According to the Huffington Post, there are several ways to make the most of your college experience during any given semester. The first step is learning how to become optimistic rather than pessimistic. Rather than looking at the glass half empty, see it half full. Having a positive outlook will enable you to have the best attitude when facing any issue throughout the semester.
Take courses that excite you; have that one class that you look forward to every week. It is important to love what you study in college since you will most likely spend the rest of your life doing it, whether it is journalism, social work, or nursing.
Build a relationship with your professors and ask them for help when you need it. Don’t be afraid to get involved with campus life and events, even if you are a commuter.
Professor of communication, Claude Taylor, touches upon the role that others play in one’s college experience, “One of the best ways to make this semester the best semester is to connect with other students around campus and learn from each other. There is a lot to be learned from the experiences and backgrounds of other people, and college is one of the few places people can come together in a safe space of respect to learn about each other and the world we live in. There are such great memories to be made by making friends and talking to people. It may be in class, out of class or by being involved in organizations, but the key is to make time to connect with others in a positive way,” said Taylor.
Lastly, for those who live on campus, do not be afraid to go off campus and explore, especially if you are from out of state. Every person has their own individual experience, but there are many ways to make this best semester of college yet.
From personal experience, a great way to make this the best semester of college would be to come out of your shell, be yourself, and talk to new people. Last semester, I worked as a building manager at the Oceanfirst Bank Center. That position required me to get to know different people and I had to speak up. It was a struggle for me at first since I am somewhat shy, but after a while, I became a social butterfly. I met lots of great new people from that position as building manager. It is crucial to put yourself out there to ensure that you will not only have an awesome semester but also make lifelong friends.
Another way to make this semester a great one is to not miss out on anything. Senior communication student, Gina Crowell said, “Definitely keep on top of your school work and extracurricular priorities so you have as much time for yourself as possible. When you look back on college, you don’t want to say ‘what if’ about anything. Even if you feel like you want to stay in or don’t want to go to a certain school event, put on some fun music and get dressed nice and go anyway. You’ll usually end up having a great time.” It is important to set time aside for yourself to relax and eliminate whatever stress you may have.
Communication student, Ayse Yasas believes that in order to have this semester be the best one yet, “Stay focused and get your work done but try not to worry too much. You should focus on yourself and do what makes you happy whether that’s going to the beach or going out with friends, just do whatever makes you feel the happiest and keep in mind that college is important but your mental health is important too.”
Monmouth University’s close proximity to the beach makes it easy for students to escape for a little to de-stress from their everyday obligations. Whether your stress level decreases from shopping at Pier Village or listening to the waves crash along the shore. For us Monmouth students, we have easy access to a little piece of paradise, which we often times forget to take advantage of.
Michael Small, a junior social work student said, “A great semester is subjective to whatever you want it to be. If your form of a ‘great semester’ is focusing on school, working hard to get straight A’s, or making the best time here at Monmouth and being as social as possible. Regardless of how you make it as great as possible, make it a time that you can look back on and smile.”
Life is what you make it, and so is college. Take advantage of all of the opportunities being presented to you during this time. Put yourself out there and get involved so that this semester and future semesters can add up to a memorable college experience.
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