Written by: Jan Mary Pauline A. Dampitan
It’s the first day of college. Just imagine: new school, new surroundings, new stuff, new people…even maybe a new beginning and some new possibilities.
Cliche?
Well, your expectations of college then was pretty much like everyone else, and honestly so was mine, and there is nothing wrong with that…except those expectations don’t always come true or go right.
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But hey! Don’t beat yourself up. After all, sometimes you win and often times, you learn. What does that mean? It’s something along the lines of “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
And so, when things don’t go right, here are some helpful tips no one might have told you yet.
3. Go left.
No, this isn’t a joke, but don’t take it literally as well. What I mean is, when you keep trying but anything doesn’t seem to work, take a pause and think, “is it still worth it?” Don’t be afraid to let go and look the other way around. Just like when you first choose your course, sometimes things don’t go so well and you aren’t passionate about what you’re doing anymore—maybe it’s even making you sad.
Shift to another course you like, or maybe take a break. Do whatever feels right for you. It’s okay. You will be okay.
2. Oh no, I’m mediocre!
Stop right there! If you’re the type who only likes to work within your comfort zones and don’t want to work so hard on stuff, then you do you boo! But…this tip isn’t for you.
This tip is for those people who, in words of Coldplay, try their best but don’t succeed. When you study so hard, day and night, yet you’re still not the best in class, or maybe you’re an art student like me who got thrown into a digital arts class full of other students who are already so good at Photoshop while you have to start from scratch, so you try so hard to catch up but still can’t?
It’s okay. Give yourself a break and a well-deserved pat in the back. You did good, and yes maybe you aren’t the best yet, but you did well. Mediocrity can be the start of something amazing, if you just practice and do your best. After all, nobody starts as pros. It takes time, so just be patient. You’ll get there.
1. *beep*
“(Insert the curse word of your choice here)”, is what comes out of our mouths when we make mistakes, but honestly, that’s better than having to say, “what if?” You know the situation when your teacher or your professor asks a question and no one knows the answers so it’s all quiet? Then you also quietly mutter to yourself what you think is the right answer, but you don’t say it out loud. So when your teacher/ professor says the answer, and your answer is actually right…all you can do is tell yourself, “I knew it.”
It’s as simple as that. Take a risk. Yes, you might be wrong, but honestly, mistakes are only part of the process to make us better. Think about it, how are you going to know what’s right if you don’t know what’s wrong?
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And that’s it! Take a deep breath, and just hang in there. Keep moving, and when college attacks you or hits you square in the face, it’s okay. Now you’ll know how to dodge it next time.
Can you relate to any of these? Share your story in the comments!
