Venturing into the unknown is always a partly scary and partly exciting experience for anyone. Especially if this unknown place we’re venturing into dictates our whole future.
This is typically one of the things you think about when you are about to enter Junior College. Many questions will go through your heads, and the fact that this is all a new experience for all of you doesn’t help with the nerves.
You have other people you can ask about the experience, our older siblings perhaps, or other older friends. But nothing can truly prepare you for what’s to come.
Let us help ease the stress you’re feeling by listing 15 essential survival tips that can help you with your junior college experience.
1. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
Mistakes are an essential part of life. Without mistakes, we cannot grow as a person, and we will remain clueless about how we can bounce back from making them.
If you are afraid to make mistakes, then maybe it’s time to start learning how to accept that mistakes are inevitable; it’s what we do to pick ourselves up from the stumble that is important.
In the immortal words of Rocky Balboa, “It’s not about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward.” That perfectly describes how you should approach life from that point on. You have to realize that you are now transitioning into adulthood and that nothing in life comes easy.
Having a good mindset is not only necessary to survive junior college; it’s also essential to surviving in life. So keep your chin up, put your foot down, and get ready to work.
2. Accept that reviewing is now an essential part of your routine.
If you have managed to get by before with little to no effort when reviewing your lessons, then this will come as a surprise to you.
Reviewing is now an essential part of your routine and a necessary tool for you to survive junior college. One bad thing about it might be the adjustment you have to make to adapt to this. But the good thing that you should always remind yourself is you’re not going through it alone.
Do not forget always to remind yourself that you’re doing this for a reason. Think about your parents and your future to keep yourself motivated. Besides, it’s only hard in the beginning. Once you get used to the daily routine and the difficulty, you will slowly adjust to it. Who knows, you might even enjoy it.
3. Get acquainted with your tutor.
“Are tutors essential?” You might ask. The answer to that is yes. If you want to get high grades and ensure a promising future for yourself, consider investing in tutors.
It goes without saying that tutors can give you more attention, as opposed to the normal classroom setting, where teachers have their attention divided.
This is not to say that you should ignore the lectures since you already have a tutor. This means that you can utilize the one-on-one sessions with your tutor to clarify things you find difficult to understand during the lectures.
If your goal is to survive junior college, having a tutor will increase your chances of making it through with flying colors.
4. Motivate yourself.
Part of being an adult is discovering how you can motivate yourself every day. You are already at an age where you need to start finding ways to motivate yourself.
Our late teenage years is one of the most turbulent times in our lives. We are still discovering who we really are and are still experimenting on what approach we can take in life.
One of the critical factors that will help you survive junior college is learning how to motivate yourself. Sure, you have friends who can encourage you, but at the end of the day, when you’re alone inside your room reviewing, it’s just you, your notes, and your thoughts.
This is when you learn which thoughts can make you excited and which ones you should avoid. This is also the time where you know how to fight the urge to give up. Which, in the grand scheme of things, will teach you important life lessons you can use when you finally reach full adulthood.
5. Form a study group with your friends.
Study groups are essential for you to learn new concepts and lessons quicker. Having someone who is going through the same struggle as you can help.
This is also beneficial when it comes to learning new things. Each student has a different way of understanding things. Hearing different takes or opinions regarding a particular problem will broaden your understanding as well.
Forming a study group will also make you pick up certain study habits from your classmates. If you find that your study habits don’t work on certain problems, maybe it’s time to emulate the study habits of others who are more successful in tackling a particular situation.
Remember that it isn’t just you looking to survive junior college; your friends are also looking to do the same. It would be much better if you could get through the whole experience with them.
6. Asking for help is quite common.
We often place our teachers on a pedestal, making them seem hard to reach. The fact of the matter is, they are just waiting for us to approach them with our questions and clarifications.
Don’t be afraid to ask your teachers for help. There’s a huge chance that they enjoy helping students. Why else would they be teachers?
We should all do away with the thought of teachers being scary and strict. Teachers, much like us, are just humans, which means, if you treat them with respect, they will return the favor.
Think about it; you are missing out if you have second thoughts about asking your teachers for help. They are knowledgeable in that field, and asking them about your particular problem in the lesson is passing up an opportunity to hear the exact solution to that problem.
Survival in junior college entails building a harmonious relationship not just with your peers but with your teachers as well.
7. Know your priority.
Compared to secondary school, the number of things you should do in junior college will exponentially grow. How you deal with it is entirely up to you.
If you will let the number of things you have to do overwhelm you, then it’s going to be the longest two years of your life. But if you focus on the things you need to accomplish first and take it one task at a time, you will do well.
How we prioritize different tasks is different from person to person. One of the challenges here as well is to discover what approach works for you. This will not only help you survive junior college, but it will also help you know yourself better.
8. Find a perfect balance between seriousness and fun.
Being a step up in challenge doesn’t mean that junior college is an all serious experience. Your youth is still taken into consideration, and you are still encouraged to have fun.
Of course, too much of everything is a bad thing. So keep in mind that while you have friends there with you, you still have your academics to take care of. Finding a perfect balance between these two is significant.
It’s you and your grades on the line. Just do everything in moderation, and you’ll be good. Just think of it as introductory training in adulthood, where you are expected to juggle work, social life, family life, and many things all at once. This will not only teach you how to survive junior college but will teach you how to survive adulthood as well.
9. Put your game face on.
Junior college is notorious for being competitive. Some people cower in fear of the idea of competing for a good grade or good standing, while others welcome it. If you have the right mindset coming into junior college, you won’t just manage to get by; you’ll thrive in it.
“The world ain’t no sunshine and rainbows.” Again, another great Rocky Balboa quote. Young people in your stage in life are only beginning to realize this. Be ahead of the pack by preparing your mind for the hardships to come.
This is the time where the word “survival” rings true. You have people you can draw inspiration from, like your friends and your family. So you shouldn’t make it harder on yourself by having the wrong mindset.
The key here is not to give up, and think of it as preparation for your life ahead. Be prepared to compete, though, since victory will not be handed to you on a silver platter.
10. Form a good study habit.
While there will be a lot of help coming from your study group, your tutors, and your teachers, you will still be spending most of the time studying independently. Forming a good study habit is essential for your survival in junior college.
Be in tune with yourself, and know what time or under which conditions you will be most productive. Some students prefer to listen to music while studying, and others prefer some peace. Some students can learn better when they’re in the library, and others prefer the privacy their rooms offer.
Knowing how you operate is one of the best things that you can discover. You will not only have this skill during junior college but all throughout adulthood as well. Get to know yourself better, and unlock your full potential.
11. Be prepared to socialize.
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve already gone through a couple of articles like this. One thing that gets mentioned almost every time is the dreaded Project Work. And if you’re a shy introvert, you might be sweating bullets by now.
Such is the life of a junior college student. You’re expected to work with your classmates towards a particular goal, and you cannot do anything about it. Just think of the whole experience as something which will be helpful when you reach adulthood, and not see it as punishment or a considerable burden.
No man is an island, so you have to work through it and learn how to socialize fast. Socializing is not only a skill required for you to survive junior college but also something that will enhance your life skills. If you’re shy and have been shy for a long time now, maybe it’s time to break out of your shell and experience something new.
12. Asking for tips is never a bad thing.
Maybe you know someone who already graduated JC with flying colors, or perhaps you have classmates who are constantly getting straight As. Is there anyone better to ask for some tips?
Asking someone for their input is beneficial not only to you but to them as well. In fact, studies show that when you ask someone to do something for you, or when you ask them a question, they will like you even more. So don’t be shy; ask away.
Since survival in junior college is your concern, one of the easiest ways to know what’s on the other side is to ask someone who has already survived junior college. This is one of those win-win situations that will benefit both the person asking and the person being asked.
13. Set goals.
Goals determine why you are doing what you’re doing and are one of the successful people’s secrets.
Think of yourself as a sailboat. If you have nowhere to go, you will just be floating aimlessly in the middle of the ocean. Having a goal to strive for gives you a very rewarding destination once you reach it.
Your goal shouldn’t just be to survive junior college; it has to be something more significant than that. Are you doing it for your parents? To have a good future, perhaps? To land that dream job you’ve been pining for? Whatever your reasons are, know that goals are an essential part of our existence.
14. Fear is not an option.
Having no fear is not to say that you should turn yourself into an emotionless robot. What we mean by this is to try to find ways of overcoming it.
Fear is already a part of our fabric as human beings. It has its benefits, and it has drawbacks, as most things do. Learn to master your emotions and not be affected by the horror stories you’ve undoubtedly heard regarding junior college.
Survive junior college by learning to live with your fear and not under it. Embracing the ups and downs of junior college life is all part of it; just go with the flow. Before you know it, a couple of years have passed, and it will all just be a bittersweet memory you look back at from time to time.
15. Be the captain of your ship.
Know that you are the only one in control of your life and your future. The hardships you will face or are facing right now in junior college are nothing compared to the rewards you will reap when you succeed.
Think about it, if you give up while you’re there, or worse, if you give up without even trying, it will be something you will regret for the rest of your life. This is what they mean by living life without regrets. The first thing that you have to do is to live your life first. By that, they mean that you have to experience the highest of highs and lowest of lows.
You’ve already made it this far without giving up, do yourself a favor by not giving up now.
Acquire the correct mindset by visiting Path Finder Tuition, where you will learn more tips and tricks on how to survive junior college. Give our website a visit.
Conclusion
The word “survival” may mean a lot of things. In this case, it doesn’t just mean “to get on by.” Survival, in this case, is to flourish, find yourself, and become productive members of society.
Know that whatever you do in life, there will always be consequences, and know that you alone are in control of your future.
With that being said, we hope that this article will help you survive junior college and perhaps give you a good mindset for the things to come.