Success in college isn’t all about acing exams and attending classes – it’s also about building relationships. After all, a strong support system is essential in helping you stay motivated and making the most of your student journey. With this in mind, let’s take a look at how one can build healthy relationships while pursuing their studies.
1. Intentionally Nurturing Relationships for a Smoother Student Journey
A successful academic journey for a student depends on a number of different elements, and forming relationships with peers and mentors is a vital part of this path. can be accomplished by implementing a few specific practices in your everyday life.
Be Open-Minded and Warm-Hearted. Being open to different perspectives and new ideas will help to foster deeper connections when connecting with others. It is also important to approach interactions with a warm heart and friendly spirit. Being warm and welcoming will make others feel more comfortable opening up and forming stronger relationships.
Express Gratitude and Appreciation. Showing gratitude and appreciation for the time that someone has taken to invest in helping you further your academic journey is important. Every little gesture of thanks helps to build trust and encourage a relationship. Even small acts such as writing a thank you note or sending an email of appreciation can be effective in building stronger relationships.
Demonstrate Respect and Understanding. Respect for others will make them feel more comfortable in engaging and forming a connection. Being humble and understanding when interacting will make it easier for others to trust and build a lasting relationship. Respect for each other’s point of view and practice of being understanding of individual experiences, beliefs and feelings will further strengthen connections.
Learn and Grow Together. A key part of forming meaningful relationships is learning from each other. Be sure to give and take feedback in an open manner. This will further deepen the relationship as each person will learn and grow together. Taking the time to celebrate and appreciate successes together only further strengthens any connection.
By taking the time to intentionally nurture relationships, students will be better equipped with the smooth and successful academic journey they deserve.
2. Making Embedded Connections with Your Studies
Your studies can be so much more than just memorizing facts and figures. Working on embedded connections during your studies will make your understanding of what you are learning much deeper, which will in turn benefit you in other areas of your work and life. Here are a few tips to make this happen:
- Find a connection to a real-world example. When looking at the information you are studying, try to think of a real-world example from your everyday life that you can relate it to. This mental exercise can help you to better understand what you’re learning by making it more tangible and easier to remember.
- Create a storytelling approach. This is especially helpful when studying a large amount of information. It often takes conscious effort to get our brains to recognize and store large amounts of information in a meaningful way. One way to do this is to create a story in your mind for the information you are studying. For example, if learning the history of a company, you can tell the ‘story’ of its growth.
- Ask Why. Why did something happen in the way that it did? Why does this particular point matter? Asking these types of questions during your studies can help you to make more embedded connections and explore the reasons behind why certain things are happening or how different things tie together.
Investing the time to make embedded connections during your studies will help to turn the abstract information into something tangible and memorable. Our brains don’t memorize abstract concepts as well as they do those that have connections to tangible ideas and story lines. Start learning and making these connections today and you’ll be sure to notice the difference!
3. Establishing Good Habits of Communication
Effective communication is at the heart of any successful relationship. Good habits of communication can help us to avoid misunderstandings, create strong connections, and move relationships forward. Follow these tips to help make communication easier:
- Be Open and Honest. Nothing builds trust like honesty, and it can be extremely rewarding to share facts and feelings without fear or judgment. Keep lines of communication open in all relationships and don’t be afraid to share your true feelings.
- Listen Attentively. We tend to think more about what we’re going to say next, rather than giving our full attention to the person who’s speaking. Show your interest by making eye contact and really listening.
- Stay Calm and Civil. Discussions can easily escalate into arguments if we don’t stay aware of our emotions. Maintaining a reasonable tone and level of civility keeps the focus on exchanging ideas, rather than personal attacks.
Good communication also means understanding that not all conversations have to end with a resolution. Oftentimes, simply voicing our thoughts and feelings can be cathartic and satisfying enough. By staying open and honest, we can find strength in our relationships and create a network of support and trust.
And finally, one of the best ways to foster good communication is to practice empathy. As hard as it can be sometimes, it is usually most beneficial to take a moment to step into someone else’s shoes. We cannot always control how conversations play out, but we can control our attitude and approach in the moment.
These tips can help us to stay engaged in positive conversations, while allowing us to move forward and learn more about the people close to us.
4. Taking Time to Reflect & Recharge
Life can be demanding, and it is important to take a moment to pause and reflect on all your hard work. It is also important to take time to recharge. At times, it can be difficult to take a break because there can be self-imposed pressures of productivity and deadlines. But it is worth remembering that sometimes taking a break is essential to perform optimally.
- Take a breather – stop, sit back and take a deep breath.
- Take a step back – find some space and time for yourself.
- Test your limits – assess your workload and make sure you’re not overextending yourself.
- Fill up your tank – find a way to fill up your energy reserves and get inspired.
Taking a break means having a change in your routine, trying something new, engaging in activities that make you happy and exploring destinations that take you out of your comfort zone. Whether that’s spending a weekend camping in the woods, or embarking on a solo road trip, taking some time off and engaging in activities that give you joy and help you disconnect from your daily stressors is essential.
Choosing activities that bring joy is key when it comes to reflecting and recharging. Keeping a schedule of activities that give you purpose and meaning means that you don’t necessarily need to step away from your everyday responsibilities and obligations. For example, if you love to paint, create an evening painting session that you can look forward to after a long day.
Finally, creating a space where you can be yourself is essential to reflecting and recharging. This could mean setting aside a specific time and place where you can be mindful, practice self-care and take time to process your thoughts and feelings uninterrupted. It could also mean investing in activities like yoga, which can help you to relax and get in touch with your body and mind.
Taking time to reflect and recharge is essential to living a balanced and healthy life. While it can be challenging to make a habit out of it, taking the time and energy to look after yourself, will certainly have a positive impact on your productivity, relationships, and health in the long run.
At the end of the day, achieving a healthy relationship requires resilience, patience and effort. It is not easy, but if cultivated and tended to, your relationships could serve as a well of support and encouragement for you and your student journey.
