Skills to Succeed

In a recent Globe and Mail editorial, a professor wrote that university is not a harder version of high school. At university, students are challenged in more ways than assignments and exams. They can also learn a lot from those experiences by practicing a few key skills.

As students prepare for university, here are the top 5 qualities that can help them navigate and overcome common challenges, besides just studying hard:

1. Time Management: University students spend less time in class but do more work than in high school. Students need to learn to juggle 20 hours of class time, 15 hours of assignments and reading, and in some cases, a part-time job or extracurriculars.
2. Personal Responsibility: University students are in full control of their education and need to learn to act in their own best interest, an important life skill in decision making.
3. Self-direction: A university education should be the result of their choices, their abilities, and their desires. When students set the path of their education, they are more invested and committed to learn.
4. Persistence: Challenges and obstacles are common and can take different forms. Students need to learn to keep trying, learning, and asking questions to find the rewards that come from hard work and dedication.
5. Resilience: University is a place where students shouldn't be afraid of making errors. Focusing on doing their best work and learning from mistakes prepares students to face new challenges and obstacles throughout life.

For more information on how to prepare for university, visit the following Academic Skills Guide to Your First Year at University: Survive and Thrive.

Brought to you by Academic Skills at Trent University