The Fine Art of Balancing School and Your Life

Pauline Vigil
The Paw Print

Every student who is trying to survive the riggers of work and school, while also trying to maintain a social life, has their methods of survival.
“Catch up on sleep when you can.”
– Faith Vigil
Faith runs from class to work, and after work she hangs out with friends. When she’s home she either studies or spends her time sleeping. This is a typical day for many college students who also hold down a job.
“Going to class is the easy part, finding the time to study and have fun is the hard part.”
-Tianna Vigil
The goal here is to help students move from merely surviving college to thriving and perhaps even enjoying their college experience. Instead of focusing on who you are and where you’ve been, focus on who you can become and where you are going. Instead of just targeting your weaknesses to fix them, target your strengths and build on them. If you are not sure what your strengths are, you can take a brief questionnaire developed by Dr. Martin Seligman the founder of positive psychology at www.authenticchappingess.sas.edu. The thing to keep in mind is that employers as well as masters programs look for more than just high GPA’s. In the real world employers want well rounded individuals. By well rounded they mean good at listening, leading, multi-tasking, time management, stress management, communicating, and the like.Keep things in perspective. Turning in a late paper or getting a B instead of an A isn’t the end of the world.  Often students put too much pressure on themselves. It’s not usually the circumstance that triggers anxiety and worry, but rather our perception about the circumstance. In the field of positive psychology individuals are encouraged to cultivate more positive emotions. However, as with all things in life, it is about balance. We can’t ignore feelings of anxiety, worry, stress, and sadness. There will always be a time for those emotions, but try to cultivate more positive emotions like happiness, meaning, contentment, etc.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself, remember that a “C” is average, that’s what most students do,” an ASU Professor.Be open with your professors. Often if you explain your situation, such as working two jobs and being a full time student, they may be willing to work with you. Talking to a professor ahead of time lets them know you care about your grades.
Know how to be self aware. Know how to recognize the signs of too much stress and anxiety. Signs could range from headaches, trouble sleeping, stomach problems, to fatigue. When you recognize those signs in yourself know how to counteract them. In other words, know what makes you happy and what reduces stress for you. For some it could be exercise, Yoga, sports, time with family or friends, etc. Then make time to do something for you. Have a little compassion for yourself; after all, you are only human.