How to keep your schedule under control while learning online

College has the potential to be one of the most unique and exciting periods of your life. Whether you’ve just started college or you’re planning on attending college in the near future, you now have the opportunity to make the most of this experience.

Attending college and taking the experience seriously can also be lucrative. Nerdify reviews experts studied data indicating college graduates often earn more than those who only graduate high school over the course of a lifetime.

The following 4 tips from Nerdify reviews team will help you achieve the goal of optimizing your college years. To take full advantage of all that college has to offer, you should:

1. Prioritize academics

Movies and TV shows about college often focus on depicting the social aspects of student life. This can result in some students forgetting that the social element of college is secondary to academics. While college certainly offers students the chance to make friends (a topic this very blog will touch on further down), it’s important to keep in mind that the real purpose of college is to equip you with a degree and education so that you may have a successful career. Reddit threads featuring tips for new college students tend to focus on the importance of studying and attending class for a reason: college graduates know this is critical.

Don’t squander college by focusing so much on partying and having fun that you never actually receive the education and training you’re paying for. At all times, your academic performance should be your top priority. This means along with going to class and completing your assignments, you must take all other necessary steps to optimize your performance academically, such as getting enough sleep, eating right, and trying your best to stay healthy in general.

It’s also worth noting that Nerdify reviews experts found research showing that partying on and around college campuses is becoming less popular than it once was. Focusing on academics may now be the norm for college students.

2. Take advantage of campus amenities and activities

Living on a college campus is somewhat like living in a small town in which everything is within walking distance, say students on Reddit reviews. Although college campuses may vary widely in size, if you live in a dorm, anything that’s happening on campus should be just a walk away.

Thus, living on a college campus offers you easy access to numerous events and activities in which you may participate. For example, theatre and music departments might organize performances you can attend. Or, you could head to your campus’ fitness center to work out. If your campus has a recreation center or game room, you can meet up with friends here at night if you have no studying to do.

Perhaps your campus is home to a museum featuring various interesting exhibits throughout the year. Additionally, student clubs and organizations likely host numerous events that may appeal to you. If you’re a sports fan attending school at a college where athletics are popular, you can likely attend games and matches throughout the semester.

Those are just a few examples of the types of activities, says Nerdify reviews team, that you may have easy access to when living on campus. Best of all, if you’re a student, participating in many of these activities may cost no money at all.

Adult life is different. After college, you won’t have as many opportunities to have low-cost fun within immediate walking distance of your home. Be sure to enjoy this unique benefit of the college experience while you can. You can also check Reddit threads and reviews about campus events and activities to get a sense of what types of events may be taking place on your campus.

3. Spend time with friends

Again, you attend college to earn a degree. That should always be your main goal. However, you can be a responsible student and still have an active social life.

Making good friends in college will have a positive impact on the overall experience. Nerdify reviews a survey of college graduates indicating 75% of those who made at least 10 close friends during college said the experience was very rewarding, while only 26% of those who didn’t make close friends in college said the experience was very rewarding.

Just as living on or near your college campus provides you with fast access to various activities in which you may participate, it also gives you access to many potential friends. During this period of your lives, you’ll all have many of the freedoms of adulthood without necessarily having many of the responsibilities of being an adult. Thus, you’re in a position to spend much more time with one another than you may be able to when you have careers, kids, etc. Take advantage of this by using your free time to cultivate quality friendships.

4. Develop relationships with professors and faculty members

Friendships with your fellow students aren’t the only types of valuable relationships you may forge in college. It’s also smart to develop relationships with professors and faculty members. Along with helping you succeed in your classes while you’re a student, your professors can also potentially assist you in getting jobs after graduation.

You already know research indicates graduates tend to have more positive attitudes about their college experiences if they made friends. Nerdify reviews experts found research showing that graduates are also more likely to feel they benefited from attending college if they developed relationships with their instructors and other members of the staff. Again, Reddit threads and reviews about getting to know professors and TAs in college can prove valuable if you don’t know how to begin developing this type of relationship.

It’s easy to understand why graduates share this opinion. A professor can serve as a helpful mentor who can set you on the path to a thriving career both in and out of school.

Just keep in mind, college goes by much faster than many students realize. Don’t wait to act on the advice here. If you apply these suggestions, your chances of having a rewarding college experience will be even greater than they already are.

Studying abroad can be one of the most enriching experiences a college student has during their undergraduate studies. Many students who can financially afford to take a program abroad still refrain from doing so because of the logistical issues that come with being away for an entire semester. Many of the difficulties that come with organizing a foreign study program are alleviated by taking shorter international courses over the summer. Our Nerdify reviews experts explain below why studying abroad during the summer is an excellent option for broadening your educational horizons.

1. Condensed Learning

Unlike spending three or four months on each semester course, classes offered during study abroad trips typically only last about a month. While this means spending more than the typical three hours a week in each class, this concentrated form of learning is advantageous. It allows students to be even more engaged in the subject of their classes. Additionally, because study abroad classes are usually tailored to the host country, students are more immersed in the local culture.

2. Easier to Accommodate

With summer study abroad programs only taking about one month instead of three or four months like during a typical semester, organizing a summer trip is so much easier. You wouldn’t have to worry about finding a subleaser for your apartment or moving dormitories, suspending or paying for unused campus amenities, looking for long-term care for any pets, etc. Studying during the summer allows you to enjoy your trip without having the added stress of rearranging your life before and after the program.

3. Frees up Semester Schedules

Our Nerdify review experts note that students studying abroad typically only take programs related to their major. While this can be helpful for taking care of your specialized requirements, upper-level students who still have other requirements outside of their major—like general education, minor, or second major credits—might have difficulty completing those credits if they spend an entire semester abroad. By instead studying during May, June, or July, students get to finish a good chunk of major credits while also freeing up the remainder of their semesters on campus to complete those pesky general education requirements.

4. You Don’t Lose Time on Campus

Especially for upperclassmen in their final year or two of college, many Reddit users report that it is daunting to dwell on the fact that they only have a few semesters left before graduation. Many students want to make the most of the end of their college career—solidifying friendships, taking interesting classes, pursuing internships, and generally having fun. The idea of taking away a whole semester from the life you’ve lived for the last three-or-so years to go study abroad might not seem worthwhile. In doing an international program during the summer, you wouldn’t miss out on the experiences fall and spring semesters bring—and you’d actually extend the amount of time you spend with your college community.

5. Don’t Get Homesick as Easily

While many students are accustomed to not seeing their parents during the semester, and not seeing friends during vacation breaks, not being able to be with either group of people for an extended time is quite the adjustment, say users on Reddit. Additionally, it can be challenging to talk to those back home if they study in a country with a vastly different time zone, as it can be difficult to organize a call when their loved ones are free. That’s not to mention that if you study in a remote area, the wifi reception might not be reliable or strong enough to video chat with loved ones, say our Nerdify reviews experts. Studying during the summer eases those feelings of homesickness, as you’d only be without your friends, families, significant others, and pets for a month or so.

6. The Experience Stays Novel

People usually get accustomed to their new surroundings surprisingly quickly, which users on Reddit say happens quite often while studying abroad for a semester. By taking classes internationally for only a month or so, our Nerdify reviews experts say that it keeps the experience of being in a new place fresh and exciting. With only a month to experience all of the cultural wealth a country has to offer, summer students are much more inclined to go adventuring than semester students that might lounge around more often. Students leaving their summer-term countries often feel mixed emotions—ready to go home, but also missing the new country they’ve gotten to know. Though bittersweet, this is a much better feeling than being ready to go home weeks before your departure date, like some semester-abroad users on Reddit reported they felt.

When the topic of volunteering came up, some experts at Nerdify remarked that volunteers are not paid not because what they do is not important but because what they do is priceless. Indeed, volunteers are those people who are not often noticed, yet they are the ones who always change the world.

Regardless if you spend your summertime busy guiding the young scouts in your local community or helping students with special needs to win in the sports competition or elsewhere, your contribution is priceless. It is also a great way to add something special to your resume as you are getting ready for college or plan to apply for a scholarship to finance your studies. In either case, volunteering is a wonderful world that you have to explore!

1. Contribution to Your Local Community. First of all, you are making a significant contribution to your local community. It does not matter if you help to fix the computers at the youth community outlet or assist the elderly with their finances, it is the fact of your participation that makes the difference. As we are living through challenging times, more and more people require any kind of help. Both young and old are looking for guidance as they feel challenged by the social restrictions and isolation. As a volunteer, you can provide both physical and mental help that will make you feel much better. When you know that you have made someone smile, you will realize that the day has not passed in vain!

2. Learning More About Social Work. If you would like to learn more about team projects and community work, volunteering will help you to learn the basics of cooperation. Our experts at Nerdify reviews are always participating in various social campaigns all over the world as we work hard to help fellow learners find valuable facts and information that may help them. It is not always easy and it is only natural to face certain challenges as everyone will have their opinion. What really matters is the list of things that you learn. As you are making each new step, your social skills will improve as you learn how to listen and express your thoughts. It will help you a great deal as you join college or get a part-time job.

3. Helping to Highlight All The Important Issues. When we discussed volunteering, our Nerdify reviews team suggested mentioning the next fact: when we participate in local or international volunteering projects, we also help to deliver vital information and talk about existing problems. For example, if you are helping to educate children in Nepal or preserve the population of wildlife in South Africa, you already receive a plethora of unique information that can and must be shared with the world. As a volunteer, you can become the voice of all the important issues in 2021 and those of the past.

4. Building Up Confidence and Strong Social Skills. Another important factor that we would like to mention at the Nerdify review relates to building up your confidence and addressing your social skills. If you are not confident enough about talking to people, you have to push yourself and go beyond your comfort zone. In other words, as a volunteer, you are forced to do things that you might not do otherwise. You will feel more confident as you will be able to communicate with people like you that come from all the possible social and cultural backgrounds. It is a great opportunity you should not miss!

5. Getting Ready For Adult Life & Responsibilities. For many people that participate in volunteering projects, it is also an important point that helps them to get ready for adult life as they handle various responsibilities and risks. It is a way to get mature and prepare yourself for college, work, internships, and learn things. If you want to explore your creative horizons and make a positive difference, consider volunteering as a way to test your skills and help others. It is a good way to spend your summer and do something meaningful!

6. Adding Volunteering to Your Resume. Of course, another important reason why summer volunteering matters relates to adding valuable entries to your resume. It can be used when you are looking for a job or when you compose your personal statement letter. Volunteering facts will always make you stand out and will show that you are a responsible and caring individual. Moreover, it is also a reason to consider relevant scholarships.

7. The Mental Aspect. Finally, volunteering just makes you feel happy and grateful for every opportunity that comes your way. You will also make new friends, learn to cooperate, and will see how to find solutions and move forward!