Challenges are an integral part of students’ lives. It’s hard to imagine a day without any obstacles if you are studying at college. But some people are so afraid of difficulties they may face on their way to getting a degree. Unfortunately, fears prevent youths from achieving great things. Let’s discuss why you should stop being afraid of hardships and start embracing challenges.
So why are challenges important in life? First of all, they can prepare young people for the adult world. School challenges foster a belief that difficulties are a normal part of life. They teach you to manage them and learn a lesson from everything.
Coming through challenges stimulates personal development, while building psychological resilience. Psychologists confirm that it’s a solid foundation for success in later life. They say that hard times promote growth in a way that good times don’t.
Challenges usually require working with others or at least getting support from other individuals. That’s why they teach us to be a part of the community. There is a famous quote of John Donne: “we are not islands unto ourselves”, which means that we flourish best when we have strong bonds with other people. And going through challenges together with someone is a great way to strengthen those bonds.
What’s more, conquering challenges provides an amazing sense of accomplishment. It may motivate you even more than the final reward. Successfully completed challenges can be the substance of great memories. In contrast, if you have only a smooth experience in your student life, you may feel bored of predictable routines.
We all have lives full of ups and downs and everyone has to face their own challenges. Let’s discuss how to deal with them!
Make a plan
Of course we never know for sure what’s going to happen in the future. Life is extremely unpredictable. But at least we can try to plan ahead. Look at the study patterns you have at college and see what challenges you’ve already struggled with. Based on that, you can anticipate hurdles and make a plan to manage them.
Know you are a part of community
Some people handle their low points on their own or try to hide them at all. But this is actually not the best strategy. In the long run, it may lead to a mental breakdown, so you should try to avoid this type of behavior. Remember that you are not alone, so try to reach out to your friends or family when something is going wrong. It’s important to speak your feelings and share your concerns with those you can trust.
Ask for help
What if you have too many challenges in your academic life? Once you feel that you are overloaded with your studies, you should ask for help with your studies. The good news is that there are a lot of special companies assisting students with their home assignments. Just go to one of them and check the power of fear essays or any other type of essays you were given at college. You can find thousands of paper samples in various disciplines on the web, so it will be much easier for you to complete your homework.
Accept support
Not many people have been taught to accept support. Most of us know how to help others but not to get help. Hence, you should learn to accept support provided to you. Be open to receiving everything, from kind words to material things. Believe it or not, everybody who comes to your aid truly cares about your life. So don’t neglect it!
Maintain positive mindset
It’s a well-known fact that what you think becomes your reality. That’s why you should train your mind to think positively. Of course, it takes much time and practice, which starts with mental awareness. How to develop it? You can do it through mindfulness techniques and regular meditation. You can learn to stop negative thoughts by getting good at acknowledging them and letting them go.
Don’t give up
It may sound like an obvious recommendation but you should not give up under any circumstances. Be it an important assessment or another test, you should stay persistent no matter what. They say that persistence is a key to success, so do your best to develop it. If you give up, you will not just fail the challenge but also will not learn anything new. So it’s better to ask for support while overcoming obstacles than to drop everything.
James Collins is an academic coach and mental health expert. He works mainly with students who are aimed at achieving ambitious study goals. James helps them become more efficient and successful in everything related to education.