More than 18 years of teaching experience as a post PhD primary instructor at several institutions informs these personal observations about student success.  In that capacity alone, I worked with over 12,000 students in classes of all sizes and at all levels.  I also have many years of experience as a graduate teaching assistant, and over two decades of experience as a private tutor.  Agree with my observations or not, but be wary about ignoring them without thoughtful consideration.

Students who read this section must understand something about my perspective:  Characteristics can change.  For those students who read this and are self-aware enough to understand that they lack one or more of these characteristics, I congratulate you.  Few people are so self-aware and honest with themselves, and so you are already in a better position than most.  My goal is not to predict student success, nor is it to inform students about their likelihood for success.  My goal is to help students recognize certain characteristics that they must learn to cultivate in order to maximize their creative potential.

Facing our own limitations, making life-shaping choices early, and pursuing goals that can feel just out of reach place real strain on mental health.  Studies estimate that each year roughly 1,100 U.S. college students aged 18–24 die by suicide, and about 24,000 attempt it—sobering numbers that underline the need for timely support. afsp.org

Know yourself. Guard both body and mind. Seek guidance early.  If you ever feel unsafe with your thoughts, pick up the phone and dial 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).  Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) offers same-day help for UCR students.

Life is short, yet it is also long; every dawn lets you begin again, scars and all.  The path you walk may differ from your expectations, but perhaps it is the path you were meant to walk to become the person you are meant to become.  The moment your world collapses is a part of a larger, still-unfolding story, and it does not define the rest of your life.  Remember that you are not alone, no matter how lonely you feel.  You are a part of a community that cares about you.  Have the courage to seek the help you deserve.

Three characteristics are of primary importance in determining a student's chance of success: Grit, open-mindedness, and curiosity.  Understanding and cultivating these characteristics will have a great impact on your development as a student.  In practice, the most significant thing that you can do as a student is to recognize that being a student is a job.  At absolute minimum, show up.

Cultivate stamina and perseverance

All success depends on hard work, so you must develop stamina.  You must train yourself to be able to work long hours, sacrifice immediate gratification for long-term reward, and prioritize each of the thousand small steps you must take to complete your journey.

Embrace failure as well as success

In the course of pursuing any major goal, you will experience failure.  In fact, you will fail frequently, and sometimes spectacularly.  Some of your failures will be minor annoyances.  Some will be major setbacks.  Embrace all of your failures:  They will forge you into the person you wish to be.

Practice self-acceptance

You must learn to accept yourself and your limitations in order to grow.   Do not worry about anyone else's abilities, whether you percieve them as greater or lesser than your own.  You must learn to appreciate what you can do, and focus on what you can do rather than the countless things that you cannot do.  If you have the courage to do that, you can grow.  Your growth may enable you to achieve far more than you were once able to achieve.   If you are too afraid to know yourself and accept yourself, you will never know yourself, and you will stunt your growth.

Practical Tips

1. • Set realistic goals and break them into manageable tasks.

   • Reflect on setbacks to identify lessons learned.

   • Celebrate small successes to stay motivated.

Commit to thoughtful response

You must train yourself to be introspective and think deeply about the learning opportunities before you, whether or not they conform to your prior experience.  It is easy to live in a reactive state and form immediate opinions.  Students often have so much fear and anxiety about learning that they are essentially locked into a fight or flight system.  Be calm, deliberate, and consider deeply the ideas that you encounter.  Failure to do so will prevent you from experiencing productive, new learning opportunities.

Acknowledge limitations of personal experience

This is a new stage of learning and life for you that will not be like the experiences of your past.  View this new period without the prejudice of comparison to your prior learning.  If your goal is to simply relive your past experiences, then you are not ready to move on and do greater things.  Be honest with yourself if this is the case, but recognize that it is your decision to halt your own growth.

Overcome fear of the unknown

When we learn new things, we stand at the brink of chaos and order:  Behind us is the order of our prior experience, and before us is the chaos of the unknown.  It is only natural to try to control that chaos by fitting it into the mental structures that we have built to give order to our past experiences.  However, it is likely that our new experiences require new organizational structures that may completely change our former perspective.  If you fear that the growth you require is beyond you, it will become more difficult for you to learn.  You must learn to calm yourself and proceed slowly, and carefully, through new ideas. 

Practical Tips

1. • Practice mindfulness or meditation to improve focus and reduce anxiety, and do not hesitate to seek professional guidance.

   • Engage in discussions with peers to gain different perspectives.

   • Engage honestly and fully with new ideas that you encounter, and be sure to ask your instructors why a new idea is important or interesting before dismissing it for more familiar ones.

Deepen understanding

Learning at the university level should be deep and meaningful.  No one can enter your mind or know your thoughts, and so learning is a very personal journey.  Your instructors are here to guide you and help you, but it is your responsibility to teach yourself, and no one else's.  You must learn to recognize understanding that is only at a superficial level, and you must develop a desire to go beyond superficial understanding.

Identify authentic interests

What interests you?  Part of the fun of a university education is the wonderful exposure that you will have to new things.  Embrace learning, seek out new ideas, discover yourself!  The rewards are immense:  If you can truly discover your interests, you can spend your life pursuing what you love rather than doing what you are told to do.

Engage in learning

Can you find something in all the classes that you take that lights a fire in your belly?  If so, you will have a wonderful university experience.  If you are passive in class, passive in learning, and passive in studying, then you will not be engaged.  Seek out new ideas and different perspectives, ask about various approaches, go beyond what is required to get a grade and your classes will become engaging and enriching.  There is only so much that an instructor can do:  To have engaging classes, you must choose freely and of your own volition to engage.

Practical Tips

1. • Schedule regular study sessions focused on exploring topics in-depth.

   • Join clubs or groups related to your interests.

   • Attend extra lectures or seminars to broaden your knowledge.

Developing grit, open-mindedness, and curiosity will significantly enhance your university experience and personal growth.  Take small, consistent steps toward cultivating these traits, and you will find yourself on a rewarding personal journey.