The college search and application processes are long journeys into unknowns. It is a long, often grueling process where you research and search and try to compile the information you need to prepare for the tests, the interviews, the classes you want to take. All of this is to prepare for the long haul of the journey. Life is unpredictable, complicated, difficult, and many times not easy to direct either.
When you first start the college search process, the first step is not the easiest – the first step is often by far the hardest. The first step is simply to find the college that is right for you and the type of school that will fulfill your goals, your desires and give you what you think you need to succeed. Sometimes, you will know immediately what type of college is right for you, but sometimes, you will have to dig deep and discover some insight.
Here are some ways to begin your college journey to success.
Communicate: Most people are great at talking about their dreams, their plans, their talents, but not so great at talking about their fears. Most people are great at telling stories about their dreams, but not so great at telling their fears. As the saying goes, “if you can’t talk about something, you can’t achieve it.” One of the main reasons we don’t talk about our fears is because we are afraid of making a mistake.
We worry that we will say the wrong thing or say the insensitive thing or even say the wrong thing in response to a question. So it is important that you start your college search by talking to people you trust and getting feedback from them. Ask them questions that allow you to be candid about what you are feeling, thinking and experiencing. Communication is important no matter how advanced technology we have.
Prepare – Prepare to do homework and study. Study, of course, just means plugging away on your studies. In the college search process, homework can be doing homework and preparing for the upcoming classes. If you know that you have the classes that are right for you and if you have a plan for how you will accomplish your assignments, then you’re ready to get started. But what happens when you don’t know what classes will be right for you?
That’s when you need to start studying. Start studying, of course, by going over what you have already done to prepare. You can add to your class library or you can get a tutor or you can make friends with someone who majored in something related to your major. Whatever you need to do is fine. The key here is to prepare your mind and your body so that you are ready to get into your classes.
Do your homework: Get to know the professors. Get to know what is expected of you and discuss it with your classmates. Be sure to ask for their advice in case you need it. Ask for their advice even when you are sure that you have the classes suitable for you. Then again, ask someone who knows what is involved in going to class for a certain course to know what to expect before you go in.
Readiness: This is another time when talking isn’t going to help. You need to get ready mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. When we talk about readiness, we are going for preparations in our life. That preparation could be in our relationships, our health or our bank account.
Whatever it might be, when we prepare, we lower our expectations. We are always on the lookout for some reason that will allow us to go in and do our preparation. Preparations can be physical or mental. Preparations can be emotional because we always need to prepare mentally so that we know what to expect and we can deal with whatever comes up.
To get ready mentally also help to bring more order to our thoughts. We will be able to bring order to our thoughts so that we can keep our thoughts to something that is more meaningful to us.
If you are ready to get into your classes, you better prepare well. And once you go in, prepare good and you will have a better chance of going out with a positive bang in your brain.
