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.

Nerdify reviews team is sure about one thing: studying is, probably, the best experience you could ever have. But you guys, let’s be honest – learning is also the most challenging trial to come through. It is not a secret that diligent studying implies overcoming a number of barriers, including emotional ones. Eventually, you feel exhausted and even sick!

Take a helping hand with this tutorial from Nerdify reviews team, which has been written especially for you — the one who cares about own emotional well-being and seeks to preserve health for years to come!

Top-5 Emotional Challenges Facing Students

There’s a bunch of emotional challenges that students encounter during their studies. But I’ve prepared a list of the most common ones for being forewarned is being forearmed.

Depression

Depression is quite a common condition in learners. A recent study suggests that around 30% of college students report being “so depressed that it was difficult to function” at least once during their studies. Evidently, it’s high time to sound alarmed, since depression is connected to suicide, the second leading cause of death among people aged 15-34 years.

Fighting depression starts with understanding signs and symptoms:

1.You aren’t getting things done at college/work.

2. You retract from doing enjoyable activities.

3. You feel unable to concentrate.

4. You rely on alcohol and sedatives.

5. You feel unhappy, disappointed, and miserable: thoughts like “I’m a failure”, “I’m worthless”, “My family/friends would be better off without me” become common.

If you have one or more of these symptoms, there’s probably a need to learn more about depression and take decisive actions against the condition.

Fortunately, there’s a number of ways to treat depression. The common ones are: medication, therapy (e.g., cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, and grief therapy), lifestyle changes: diet, regular physical exercises, and enough sleep can do wonders with your wellbeing!

Anxiety

Anxiety is another problem facing college students, while its rates are truly alarming. According to recent findings,  one in five college students has anxiety, depression, or both.

When in college, we see our life-changing at an astonishing speed! But it’s not the only reason for feeling anxious. Research findings indicate that college students spend too much of their time on social media platforms, and become addicted to their mobile phones, which leads to anxiety.

The study of Adams and Kissler (2013) found that 50% of college students woke up at night to answer a text message. The same study discovered an inverse relationship between the amount of sleep and the level of stress.

You’re likely to have anxiety if you:

1.Feel overly worried about your past, present, or future.

2. Feel apprehensive.

3. Have a feeling of powerlessness or worthlessness.

4. Have difficulty concentrating or remembering things.

You can learn more about the symptoms of anxiety here. In the meantime, keep in mind that treatment of anxiety is not as difficult as it may seem at first glance, and it includes:

1.Easing up on caffeine. Once you’ve made a commitment to ease up on caffeine, check the list of foods, since coffee and soda aren’t the only things containing this “anxious” ingredient;  

2. Scheduling “worry sessions”. It may sound crazy, but you should give time to thinking over things that make you mad.  Spending 30 minutes a day reflecting on the issues that bother you or make you stressed is more productive than feeling anxious all the time;

3. Breathing deep. Deep breathing signals your brain that you are OK. Try simple breathing exercises to boost your well-being;

4. Changing lifestyle. Eating healthy food, doing physical exercises, having enough rest and sleep are the best gifts for your mind and body!    

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are prevalent and persistent among college students. In fact, it is not surprising because young people seek to be attractive, and may resort to radical methods to look nice. One study suggests that eating disorders “are characterized by behaviors aiming to achieve or maintain slim body shape; great importance is given to thinness as a requisite of self-esteem.”

While many students use the notions of thinness and fitness interchangeably, there’s nothing attractive about physical and mental exhaustion! 

So, you should consult a physician if you have one or several of these symptoms:

1.Ongoing dieting

2. Eating in secret

3. Self-induced vomiting

4. Eating to the point of discomfort or pain

You can learn more about the symptoms of eating disorders here. Understanding the problem will help you to plan a conversation with the health provider in a way to come up with an effective treatment intervention.

Some interventions that apply to treat eating disorders are as follows: intensive inpatient care,  psychotherapy, family-based treatment, evidence-based treatment.

Of course, these are just some of the treatment interventions that help college students to improve their physical health and emotional wellness by overcoming eating disorders.

Addiction

Students become addicted to quite many things, including drugs and alcohol. Addiction can destroy one’s life, so it’s high time to sound alarm if your friend has at least one of these symptoms:

1.Slurred speech or impaired coordination

2. Engagement in suspicious behaviors

3. A sudden need for money or financial crisis

4. Built tolerance for alcohol or other substances

5. A sudden change in friends and activities

6. Deterioration of physical appearance

Did you know that addiction has become a problem on campus? Recent findings suggest that 60% of college students have consumed alcohol in the past month, 21.3% of people ages 18 to 25 consumed illicit drugs, and 3.8% young people used psychotherapeutic drugs for non-medical purposes.

Fortunately, there are many places where a college student can find help when encountering the problem of addiction. First of all, consider consulting the following addiction resources:

• National Institute for Drug Abuse
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA)
• National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD)
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
• Narcotics Anonymous (NA)

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Everyone wants their body look nice and attractive, but an intrusive preoccupation with defects (often imagined) in one’s appearance is a sign of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).

According to recent findings, BDD affects 1.7% to 2.4% of the general population. In young people, BDD is associated with a range of negative consequences, including school dropout.

It is time to consult a healthcare provider if you notice the following signs of BDD:

1.Camouflaging with clothing, makeup, hats, etc.

2. Constant comparison of body parts with others’ appearance

3. Avoiding mirrors or, on the contrary, constant checking in the mirror

4. Excessive grooming or exercising

5. Skin picking

Many students need help to overcome BDD. Fortunately, there is a range of treatment options: cognitive-behavioral therapy,  family-based therapy, antidepressant medication.

Also, students with BDD can find help by consulting the following BDD resources:

• Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation.
• International OCD Foundation.
• Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)
• National Institutes of Health.
• Teens Health.   

In this tutorial, Nerdify reviews team tried to present a comprehensive list of mental health disorders, symptoms, and treatment interventions. However, in no way we want this guideline to substitute actual treatment! So, every time you notice one or several warning signs, consulting your physician is the best decision you can take!

Today we’ve decided to do something we’ve never done before. We are introducing a new type of content on the Nerdify blog – Nerdify Reviews. From now on, we are going to be reviewing books/podcasts/movies/ etc., that we think can add value to students and are interesting even to the general public. Nerdify Reviews is going to appear on our blog every month, so stay tuned, lot’s of great content coming your way!

For our first “Nerdify Reviews” we’ve chosen a brilliant book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey. We think it’s a must-read for pretty much anyone, it’s in our company’s library and it has amazing reader-reviews online.

So, without further due, let’s jump into it. The book describes 7 habits that are aimed to boost your productivity and general motivation to achieve your life goals. These are the habits:

* Be Proactive

Imagine 2 circles in your life – one is the circle of concern (that’s the stuff you are worried about) and within that circle there’s a circle of influence (that’s the stuff you can actually have certain control over – your relationships, work, health, etc).  Being proactive means only be concerned about things YOU HAVE CAN INFLUENCE. That will save you a lot of time you waste worrying about stuff you have zero control over (no point about worrying about whether the Earth will be struck by an asteroid – there’s pretty much nothing you can do about it, mate). So habit number 1 – be proactive.

* Being With An End In Mind

Imagine you are at a funeral. At your funeral (ok, it’s not real, just bare with us for a sec). Ask yourself the following question: “What do I have to say about myself”. Do you want people to say that you were an amazing friend? A great boss? A business leader? But are you actually DOING things that will make people say all of that about you?

In the modern world, it’s really easy to get distracted. Always have the end in mind and CONSTANTLY do a reality check whether you are doing things that get you closer to the end goal?

Learn to say no. This is actually one of the Steve Job’s superpowers – saying no to things that do not get your closer to your goal.

* Put First Things First

This is actually about setting the priorities right. Look, life is FULL of events and opportunities. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to do everything you want. There are only 24 hours in 1 day. And your workday may be full of interruptions. So, learning how to set up your priorities right will go a long way. Answer to yourself “what is the most IMPORTANT thing I have to do right now and how URGENT I have to do that”. Based on that – construct your to-do-list.

* Think Win-Win

This is a very powerful mentality, especially if you want to work in business and be an entrepreneur. Our world is not a zero-sum game (meaning that in order for you to win, someone has to lose). By far in most cases, you can always find a win-win scenario. Usually, people who think that, have integrity, maturity and abundance mentality (meaning they actually believe there’s enough for everybody).

* Seek First To Understand, Then To Be Understood

This is the holy grail of any negotiations. You have the following “levels of listening” – ignoring, pretending to listen, selective listening and active. Now, you might think that active listening is the maximum level of attention you can dedicate to your counterpart. But it’s not true. The highest level of listening is Empathic listening. This is when you are trying to understand both the content and feelings of your counterpart. It’s as if you are putting yourself in “their shoes”. By doing so you can actually understand what the other person truly feels are really wants. It’s absolutely vital if you want to be a successful negotiator.

* Synergize

This actually is a natural extension of habit 4 and habit 4. When working in a team being able to negotiate and find win-win scenarios is incredibly important. But, being able to unite a few people who have skill sets in different areas – that’s what makes up a very strong team. Always look for opportunities where you can achieve an additional value out of the partnership due to synergize.

* Sharpen The Saw

Imagine a guy cutting a tree with a saw. He is exhausted, he has been working for hours. You approach him and say “Hey, why don’t you take a break and sharpen that saw – you’ll cut the tree down much sooner this way” and the person replies “I don’t have time for this, I have to cut down this tree”. See the problem here?

There’s no point taking on a task if you haven’t prepared for it! Make sure you spend an adequate amount of time PREPARING and planning how you are actually going to execute your task.

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This is it, that’s our first review, we hope you liked it. If you want us to review some other books, please let us know in the comment section below 🙂 Nerdify is always trying to provide useful content. Check out our previous story about Secrets behind great success.