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Balancing School. How to balance academics, work, organizations and college life.
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Balancing School How to balance academics, work, organizations and college life.
Research has shown that students involved in co-curricular activities such as social fraternities gain additional experience from increased peer support and leadership opportunities, as well as increasing their chances of successfully completing their university studies. Approximately 50% of freshman students in colleges and universities across the nation go on to graduate. U.S. Department of Education data shows that members of fraternities and sororities graduate at a rate in excess of 70%!
Fraternities help you meet the challenge of balancing academics while gaining the most from your collegiate experience. The combination of friendships and brotherhood/sisterhood, intermingling with solid goals of academic excellence help you to become a well-rounded, intelligent member of the university community and of the work force after you graduate.
How to lead a balanced college life. • Select challenging, but appropriate classes • Start off on the right foot • Carefully choose organizations • PRIORITIZE • Polish study skills • Utilize resources • Set realistic goals
Select challenging, but appropriate classes When scheduling your courses for a semester, there are few things to keep in mind: What courses are necessary for your major? What general education courses are still required? Will certain classes challenge me as a student? Be sure not to overload yourself. Too many classes can be a negative, despite some of their benefits. Professors often say that successful students put in three hours of study and homework for every hour of class attended. Do the math: for a 12-credit semester, following this rule would put academics at a total of 48 hours per week.
Start off on the right foot After you schedule any classes and before you get involved in any organizations consider the following: How many hours will I need for studying each night? Do I have time between classes to complete studies earlier? Based on my schedule, do I have certain times free for extracurricular activities? How many activities can I fit into my free time, while allowing myself enough personal and social time? Will you need or want to work while going to school?
Carefully choose organizations How you choose your organizations is just as crucial as what courses you take: What organizations are of personal interest to you? How much time must you dedicate to each organization and do you have this time? How active do you wish to be in the organization? Do you have aspirations to hold a leadership role in any organization? What are the most important activities to me?
PRIORITIZE So you have scheduled your courses, evaluated the time involved and selected your extra curricular activities. Now you must make sure you stay on the academic path: First and foremost, do not neglect your academics. No matter what, all aspects of academics must be addressed before anything else. If you want or must work, be sure to limit your hours. Seek employment on campus if possible. This not only assists in your financial obligations, but the school will most likely not overwork you and stretch you too thin. Fulfill all obligations to any organization you have devoted time to. Keep a planner that outlines all of your obligations, both academic and extra curricular. If necessary, don’t be afraid to jeopardize extra curricular activities in order to maintain strong grades.
Polish study skills In order to get the most out of studying and streamline your academic workload, you must strengthen your study skills. Examine what works best for you. If you study better in quiet areas, then find a spot on campus that is quiet. If you study better in groups, work with others in your class to study. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t wait until the last minute to do research and collect information for papers, etc. Take accurate and easy to understand class notes. If you need to, recopy your notes outside of class to strengthen your knowledge of the subject. Don’t let old habits stand in your way. Often, the way you used to study no longer works. Don’t be afraid to change your system, especially if it isn’t working.
Utilize resources A lot of students do not know where to turn if they feel like they are in over their heads. Consider these: Professors/Academic advisors: Don’t be afraid to approach your professors about establishing regular meetings with you if you need help. Campus resources: Most campuses have some sort of academic assistant. It is important to realize that often this is not just for students with learning disabilities, but for all students who need help focusing. Friends: Although they may want to go to the bar instead of studying, most of your friends will be willing to help…because most of them have been in the same boat. Brothers/Sisters: Your fraternity/sorority brothers/sisters will be more than willing to help you. In most cases, they realize your membership to the group is dependent on your academic success.
Set realistic goals Although you may be an overachiever, you have to realize your limits: Remain determined: Most of the education college students receive comes through their motivation to research and learn about new things. Your success—or lack of it—is more likely to be dependent upon your persistence and determination than on your brainpower. While there is a lot of help available, especially to first-year students, the decisions you make are the best predictors of your success in college. While it is important to enjoy the ride, be careful to avoid the pitfalls of exercising too much freedom. College should be enjoyable, but it also must be a lot of work. Make mature, intelligent choices about using your time and choosing your activities, including those dedicated simply to socializing! Stay focused on achieving any goals you set.
What can you do as a member of Pi Nu Epsilon? • Start an academic support/tutoring committee • Be understanding… you are friends and brothers/sisters. • Offer help. Study with underclassmen, give advice about what professors to take, etc.
