Many people may try to tell you that the secret to academic success lies in trying to study as much as possible and spending hours at the library. This may be a good choice if you want to burn out before the end of the year, but won’t help you come out of school as a well-rounded individual that’s ready for the adult world of full-time work.
If you want to excel in your studies and become the best in your field, you may already possess a lot of the skills that employers are looking for. There are countless skills that you’ve probably learned through your daily life that are extremely useful in both school and work. In this article, we’ll be exploring some important skills you can apply to your studies, which we’re sure you’re already a master at.
Strategic Thinking
Do you like playing online games? If you do, we’re sure that you’ve already nailed the first skill in this list. Strategic thinking is an important skill when it comes to working on an assignment, trying to organize a group project, or working your way up in a company post-University.
This is a skill that many online gamers are already excellent at, particularly if you are a regular at the virtual casino hall. Academic and professional success hinges on making strategic decisions, assessing risks, and problem-solving – all skills that poker players have in abundance. Online poker games may teach lessons on strategy, and managing uncertainty, which shows that so many useful skills could be acquired even from a simple gaming experience.
Having the ability to think strategically is important, whether you’re cramming for an upcoming test and want to find the best way to cover all of the topics, or if you find yourself in a leadership role in the future where you need to navigate a diverse team. When you’re able to view projects holistically, make long-term goals, and spot opportunities to progress, you’ll have what it takes to go far – and get the best grades possible.
Mindfulness
Many people find it hard to pin down exactly what mindfulness is and find it even harder to figure out how we can all achieve it. Ultimately, mindfulness is the “basic human ability to be fully present, aware of what we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us,” according to the leading website, Mindful.
When you’re trying to do your best in a fast-paced academic environment, it can be easy to get overwhelmed – especially when you have to keep up your attendance in lectures, complete assignments on time, manage a part-time job, and make time for a social life. Although mindfulness isn’t going to help you to get through life easier, it’s a good skill that equips you with the processes to overcome your challenges.
You can improve your sense of mindfulness with a few easy tactics like medication, making time for your short pauses in the day for self-reflection, and enhancing mindfulness through activities like yoga or sports. By setting aside time in your day for these things, you can cultivate a calm and focused mind that can handle the many stressors that come with being a college student.
Networking
Do you find it easy to go up to new people and introduce yourself? It’s not something that everyone finds as easy as others and requires a lot of self-confidence – but it’s something that can be very beneficial to you.
Networking is important for college students as it can help to expand your inner circle with like-minded people who have the same mindset or passions as you. Within your college classes, you should try and network with other students to create opportunities for collaboration, support, and knowledge-sharing.
Additionally, you should look for professional networking opportunities where you can meet professionals who may work in careers or fields that you would be interested in. Although you may think that these people won’t provide much help while you’re in school, they could be instrumental in landing yourself your dream job in the future.
As they always say, landing jobs and getting ahead in life is often a case of who you know rather than what you know, and in many cases, that’s very true. If you don’t already know people who work in your dream roles or have experience getting management roles in prestigious companies, it can be hard to get the leg-up that you need – which is where networking comes in.
Multi-tasking
One of the most important skills to develop that will be critical in getting to the top of your class is learning how to multi-task effectively. As a student, you’re probably trying to juggle a hundred things at once and it would be impossible to give every single task your undivided attention – there are just not enough hours in the day.
If you want to get everything done on time, you’ll need to learn how to balance your different tasks effectively. Especially when you’re trying to balance a job and study at University, it can feel like you’re stretched way too thin.
But, if you learn a process of multitasking that works for you, you’ll be able to optimize your study time and accomplish more in a quicker time period. For example, you could start to combine some of the more simple tasks that don’t require too much brain power, like listening to an audiobook while you’re cooking dinner.
Storytelling
Have you ever read a book where you just have no idea what’s going on and nothing makes sense? It’s probably because the author isn’t a very good storyteller and has failed to keep you engaged while reading the book.
Although University won’t require you to write a novel – unless you’re doing creative writing, of course – if you start to approach your essays and other written assignments like a story, it can massively improve the quality of your work.
By creating a compelling storyline around the topic you’re writing about, whether it’s science or business, you’ll be able to retain your professor’s attention and easily explain some of the most complex ideas in your field.
You may know everything you need to know to get the best grade, but if you have trouble putting pen to paper it can hold you back.