College studies are ahead, and are you worried that you will have no time left for fun and relaxation? Studying requires almost all of a student’s free time, and exams often even take up your sleep time. Nevertheless, even if you have a lot of deadlines, it is crucial to find a balance because if you devote all your time to studying, you will quickly burn out and lose interest. There will be anxiety and negative thoughts, and this will not lead to anything good. What to do in such a case?
Set aside time for fun moments, meetings with friends, and entertainment. In addition to cramming books, there are many ways to improve the student’s life. We’ll talk about them today.
Contents
The Importance of Balance
You flew out of a cozy home nest, and you immediately need to learn, make new acquaintances, and take care of yourself on your own. At first, it will not be easy. You will face a huge amount of work and assignments, as well as extracurricular activities and often the need to earn money. You will require energy and inspiration to cope and not go crazy. Plus, there’s the pressure of competition.
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The First Thing You Will Encounter Is Stress and Burnout
Not everyone can cope with the challenges of the first year of education. Many face stress, anxiety, and burnout. These are all consequences, and the causes of these problems are:
- long hours spent studying
- insecurity due to competition
- lack of sleep
- poor nutrition
- lack of sport.
If you don’t take care of your well-being, not only will your academic performance suffer, but also your quality of life and chances of success.
Start with holistic development and pay attention to:
- physical well-being
- mental well-being
- emotional well-being
- social well-being
What Will Fun and Entertainment Give You?
Improved Mental Health and Well-Being
Listening to music, watching a movie, going to a concert, going on a weekend trip, swimming, or any activity you enjoy will allow you to relax, unwind, and rejuvenate. Thanks to the release of endorphins into the bloodstream, you will feel yourself better. So, taking time for yourself regularly can help you cope with stress and anxiety.
Productivity and Academic Performance
There is a belief that entertainment distracts from learning. Still, it is proven that people who are engaged in active recreation (swimming, hiking, biking, kayaking, skiing, playing a sport like basketball) better concentrate attention and are more motivated and creative. Accordingly, they study better. Allocating half an hour, an hour, or at least 20 minutes a day for recreation will prevent burnout. Thus, it is necessary to take breaks in your studies because this is an opportunity for your brain to reboot and, as a result, to work more efficiently and, therefore, to memorize and understand information faster. Resort to a college essay writing service if you need some help.
Strengthening Social Ties
While studying, it’s important not to forget about old friends, but don’t be shy about making new acquaintances. You can join some clubs or attend social events. Socializing also helps to reduce stress, improve mental health, and even increase resilience and social and emotional well-being. As well as spending quality time together, you will:
- find people who will support you and encourage you when needed.
- improve your teamwork, communication, and interpersonal skills.
- develop time management skills and creativity.
Strategies for Implementing Entertainment
- Prioritize. Which tasks are more important? What commitments do you have? Write down. What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Define that.
- Create a schedule. Allocate time for both studying, relaxing, and self-care, even if it’s on a minute-by-minute basis.
- Follow the schedule. Even if you have the energy and the will to continue sitting up till night studying, leave everything and take a rest, treat rest as your responsibility. Remember, even a half-hour walk, sport, or favorite hobby can do wonders for your well-being.
Explore a Variety of Activities
Take it seriously, and do some research on your interests.
- Get involved in clubs, organizations, and extracurricular activities: join a sports team, volunteer, or participate in a cultural club. Also, join campus events and meetings and participate in group projects.
- Try new hobbies and interests to improve your quality of life, broaden your horizons, and enrich your experiences. These could be:
- Sports hobbies. Running, yoga, skating, basketball, volleyball, soccer, etc.
- Outdoor hobbies: fishing, gardening, traveling, etc.
- Creative hobbies: dancing, singing, going to the theater club, and decorating furniture.
- Artistic hobbies: drawing, pottery, handicrafts, etc.
- Needlework: knitting, cooking, weaving, sewing, weaving, felting, diamond painting.
- Hobbies related to technology: robotics, electronics, aircraft modeling, construction.
- Computer creativity. Programming, blogging, creating videos and pictures, animation.
- Use technology and media: listen to music, watch interesting YouTube videos, and play games to take a break. Join an online forum to connect with like-minded people, or just subscribe to your favorite Facebook group. If you want to spend quality time, listen to podcasts, audiobooks, and watch documentaries. There is so much free information available today, if only you had the desire.
Learn to Overcome Challenges and Obstacles
- Prioritize and divide large tasks into smaller tasks. This will help reduce your workload and eliminate the fear of taking on a difficult task and failing. To stay on top of things, we advise you to:
- Download a scheduling app or write a schedule by hand. It’s whatever you feel comfortable with.
- Use time management techniques. These could be the half-hour theory, where you allocate half an hour to one thing and don’t get distracted, or the Pomodoro technique(set a timer for 25 minutes and work without distraction). On the signal of the timer, you should take a five-minute break. Then, you should alternate work and rest at the same intervals.
- Say no when necessary. You can’t always be comfortable sacrificing yourself, your desires, values, and priorities. Ask yourself the question: Would it be good for me if I said yes?
- Don’t be shy about asking for help and support. When a person does not ask for anything, he gives up one of the forms of natural connection with other people. They have to spend more effort, time, and sometimes money to achieve their goals, and some things become impossible for them because they are not omnipotent and cannot do everything on their own.
How to Cope With Financial Difficulties?
- Make a budget and allocate expenses. Make separate allocations for tuition, housing, food, transportation, and leisure activities. Think about what you could save money on.
- Try applying for scholarships or grants.
- Find a part-time or freelance job (bartender, sales assistant, customer service representative, or tutor). These roles allow students to work in the evenings and on weekends, adjusting to their study schedule during the day.
Not all entertainment costs money. Think about how you can rest without spending a large sum of money. It could be campus events, parks, book clubs, free museum days, library events and exhibitions, free student performance seminars, and training, watching movies, planetarium or astronomical sites, stand-up shows, workshops, thematic parties, and gatherings.
Conclusion
You are young and have a great experience ahead. Try to spend your college years in such a way that you have something to remember. The main thing is discipline and proper prioritization. Listen to yourself and your desires. Even if you have an exam coming up and you don’t have the energy, lie down and sleep for half an hour, go for a walk, or call a friend to give your brain a reboot. Practice using time management techniques. They will help you focus and not get distracted by messages and gadgets. Good luck to you!
