Pursuing Academic Excellence
“To put scholarship before social obligation...” This line of our symphony embodies one of the most important aspects of being a Chi Omega. At the end of my first year of college, I spent some time reflecting over what was good, what was hard, and what I could improve upon. A lesson that took a little too much time to be drilled in my head is realizing that I’m not in control of much at all. However, I have decided that what I can control, I should do to the best of my ability. Self-control is especially hard to do with schoolwork, as most times we’d rather do anything but homework; however, we are called to go above and beyond the basic standards of scholarship. We are called to excellence.
I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on this lesson of excellence throughout the past few months. As not only a Chi Omega, but also as a Christ-follower, I am called to aim higher. Colossians 3:23 states, “Do everything as if working for the Lord, not for men.” How often do we work just to get the job done, when the goal should be working to do it to the best of our ability? Going into this semester, I wanted a new mindset- one that would encourage me to be motivated and strive for excellence, not just simply check off the boxes in my planner. So, I made a list of 5 ways I could be a better student that on some level, everyone can relate to!
Sit in the front in class!
It helps avoid distractions.
It motivates you to focus on the teacher’s lecture.
The teacher can see your effort and presence. It can also encourage you to ask questions as needed.
Stay on top of your work!
Get ahead when you can. Help your future self out!
Try to manipulate your schedule so you can optimize the usage of your time.
Take better advantage of the free time you have on weekends. Go ahead and knock an assignment out to make your week lighter!
Aim high, allow for grace.
Set high expectations for yourself! This will help you become more motivated to do your work well. Always aim for A’s, but aiming for something specific in a class will help you keep on striving for more.
Do as well as possible on the easier assignments, so you have cushion room for possible difficulties later on the bigger assessments!
Of course you want to aim high, but we all know that college isn’t easy. Be willing to give yourself grace if you don’t do as well as you might have hoped. Grace is what makes the world go round!
FOCUS!
Get off your phone when doing your homework. I know this one’s a doozy, but it will make the assignment go by so much faster if you help yourself eliminate small distractions!
Give 110% to everything you do!
Set specific and allotted amounts of time (including breaks!) to do your work.
Live a healthy lifestyle!
General health will improve your success as a student. Focus first on your sleep. As important as studying is, so is rest. Be willing to put the books down and aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night! I know it sounds impossible, but you can do it with a little discipline and time management!
Snack less, protein more. It’s easy to get caught up with life and skip meals and just snack all day, but it’s more beneficial to your body to eat protein-filled meals as opposed to snacks.
Get active! Go on walks with a friend, sign up for free workout classes at the Sanderson, or hit the gym to lift some weights! Physical activity will not only keep you feeling good, but also reduce your stress and give you some quality time with friends throughout the week!
As you read these tips, my hope is that they encourage you to prioritize things in your life as a student. The longer the semester goes, the harder it is to continue to commit to discipline, quality, and health. However, I know these small things can make a BIG impact for good in my life and I will keep working to achieve them! I hope you’ll join me in the journey to student success and the pursuit of excellence.
