College students need to have balance in their lives when they get to college to set themselves up for success.
Having options and priorities throughout one’s day creates a better balance. This can look different for everybody and does not have to be the same for people with different interests. Joining clubs, playing sports, meeting new people, getting jobs, etc., are all examples of creating balance in your life. These are all good examples of things you can do while still being focused on your school work and getting good grades.
Colleges have lots of club options, with most offering clubs that fit anyone’s interests. For example, a school such as the University of Minnesota has more than 1,000 student groups, clubs, and organizations. Lots of Universities offer club and intramural sports if you want to continue playing their sport but not at the collegiate level.
Education is the main purpose of college. Lectures and classes develop critical thinking, discipline, and expertise in your desired line of work. Strong academic performance can provide one with opportunities for internships, graduate school, and employment positions. However, academic success alone does not guarantee success for the rest of one’s life. Future employers will value soft skills such as communication, leadership, teamwork, and adaptability. These traits are commonly developed outside the classroom.
Holding a job during college, whether part-time work or internships, teaches responsibility, time management, and professionalism. Students learn how to meet expectations, communicate with employers, and balance components of their lives.
“Spending my out of class time working at Scheels made me prioritize my free time and get my school work done,” said Sartell graduate Connor Bergstrom when asked how balancing a job while being at school was important.
The habits you build when you begin college can stick with you for the rest of your life.
Bergstrom stated, “Creating a balance between my social life and school work was one of the more difficult things I had to do while living on my own for the first time. I watched lots of my friends struggle with the same thing.”
Bergstrom is a sophomore at Minnesota State University-Mankato and has been selected to the dean’s list in all three of his completed semesters whilst studying accounting.
He shared why being social is important in college: “Meeting new people and creating relationships was one of the first things I tried to do when I got here. Having friends to spend time with is important for me to not feel burnt out with school and work.”
College is more than earning a degree, it builds you into who you want to be in the future. Students who engage academically, professionally, physically, and socially develop a wide range of skills that prepare them for life beyond college.
