You got into college, now what?

As a high school senior you were on top of the food chain, you knew your school like the back of your hand and you were comfortable. Now the month is upon us, the fall college semester begins soon. Some of you are heading to schools where you will be one of thousands of students, others are heading to small schools in which you will be one of hundreds. Either way your questions about college and anxiety are related. 

Here are some ways to ease your mind and look forward to your first day of college: 

1. Purchase the essentials: Show up to class prepared and ready to take notes (even if it is the first day of class). In college professors will expect you to always be prepared to learn, there is no movie day or freebie. 

2. Go explore the campus: Learn where your dorm is, the nearest dining halls and where your classes are. Learn to take the bus and time how long you take to reach your destination. This will help you plan how much time you have between classes. 

3. Get to know your professors: You do not have to take them to lunch, but introduce yourself and research their ratings on www.ratemyprofessor.com or a similar website. This will make you aware of their teaching style and personality. 

4. Get to know your roommates: Hang out, go out to eat and ask them about themselves. Your roommates will be a great part of your college experience (they still are a great part of my life). You will be living with them so make the best of it and become friends. 

5. Have a schedule: Write down and plan out your day (from start to finish). This will help ease your stress and increase your timeliness. You can add lunch, time with friends, work out time, study hours and quizzes to all fit your schedule. 

Prepare yourself for a year of learning, fun and exciting new ventures! College is what you make of it, take one day at a time and do not overwhelm yourself with useless anxieties. 

Back to School Series

For all my families (yes, that means you moms and dads) and college students, I am starting a back to school series blog for the month of August! This is in celebration and preparation for the school year to come. It will feature tips, how to's and topics related to back to school needs for children, adolescents and young adults. I will also be offering a referral based discount this month to clients who refer a friend or family member (not living in the same house)!  Stay tuned for more back to school learning. 

Stop Procrastinating and Start Accomplishing

We have all had those days when we have done the impossible to not finish a college paper, go to work or complete a daunting task! We would much rather be enjoying ourselves passing the time watching our favorite TV show, playing on Face Book, cleaning or going out. What if somehow we could stop prolonging and just start doing? 

Here are four easy ways to start accomplishing: 

1. Stop being so impulsive: You have to balance the positives and negatives (of completing and not completing the task.) Taking some time to think about your decision can contribute to you making a more positive decision. 

2. Find some other alternative for the short term "high" of procrastination: You may recognize the feeling as a boost of emotions, anxiety and exhaustion. Believe it or not this can be addicting but finding another positive alternative can help decrease your craving for the procrastination "high." 

3. Practice self control: Learning to balance responsibilities by planning tasks that need to be completed is a step in the right direction. This comes with practice and recalling what your responsibilities are. 

4. Visualize completing the task: This will help you picture yourself accomplishing your goal. It is beneficial to focus on the end product and reward. This is important for you to gain motivation! 

Remember to not be intimidated by your task, getting started is the fastest way to reaching the end!