There’s a rose-tinted vision of student life, which presents an image of endless parties and loads of spare time. Sadly, for most college students, this isn’t what life really looks like. There’s no doubting that college life can be pretty tough. If you’re preparing to head off to college or you’re a student gearing up for another semester, here are some useful tips to make education easier.

Learning to manage your time

When you’re a college student, time management is one of the most valuable and important skills you can master. You may feel like you’ve been thrown in at the deep end when you first arrive at college, and you’ve got a packed schedule, but learning to manage and organize your time will set you up for life. Keep track of what you’ve got on, where you need to be, and make sure you know when your deadlines are.

The best way to ensure that you're organized at college is to get yourself a calendar and to update it regularly. With this, you can schedule important meetings with lecturers, all the
classes you need to attend, and also schedule study and revision time. You can also use the
calendar to schedule other important life admin tasks such as getting groceries and
scheduling time to clean your accommodation or hit the gym. It can also be helpful to get a
few binders or notebooks for each of your classes. This way, all your notes and important
files can be stored in an organized manner, separate from your other classes. Just be aware
that when using multiple binders, you need to store them in a safe place at home and not
forget to bring them with you to lectures and lessons.

Another thing you can do to ensure that you're managing your time better is to set reminders on your phone, alerting you on upcoming deadlines. There’s nothing worse than rushing an assignment at the last minute. You’ll be stressed out, and the quality of your work will suffer. By having a preemptive warning of when a deadline is looming, you should be one step ahead and prepared to complete each assignment to the best of your ability.

As well as keeping up to date with work commitments, give yourself time to socialize and get the most out of your college experience. It’s important to do your best, and get the grades you’re capable of attaining, but don’t miss out on trying new things, enjoying unforgettable experiences, and making friends for life.

Going mobile

Modern students are very different to those that studied a decade ago. Today, technology plays an essential role in education, and you can make life easier and enjoy a richer learning experience by embracing technology that is aimed at helping you. Many institutions are working on how to take PeopleSoft Campus Solutions Mobile, for example, and this will open up a world of opportunities for students. In many cases, you can already organize your diary, submit assignments, and communicate with tutors via apps and the online portals, and accessibility is only going to improve. Harness the power of modern gadgets and gizmos, and let them make life simpler for you.

You can also use technology to help turn your learning into something completely remote.
With a decent laptop and good internet connection, students can now obtain full
qualifications entirely online. Instead of attending lessons and lectures within a campus
environment, students have the option to engage with their study in a different way. An
online course will provide students with on-demand videos and presentations of various
lectures, allowing them to study and access these resources at any given time.

This increased flexibility made higher education a lot more accessible for everyone, as now
people who couldn’t attend a college or university via the traditional means due to family or work commitments can now get the education they need to kickstart their career. Studying online is also a much cheaper option, as tuition fees are usually reduced, and the student won’t have to pay rent for new accommodation.

There are so many different qualifications in various disciplines that can be learned online,
ranging from business, English, and even healthcare. If the latter field interests you, you can
work your way to study an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN).

Getting to grips with stress

No college student will cruise through their course without hitting a few hurdles and succumbing to stress. You may leave with incredible memories, but there are likely to be highs and lows along the way. Try and keep on top of stress, and learn to recognize triggers. Keep an eye on how much you’re spending, don’t stay up all night trying to revise for a test, and take a break from social media from time to time. Stay active, and have fun. Do things you enjoy if you’re feeling frazzled, and don’t be afraid to lean on your closest friends when you need support.

It’s also important not to let stress force you into making bad life decisions and developing
bad habits. When suffering from stress, many students respond by procrastinating. This is
essentially where a student will put off doing their work and assignments because they are too
flustered to face it. This then leaves the student with less time to get things done, creating
even more stress in the future. Instead of falling into a routine of procrastination followed by
heavy cramming, be sure to stick to your study schedule that you should plan at the start of
each semester.

Stress can also lead students to seek out various comforts to help them deal with it. During
this time, many students turn to caffeinated beverages like coffee and energy drinks to help
full them during a stressful period, especially if they are staying up late to complete work.
Although one or two coffees a day every once in a while is not too bad, drinking too much can
cause an increased heart rate, which will actually make you feel even more stressed. Aside
from these beverages, stress can also lead students to eat poorly during their time at
college. Turning to comfort food like candy and chocolate can cause havoc on your diet and
should be limited as much as you can. Furthermore, these treats will start to make you feel
sluggish and low on energy, which can affect the quality of your work. Instead, to beat stress
and combat comfort eating, be sure to plan healthy meals into your routine filled with green
vegetables and lean protein. This will give you far more energy, which can help you study
better and help lift your mood. Exercise can also be a healthy way of dealing with stress, as
it releases endorphins around your body, a chemical that makes you feel more content and
rewarded.

If you’re a student, you’re bound to have days when it feels like you’ve got a million things to do, and no time to do them. You may come across assignments you find impossible or feel like you’re chasing your tail, and your work is suffering as a result. Manage your time, plan ahead, and let technology alleviate some of the stress. Have fun, spend time with friends, and try and overcome stress before it gets too bad. If you need help, don’t hesitate to ask for it.

Be Social

For a lot of people going into college, the allure of it is as much the course you are going to study as it is the social aspect that surrounds this environment. Of course, it is perfectly fine
to join clubs and attend parties and other socials from time to time; however, this tip is more
than an invitation to let your hair down.

Many students at university or college feel very isolated. For some, it is their first time away
from home, where they are leaving their old friends behind, and adjusting can be a struggle.
That is why it is important to be social during your studies and to try and find a friendship
group early that you can relax with. It is a good idea to find a group with a shared interest
with you, and it would be even better to find people who might study the same course. This
is because this will enable you both to revise and study together, which might help motivate
you to perform better as a result.

You cannot go through your studies alone; you will always need support, so being social and
finding a social group can help enrich your experience and make this time a little easier to
deal with.

Get The Right Equipment

If you are planning on heading into your first lecture or seminar with a single pen tucked into
your pocket, then it is a clear sign that you may not be fully prepared and might need to
spend some time investing in more equipment to help you study and get the best out of your
experience.
There are various things that you can get to help improve your capabilities to study better;
however, there are also some essentials that you simply cannot skimp out on. As a minimum,
make sure you have a few pens stored, at least once notebook, as well as all of the
textbooks and resources that are on your course reading list. If you are struggling to get your
hands on the latter because they are pretty expensive, you can always find second-hand
textbooks from recently graduated students if you are quick enough.

In addition to this stuff, it will also be worthwhile to invest in a few more pieces of equipment
to really supercharge your studying. Try to get as much of the following as you can:

• Pencils. These will allow you to take notes and sketches and rub them out if you've
  made a mistake.
• Colored Pens. These are great for when making study cards or posters, as the pop
  of color can make what you are trying to remember more engaging.
  Highlighters. These are excellent for when going through resources and textbooks,
  as it allows you to highlight key information and quotes that you might want to use in
  essays or assignments.
• Post-it notes. These can be great for setting reminders or stuck into books to point
  out quotes and more.
• Binders. These can help in keeping all your resources for each course organized
  and easy to find.

As well as the equipment you need, you also need to consider where you are going to store
the equipment and how you are going to utilize it at home. To get the very best out of your
studies, it is a good idea to invest in a desk and office chair to have somewhere at home
dedicated to your studies. Trying to learn at the kitchen table or on a laptop resting on your
lap while you watch TV is going to be pretty detrimental to your studying. Instead, find
yourself a quiet place, get yourself a desk, chair, and maybe a lap, and use that space to
study and store all of your equipment.

Conclusion

Becoming a first-time student can be tough, as it will bring up various challenges to
overcome. Juggling a social life, multiple assignments, finances, and more can be a lot for a
person new this kind of independence to manage. By following these tips, you should find
that your time at college or University is made a lot easier. By spending time and effort to get
yourself organized, obtain the right equipment and resources for your course, and better
manage the stress that studying can cause, you will be in a great position to succeed and get
the best out of your education and use it so that you can start a prosperous career.
However, despite these tips, the best way to make education easier is to enjoy what you are
learning and be excited by the subject. So before going to college, make sure you are doing it
for the right reasons and that you have the passion for your chosen course.