what you want to accomplish and what success will look like so that you can develop and implement plans to reach your goals.

Self-monitoring: keeping track of your progress to increase your awareness of your performance.

Self-talk and instruction: talking yourself through a task, including how to complete the task, identifying options, managing a situation, determining if you understand something, and encouraging yourself.

Self-reinforcement: rewarding yourself for progress through small rewards such as breaks or treats.

Like all skills, you can strengthen these through practice, reflection, and repetition. You might need to push yourself to use these in situations you encounter, but over time, they become automatic. Once they become automatic—which means you do them without reminding yourself to do them—you will notice your ability to self-regulate will become stronger.

Habits

Habits are different from self-regulation. Habits are routines that you build over time that happen with little or no active thought. For example, you likely have a habit of checking your phone. You don’t think about it. You just do it. It’s automatic.

Nearly 40% of your daily behavior can be attributed to habits, and building a habit can take as little as 18 days or up to 254 days to create.  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejsp.674

It is tough to change a habit. One of the challenges for wellness is prevention- avoiding creating bad habits. Once created, a habit may be impossible to erase and, instead, will need to be replaced with a new habit. To prevent yourself from building a habit that will negatively affect you, you need to pay attention and use your self-regulation skills to identify and stop the behavior. Willpower can help you prevent a habit, but it likely won’t stop one you already have.

Unfortunately, most of us do not realize we have a bad habit until it is created. And once created, it is nearly impossible just to stop. You can’t undo a habit—you have to replace it.

How a habit works

Cue   —> Routine —> Reward

A cue can be a sound, message, action, or anything that tells you something needs to happen. You have internal cues (within your body) and external cues (from your environment).

A routine is the action you take. It could be something like completing an assignment, writing an email, completing an assignment, or whatever steps it takes to complete the action you need to take.

A reward is what happens as a result of the habit. Rewards can be internal (how you feel), external (something outside yourself), or a combination. You could be rewarded with physical or mental relief, by knowing that you’ve completed your work, or by rewards like watching a video or playing a game.

The trick to habits is that this happens automatically! So every time you see CUE, you do ROUTINE and receive REWARD.

Remember, once set, you cannot untrain a habit; you can only replace it with a more vigorous habit! You have to REWIRE your brain; willpower is not enough.

Creating a new habit

Original habit:  Cue   —> Routine —> Reward

New habit:         Cue   —> NEW Routine —> Same Reward

Challenges, barriers (and distractions) to wellness

In addition to your habits and ability to self-regulate, you may also encounter other challenges, barriers, and distractions that you need to manage. For example, many students I’ve worked with list challenges such as:

Loud and active home environment

Hours at work

Family needs

Social life

Physical or mental health challenges

Finances

Heavy class loads

Poor sleep and work habits

All of these challenges are tough because you might not be able to change or control the situation. What you can do, though, is seek help in managing the situation.

Identifying and balancing your responsibilities

College comes with many responsibilities- and not a lot of structure to help you get things done. You are expected to manage your workload, your time, and your health. This can be complex and requires constant evaluation of what is happening and what needs to be done first. Determining your priorities can be a significant challenge, but it is part of managing your wellness.

Look at your next week.

List out the things you do in a week.

Decide if each is a responsibility (something you need to do), or something you want to do, or something that would be nice to do.

Take your list of responsibilities, add the dates they must be done on or by, and then schedule your week around them.

When you have time, add what you want to do and would like to do.

Self-care

You’ll hear the term self-care frequently- and maybe sometimes with an edge of frustration. Self-care is portrayed as an indulgence when you watch TV and often with expensive and impractical trips or purchases. These could be self-care, but self-care is a very specific and simple (as in not-complex) idea.

Self-care is listening to what you need and taking care of it. 

For students, self-care can look like:

Notice how all of these are linked directly to a form of wellness.
Building time into your schedule for these activities will help you manage the stress of college.

Speaking of stress…

College and stress

If you aren’t stressed, you are not in college—one of my colleagues often says this about both students and faculty. It isn’t false. But does it have to be true? Let’s look at why and what causes stress.

Students in college are under more stress than ever before. Recent studies show that college students feel pulled in many directions, struggle to manage the requirements of college and the transition to adult living, and feel overwhelmed. There are many reasons for this, including:

Finances

Jobs (many students need to work to live)

Social relationships

Family relationships

The challenge of managing your workload

Most students would be capable of college work if they did not have other stressors in their lives. Unfortunately, life is not simple or easy, and most students have jobs, relationships, and habits that make it hard to focus only on college work.

Stress is a reaction to challenges. Feeling stress can start your fight, flight, or freeze response and help your brain and body react to what is happening to you. Sometimes, though, these reactions are out of line with the actual challenge (most people are not at risk of being attacked by a bear while in a college classroom) or do not match the challenge (again, fleeing may make sense when you feel attacked by a wild animal, but not when you feel stressed about a paper you need to write).

How do you feel when stressed? Think about the warning signs you feel when stressed and what others say about you when you are stressed. Use this list of signs as a reminder to prioritize self-care and take additional steps to manage yourself! Remember, self-care is not a luxury, it’s a necessity in managing stress effectively.

Think about the three responses and where they do and do not fit in a college lifestyle. For example, you can’t fight a professor or assignment. Flight (running away) does not help you get ready for your sociology exam or have that difficult meeting with your advisor about your grades. Freezing does not help you get through a class presentation, nor does it enable you to think reasonably about how you are doing in your classes.

How do we feel stress? Beyond the fight, flight and freeze reactions, you likely feel the physical process linked to stress, especially as it builds. Some students first realize they are under stress when they begin to have physical symptoms like sweating, breathing hard, stomach or headaches, or clenched muscles. Other students feel it mentally, with an inability to focus, a sense of doom, or fear that they are not “college material.”

As stress becomes a constant, you might see a disruption in your eating habits (eating too much, or too little, or food that is not healthy for you), in sleep (sleeping too much or too little, or not being able to stay asleep), or in your relationships (avoiding friends and faculty and activities you enjoyed). Those around you will likely see symptoms of stress, too- including a short temper, a loss of sense of humor, and withdrawal from social interaction. These are just a few examples, but being aware of these can help you identify how YOU feel stress so that you can take steps to manage it.

Managing stress can be a challenge, especially in college. Part of college is about challenging your abilities and developing new ways of thinking, which is stressful. Add in the need to manage your time, stay aware of work that has due dates and multiple steps, and manage the tasks of daily living, and it is easy to feel overwhelmed. So what do you do?

As you can tell, coping with stress takes many forms. Some increase your wellness, while others just pause stress, letting it build up while you avoid it.

My advice is to double your self-care- by making choices that remove stress, not avoid it. For example, when you are stressed, it is even more important to sleep enough, eat well, and make choices that help you manage all areas of your health.  -Dr L

For more information on stress, read: https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/tips

How do you deal with stress at the moment? Sometimes you may find yourself paralyzed with stress and unable to start working- what do you do when this happens?

Take a look at these quotes from students and consider their stressors, how they manage it, and what they do.

Emma

Sleep is a problem for me- I stay up late to spend time with friends online, and then I’m always tired, and everything is overwhelming. I sleep late in the morning and drink alot of coffee to get through the day.

Michael

I have to work to be able to afford college. I am supposed to work 20 hours a week at a grocery store, but my manager keeps assigning me more hours and even schedules me when I’m supposed to attend class. I don’t have time or energy for my schoolwork. I need this job, but when I try to talk to my manager, they tell me I need to do these hours. If I don’t do the hours, I won’t be able to afford college, but if I do the hours, I’ll fail my class. I’m stressed because I can’t fix this so I try my best but no one is happy. I’m not happy.

Chris

College is a hard adjustment. I was a good student in high school and it was easy. It’s not easy now. I have to be really careful with how I plan my time and have to say no to my friends all the time. It’s ok because its for my future but I always thought college would be parties and fun, not studying and writing papers.

Leslie

I feel stressed all the time. When I should be sleeping, I’m worrying about school, and when I’m at school, I’m thinking about how tired I am and how I haven’t seen or talked to my friends in a while. When I’m doing work for my classes, I think about other things I need to do. I never seem to be focused on one thing- everything I do, I’m worrying about what else I need to do. And then I jump from one thing to another and don’t get anything done. I make lists constantly and try to get things done – and stay up late trying to get things done.

Antonio

I’m taking anatomy and physiology. It’s tough, but I have to do well if I want to be a nurse. I met with an academic coach to talk about how I can be more effective in studying.I study alot and have friends in class so we study together.

Notice that some of these are good, or at least good, if they are short-term and allow the person to recharge and get back to work. Others are likely to lead to more stress as they make the person fall more behind on the things that they need to do, especially those that qualify as self-care.

There is no one right way to handle stress- but handling stress positively means making a decision that will lead to the outcome you want, even if it includes immediate discomfort. Sometimes, you need to take a break from what you are doing (for example, when you find your time reading for a class is not helping you understand, and a break is followed by you returning to reading with strategies in mind- more on these later!). Still, we often take a break with something that helps us avoid thinking about the stressor. The stressor is not gone, and it may be even bigger when we get back to work.

✔ A good break is one that recharges your energy and motivation and allows you to return to your task in a better state of mind with new ideas. It has a time limit, and you can then get back to work with a positive mindset.

Ｘ A poor break pauses the stress but does not build motivation or new ideas about managing the tasks you need to do. Poor breaks are also hard to end, and you might lose track of time due to distractions.

Ideas for breaks

Talk to someone about the work you need to do and how to manage it

Switch to a different task

Have a snack and a large drink of water

Take a walk or exercise

Do something you enjoy that won’t lead to you losing track of time (hint: set an alarm)

How have you managed stress in the past? Is it healthy for you? What new strategies will you add to manage stress in college? What might make that difficult for you, and how will you support your new mindset towards stress?

Stress and anxiety

Where stress is a reaction to a situation or demand, anxiety is not usually linked to a specific stressor. One of the signs of anxiety is constant and excessive worry even when there is no stressor present. Stress and anxiety share the same symptoms and look alike.

Many of my students have talked to me about their constant sense of dread and fear, even when they are doing well in classes, and nothing specific is happening to cause them to feel this way. Some of it is a reaction to the many changes between high school and college and their awareness of the differences between how they think and what they feel and other people. For many people, there is no specific cause for anxiety, and seeking help from our college counseling and wellness center is an essential step to feeling better. Constant worry does not lead us to do better, making it hard to learn, complete work, connect with others, and be happy.

To read more about stress and anxiety, visit: https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/anxiety-difference

Resource instability

One major stressor for any person is instability- and college students may have to handle housing, food, or healthcare instability. Housing instability refers to not having a stable home to live in or return to, and food instability means not being sure of how or where food will come from in the near future. Healthcare instability means not knowing how or if you’d access care if you become ill or injured. You can’t learn when worrying about these areas of your life.

Did you know that…

Nearly 3 out of 5 students in college in 2020 struggled with resource instability. This number had already been rising before the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is no indication that instability would drop in the next few years. To learn more: https://hope.temple.edu/sites/hope/files/media/document/HopeSurveyReport2021.pdf

Your campus likely has resources available to support students with food and housing instability- and many colleges have food pantries right on campus.

Students in college are also likely to qualify for public benefits to help with instability.

Being a scholar, pursuing a higher education for your benefit and to benefit society requires dedication, time, and energy. You need and deserve support, and reaching out on campus is the first step to ensuring you have it.

A note about mental health

Stress seems to be part of the typical college experience, and it seems like everyone feels a bit of anxiety, too. Once it starts to impact your ability to care for yourself in any area (for example, academically, physically, or emotionally), it is time to seek help. You deserve to feel good and like you can meet the challenges in front of you—and there are people on campus and in your community who can help.

Many individuals who struggle with mental illness will see the first symptoms appear in their late teen years and early 20s. To learn more about mental illness and the help available, see your college counseling center or campus doctor, and visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness

Your mental health is important, and you cannot learn if you are struggling with your mental health.

Resources you might find on your campus for support

Mental and emotional: counseling center and student services

Physical: medical and wellness center, campus doctor, basic needs center

Academic: advising, tutoring, writing center, library

When in doubt, ask a faculty member or visit student services to ask about where to start with accessing support

10: Success May Surprise You

This is a tough one to believe, I know. Of course, you know what success is. It’s a good job. Right? Wait, maybe not. We all come to college for different reasons and with different goals. Universally though, having a good job or career (they are different things by the way!) is one of the primary reasons why students come to college. But if you only define success by the amount of money you make, you are missing out on what college can do for you and you risk a lifetime of unhappiness. After all, there is always more money out there that you have not yet made.

So what is success anyway? Success is a deeply personal idea. It is grounded in your values and beliefs. It is part of your roadmap to your life- moving towards success is a never-ending journey guided by what you believe is right, and right for you at that time. You’ll find yourself chasing success and it moving away each time you get close because you likely reevaluate and then revise what you think success is.

What you think of as success, as you enter college, is likely to be very different from what you think it is at graduation. AND THAT IS TOTALLY OKAY! In fact, it’s a sign of growth that you see success differently and more vibrantly over time

Most college students find themselves changing their major, or at least how they want to use their major field of study. Many find themselves wanting something different for themselves and their families. Students typically reevaluate their lifestyles and relationships as they learn more about themselves and the world around them. One of the best things about college is how it broadens how you think of the world around you- and with that comes new ideas of what success can look and feel like. Changing your views on success, whether it’s clarifying it or outright changing or deepening connection, is a sign you are thriving in college and getting ready to take your place in the world as a leader. Setting goals. Monitoring progress, and revising them are key to becoming a leader. And we all know that we need good leaders to tackle the very big problems that our world faces.

Success may surprise you, both in what you think it is, and how you approach it- and what you view as success today will evolve as you are in college (and beyond).

-Dr. L

How do you want to change the world?

You came to college with some notion of your future- and an idea of how it fits in with your future plans. You may have envisioned success in a hazy way. We all come to college for a reason. Sometimes, we know what we want, and other times, we don’t know what we want but know we need to work towards something. Everyone who comes to college wants something more. That more is different from person to person- and will constantly change for you personally as you work through your years in college.

So, how do YOU want to change the world?

You might want to change it for your family or your community. It could be a specific group that you care deeply about. There may be a big issue you want to be in a position to help solve. You might not know how you want to improve things, but still feel the drive to be better and something more. While the socio-technical problems of our world can be overwhelming, we can each help in a small way- and college is one place where we can find what we want to study, build skills we can use in any area of our lives, and start to identify where we can improve our lives and the world itself.

What is a good life?

Everyone has a vision of what they consider a good life. While each person’s vision can be different, there are some common elements in most people’s ideas of a good life.

Your challenge in designing and building your life is to consider how you can change the world and what a good life (success) means to you. You must work towards that while also allowing your vision of the future to change and evolve.

For many people, a good life is one

where you understand the meaning and purpose of your life and how you contribute to the world

why your life has value and matters

with connections to other people that enrich your life and theirs

includes conditions of daily living that allow you comfort, agency, autonomy, and the ability to live well

As you think about your future, consider what a good life is to you. What type of work will you do? Who do you spend your time with? What values do you expect your employer to have and live by?

Success is not static

Few things in life are static; everything changes. Success – and what you think success is- will change too. As you learn more about yourself and the world, you’ll see what is possible and where you want to fit in. As you move through college, you’ll likely find that:

The world changes- and with that, possibilities change. Things that are not even dreams today can become possible in the future. | Knowledge changes- creating progress and opportunities. What we don’t know now will shape our future decisions and actions. | Relationships change- and you’ll meet many people who will be important to you, influence you, and change your future path. | You change- the person you are today will develop, grow, expand, and find new ways of thinking and being. With that comes new goals.

The idea that success is a goal, that we reach it once and stay there, is false. Like other ideas, success is a constantly changing force in our lives.

Humans have the amazing ability to envision the future. Unfortunately, we are often quite bad at envisioning. We suffer from projection bias- where we look at the future as if our current selves and current state are how we will always be. This shows up in many aspects of our lives- if we do poorly on an exam, we likely think we will not do well on the next one. This is unconscious, and we must push back at these beliefs; otherwise, they control our decision-making. An example of this is that when we are sad or angry, we imagine our future through the lens of sad or angry- as if we will never be happy again. If we plan something when we are hungry, we are likely to overestimate how much we will want to eat in the future- and if we are tired, we are likely to underestimate what we can get done and overestimate our emotional reactions to events.

If you think of our 4 areas of change-

World: We made today’s decisions as if the world of tomorrow will be the same as today. It won’t be, and we will have new challenges and possibilities as time goes on. This means we need to adjust our goals and worldview as we learn.

Knowledge: While it’s easy to think of knowledge as enduring, it isn’t. The better our technology, the more we learn, the more we connect ideas and innovation, the more our knowledge base changes. This means that we have to learn and relearn constantly. College learning is about learning AND being prepared for relearning, ensuring we can manage the changes in knowledge.

Relationship: We may not yet know the people who will make the biggest difference in our lives. In college and beyond, you’ll make friends, meet coworkers, find mentors, and create new connections. This means we should value who we are connected to now and be open to meeting new people and seeing where they fit in our lives.

You: College is a time when you change. You’ll learn to see the world through a new lens, take on other people’s perspectives, add knowledge and skills, and find a new way to fit within the world. College requires you to unlearn some of your prior learning, deepen your understanding of content, build new skills, and develop a clearer sense of your values and those of the fields you study.

Understanding success

For a topic we all care about and talk about so often, it is hard to come up with a general definition of success. That is because success is a very personal idea.

Your definition of success is based on:

Your values

Your goals

The community you are a member of

Your upbringing

Your personal life experiences

People may define success in terms of financial security and status, but that is just one small part of success. The amount of money people judge as success can differ (again, based on values, goals, community, upbringing, and life experiences). The reason for that amount of money also determines what you consider financial success.

When I talk about financial success with students, I’ve heard answers that include wanting to help their families, building security for themselves so they feel comfortable, having more leisure time and not needing to work multiple jobs, and living a certain lifestyle, with certain comforts including a home, vacation time, and travel. In every case, financial success is a means to the life these students want; money itself is not valuable, but what you can do with it is.

Students have shared with me that success means/includes

Safety

Comfort

Stability

Respect

Freedom

Recognition

Success and happiness

When I talk to students, they often say things like “I’ll be happy if…” and “I’d be successful but…”. Filling in those phrases, they list things like making alot of money or becoming famous, or they list things that they feel hold them back from the life they want. The reality is that success- when we define it narrowly, by an amount of money, being famous, or any simple dimension (like being independent or sleeping better), they likely won’t feel successful OR happy.

Success and happiness are based on your idea of a good life.

While you may feel that you will be happy if you are successful, it is more likely that you’ll be successful if you are happy. Happiness provides the energy for high performance and success. By focusing on building your happiness (which is not an emotion but a way of living) and making choices that contribute to happiness, you are more likely to make choices that lead to success, including:

Positive moods which lead to better decision-making and clarity of thought

Better relationships that support actions that lead to success

Optimism and confidence which energize all aspects of work

Many adults in the United States feel that to succeed, you need to suffer and experience misery. While some suffering and misery are part of life, they do not lead to success for most people. This message is hard to believe, but research shows over and over again (hint: use your college library to search for happiness and success) that people who are in a good emotional state, who feel happy and well within their life context, will succeed at what they do.

Suffering and misery ≠ success

Letting go of the idea that you deserve to suffer or be miserable or that you will benefit from it is important to building the life you want—not just for your emotional health but for all dimensions of health and success. This does not mean you won’t have to make hard choices or be uncomfortable, but being miserable for long periods is not necessary for success.

Focusing on building a good life for yourself, making choices purposefully, and being aware of your goals and values will help you move toward happiness. That happiness will, in turn, move you closer to the success you are hoping for!

Moving forward

Your life has many different dimensions. Moving forward in college and into your career and the life you design, you’ll need to consider your version of success, take advantage of your opportunities, build capital, design (and redesign) your life plan, and assess and change course as you do.

Dimensions: social, career, personal, spiritual, academic

You will spend much of your life working to support the life you build. It is tempting to think of this work only in terms of the money you make. There is so much more to your work than money. Success in your work includes:

money

benefits

prestige

progression

learning

meaning

contribution to a better world

flexibility

respect and recognition

As you move through college, you’ll think about your future career path and the jobs you will hold. A good job fits your career path, gives you a chance to learn and progress, has meaning, and provides the income, benefits, and flexibility for the life you design.

Your job versus your career

Throughout your life, you will likely have many jobs and more than one career path, or one career path with many twists, turns, and side roads. Jobs are the work you do to make money to support your life. They can, but not always, add to your career path. The goal is to find a job that provides a good life AND helps you build your career.

A job is concrete, paid employment—how you make money. It can be ongoing or limited (a contract or gig), full-time or part-time, consistent or on an as-needed basis.

A career is your overall pathway or profession that you prepare for, learn about, and continue to grow, develop, and progress in.

Individual jobs can fit within your career pathway or can be a way to earn money, make connections, build capital, or find opportunities that you can take advantage of. Specific jobs can do one or more of these- and may not fit your designed career path. We often pick jobs based on how they benefit us and fit into our lives. Knowing your career path and goals and designing this path helps you to make smart choices with specific jobs. Given two equal opportunities for work, you would likely choose the job that matches your career path.

The difference between a job and a career is often emotional and learning investment. Each job you have gives you new insight into yourself and the world, new skills and knowledge, and a deepening ability to use what you already have learned in other parts of your life (including college). These jobs enhance your career path, even if they do not match your goals and aspirations. Jobs give you experiences outside of your career path that can help you learn about yourself and the world. Jobs in your career path may directly contribute new skills and experiences that help you understand your chosen path and even provide formal education and credentials.

Not all jobs have to be part of your career path. It is okay to take a job because it allows you to live your life. Sometimes people take a specific job because of the income it provides or the flexibility and freedom it brings. There is no one way to build a career OR a life. And over your life, you’ll find yourself with a mix of jobs that fit your career path and your life. The hope is to build your career so that it uses the best parts of yourself, pushes you to learn and grow, and provides a life in which you can thrive.

Embracing opportunity

Opportunities are all around you. You’ll never be able to take advantage of all of them—and though that may sound sad, it is wonderful to realize that you can pick and choose. You don’t need to feel guilty about missing an opportunity. By realizing that you can’t and shouldn’t try to take every opportunity, you give yourself permission to make choices that fit you and the life you are designing for yourself.

Opportunities come from:

Connection

Relationships

Experiences

Knowledge

Needs of others

Opportunities can be personal and affect you. They relate to your social life, career path, family, or a mix of all of these. Opportunities to learn are all around us; being present in your life and aware of what is happening will help you identify opportunities. You can make space in your life to identify opportunities by taking steps that challenge you and expand your life.

How to make space in your life for opportunities:

Talk to people you know

Reach out to campus groups like career services, and student life and affairs

Stay current on technology and changes in your field of study

Discuss ideas with your faculty

See what is happening in your community and on your campus

Build new skills

Try new experiences

Attend a performance or event that you’ve never experienced before

Work on a new hobby

Challenge a fear (for example, public speaking)

Donate your time to someone in need

Travel

Learn something new

By making room in your life for opportunities, you’ll be more aware of others, what they need, and where you can contribute. These opportunities will help you develop your skills, learn more about yourself and others, and build critical connections and relationships that will help you share your future. Being open is the beginning, and taking steps to be in the places where things happen will ensure you are aware of the possibilities and take advantage of the opportunities.

Building capital

Capital refers to anything you can use to enhance your life and success. While financial capital is well known, there are many more forms of capital. You build your capital with every experience you have, every person you meet, everything you learn, and every action, reaction, success, and failure. Capital is something you build, maintain, and use throughout your life!

As you move forward, think about building:

Human and intellectual capital through ongoing learning inside and outside of the classroom, including your understanding of how you learn and how to learn.

Experience capital through internships, cooperative learning, shadowing, and interviews with people in positions and fields that interest you

Social capital through college clubs and groups, professional organizations, friendships, mentoring, introductions, presentations, and conferences

Cultural capital through experiences with other cultures that help you develop understanding and communication that enable you to work with others

There are other forms of capital, but these four are ideal for building in college. In college, you’ll have access to resources and experiences that are hard to find elsewhere. As you work through college, think of each of these and how you can incorporate them into your college learning and life.

Designing your future

One of the most valuable things college gives you is the opportunity to design your future. Exposure to many areas of study, methods of gathering and processing information, communication, and theories about human life brings you new ideas and perspectives of what your life could be. As you move through college, it is not just about learning about a subject; you are learning about yourself, what you can contribute to the world, and what you can ask from the world.

Designing your future means thinking carefully about the possibilities, determining the steps you need to take, and planning your path forward. The term design implies that you have a careful plan and approach life with openness and the ability to evaluate your options and choose.

Approaching your life as a design requires a mindset that is both clear about what you want and flexible in how you approach those goals. It requires that you look at your life and everything you do as a chance to learn and grow. Learning is the key to happiness, a good life, and success, and college is an ideal place to work on this design and the mindset that will support you.

Reassessing and changing course

Throughout college and beyond, you will assess what you are doing and change course. This could be due to a change in your value system or goals. You might realize that something you thought you wanted doesn’t fit you, or something you thought was impossible is quite possible for you. Learning and growing requires constant reassessing and adjusting.

It can be difficult and stressful to realize that you need to stop, rethink, and start again. Some tips to help with this process:

Remember, you are a work in progress; change is part of this process.

Realize that everyone is a work in progress and find themselves needing to reassess and create new plans.

Revisit your goals and values and update them when necessary.

Reevaluate what you are doing with kindness and honesty so you know where you are versus where you want to be.

Connect with people you trust and ask for their guidance and ideas.

Get out of yourself and your own life by volunteering and donating time and energy to others.

Listen to advice and feedback, even if it is uncomfortable.

Surround yourself with positive people who are doing things that you admire.

Get moving- physical activity can help you clear your thinking.

Remember that most people will reassess and change course in small and large ways throughout their lives. People have many careers now, restarting or shifting their focus. People learn, unlearn, and relearn to keep up with the world.

Your goal is to create a life that you thrive in. What you want your life to look like will change frequently as you learn and grow.

A note about college majors

Majors are not destinations, not jobs- they are skill sets and language you’ll use. They shape you but do not define what you will do.

Remember, your major course of study is a series of courses that build your knowledge and skills in one specific area. Your minor, if you have one, is a small course of study that gives you some background in that area. In addition to your major course of study, you also have general education core courses, which give you a foundation of knowledge and skills, and elective courses you can use to build your knowledge and skills in areas you select by taking courses that interest you (note: many people use their electives to complete a minor).

Majors do not define what work you do- your major (and minor) shapes how you will do whatever work you choose to do. – Dr. L

Many students come to college with an idea of the major course of study they want to pursue. Often, they realize that their vision of that major does not fit who they are or want to be. Majors can be changed, especially in the first years of college. Even if you continue in a major course of study you do not want to do work in, remember your major is NOT the job you will have.

Majors give you a set of transferable skills. A transferable skill is one in which what you learn in one area (for example, history class) can be used in other areas (including your job—what you do for income—and your career—your overall path of learning and success).

A transferable skill is learned in one environment and can be used in another

In college, you learn transferable skills in classes focused on specific content areas

In your general education core courses, you will build your ability to | In your major course, you’ll learn

communicate (active listening, writing, speaking, and empathy)

increase your ability to lead (including interpersonal skills, conflict resolution, working in a team, goal setting)

make decisions and solve problems using evidence

different approaches to working

process improvement

method of analysis,

theory that explains how the world works

How to use the skills you learned in general education courses in specific contexts

By building skills in general education courses and your major (and possibly minor), you will have a strong foundation to begin your career.

Changing your major?

If you think you want to change your major, talk to:

Career services groups to explore majors that fit your goals, values, and interests

Faculty instructors and advisors who can answer questions about majors and what other students have done with those majors

Academic advisors to understand how changing a major affects your degree path and graduation plans

College gives you a vocabulary, a set of methods and skills, new strategies, and theories and ideas to base all of your work and decisions – and your major decides which methods, skills, strategies, theories, and ideas you use as you move forward in life- regardless of the work you do.

College doesn’t decide your work- it influences how you will do it.

Living with agency and autonomy

One of the most important- and complicated- things about college and life beyond the classroom is how to live with agency (the ability to use your power and resources to fulfill your goals and potential)  ) and autonomy (being free from external control). Both are important to the life you design and build for yourself. They can also be anxiety-producing as agency requires you to make decisions to use your abilities, knowledge, skills, and talents to do what you think and feel is best for the life you want to lead. Autonomy means that while you may be independent, you must make your own decisions and face consequences.

Agency: the power and resources to choose and take action

Autonomy: the ability to make decisions or take action without being controlled by others

As a college student, you have:

The agency to decide what to study, participate in campus activities, and take advantage of internships (these are just a few examples of the decisions you will make)

Agency as a college student means that you can influence your environment (what you do changes your classes and learning), you are aware of routines and rules and can follow them to achieve results, you know how you want others to perceive you, and you take actions that will create the future you want.

Agency makes it possible for you to make decisions for your future

The autonomy to decide what work you will (or will not) complete, how you will engage with other students and faculty, and how you’ll approach your life as a student.

Autonomy in college includes ownership of your learning, responsibility for learning and learning outcomes, confidence in your knowledge, skills, and ability to learn, and a drive to extend your learning beyond what is explicitly taught.

Autonomy allows you to decide what you do without someone else forcing you.

Things to know about agency and autonomy:

Autonomy and agency are yours as an adult and college student. You did not earn them, nor can they be taken from you.

Some people give up some autonomy or agency in exchange for other benefits.

Having agency and autonomy means that you are independent but not alone.

What you choose to do with your agency and autonomy affects others and your relationships with them.

You are responsible for your choices and actions you take (or do not take).

Your choices lead to consequences, both positive and negative

To use your agency and autonomy for success, you need to develop self-efficacy.

Self-efficacy is your belief in your ability and competency and your ability to identify and use resources. Without self-efficacy, agency and autonomy can isolate you, leaving you feeling alone and helpless.

Students without self-efficacy often feel overwhelmed, isolated, alone, helpless, anxious, stuck, worried, and lost.

The good news is that you can build your sense of self-efficacy since it is a skill you can master.

To develop belief in your ability to manage challenges and access support:

Practice what you want to be good at. The more you practice something, the more likely you’ll develop skills and knowledge, and the more confident you will feel about that task and others like it.

Take on new challenges. Taking on something challenging gives you personal experience with success and can help you identify how you can be successful in new challenges with the confidence to meet the challenge.

Observe people you relate to as they tackle challenges and how they succeed and fail. This can help you identify how to manage challenges and approach challenging situations.

Seek encouragement from others and yourself. Motivational words can help you see yourself as competent and capable.

Reach out for support and know who is available to help you. Use help when you need it- having support available is often enough to help you manage challenges, and using that help can help you master challenges.

Things to remember about success:

What you think of success today will evolve as you learn.

Your picture of what success is will change while you are in college- because you learn more and realize how much bigger the world is and how you fit within it.

You will have more opportunities than you realize, especially if you look for them.

Goals- and our motivations for those goals- can change over time.

You will never do everything you want to – and that is freeing!

Success = choice.

The people you know will help you as you move through your life.

You’ll never stop learning (and unlearning and relearning).

People change majors, and that is ok.

The person you’ll be at the end of college is different than you expect when you start.

You have agency and autonomy and need self-efficacy to make the most of them.

College is not the end of your learning; it is the beginning. You’ll be in control of what you learn, which is exciting but also overwhelming because you likely have to search for opportunities to learn.