More Advice to Prospective College Students: Finding Balance

Finding Balance: How to Juggle Academic Responsibilities with a Healthy Social Life in College

For millions of American high school juniors and seniors, going to an institution of higher learning is the first big step forward in their post-graduation future.  After all, not only is a college degree necessary to start a career in many professions, but going to a college or university – often an out-of-state one – is a cultural and emotional transition from the dependency of adolescence to independent adulthood.

If you are a high school upperclassman this year and plan to attend a post-secondary academic institution, perhaps you are looking forward to the freedom (and challenges) of living away from home for the first time.  Perhaps you are anticipating the new opportunities to make new friends and enjoy the college party scene.  Some of you may also be worried about how tough your professors may be or how to juggle your class schedule with off-campus responsibilities such as finding gainful employment and – if you don’t live in a college dorm – renting your first apartment.

To a 17- or 18-year-old kid who is only a year or two away from becoming a college freshman, the notion of finding a workable balance between doing one’s best to maintain a good grade point average (GPA) and having fun can be a daunting one.  Indeed, sometimes students can fall into the trap of focusing too much on one aspect of college life while neglecting others; they become academic overachievers with limited social skills, or they become “party animals” who then have to pull all-night cram study sessions before midterms or final exams – and hope that they earn a passing grade.

Fortunately, you don’t have to choose to be an academic workaholic or a social champion to the exclusion of all else; there are many methods you can try to pursue academic excellence and enjoy the fun aspects of college life.  All you need to do is a bit of mental preparation, a lot of diligence, and finding a nice rhythm to fall into while you balance classroom responsibilities with free time fun.


1.   Study Regularly During the Week:   It doesn’t much matter if you are a full-time student taking 12 or more credits’ worth of classes or a part-timer, but making a habit of studying for your courses Mondays through Fridays on a regular basis and partying on weekends is the best way to mix academics with an active social life.  Sure, it’s tempting to simply “go with the flow” and not bother with such things as schedules or good study habits, but that’s not the way to do things if you want to succeed in academia and, after graduation, your chosen career.  College professors, unlike many teachers in secondary schools, will not coddle you or remind you incessantly to turn in essays or read the books they assign.  However, they will expect you to take good notes during lectures and to read the chapter assignments so you can be ready for exams and understand the material.  Most college professors can be very nice on a personal basis, but very few tolerate laziness and none accepts lame excuses as to why you aren’t pulling your weight in class.  This may shock many incoming freshmen, but college is essentially a training process to prepare you for a career; whether you succeed or fail is totally on you, not that mean old prof who “gave” you a bad grade.

2.  Relax on Weekends:  While developing and maintaining a good schedule for academic work is definitely a worthwhile endeavor, you still need to make time for rest, relaxation and socialization.  Some teenagers are introverted and more drawn toward intellectual pursuits than others are and actually prefer to spend time burying their noses in books or doing research on the Internet way past midnight and earn good grades on a regular basis.  On the other hand, many kids who are “brainiacs,” “geeks,” and “bookworms” often become socially awkward and feel uncomfortable or insecure around peers who are outgoing, comfortable around others and have a great deal of self-confidence and are therefore easy to like and get along with.  Though there are always exceptions, students who place too much emphasis on academics but don’t socialize often become self-isolated and end up feeling lonely and unhappy.

Even if you really love the academic challenges that college has to offer, you need to take breaks from the daily routine of going to classes, working off-campus, and cracking the books (or browsing the Web) and have fun.  Make new friends in class or your dorm (if you live on campus) and join in leisure activities.  Accept invitations to parties, movie outings, and outdoor get-togethers at the beach or a park.  Relax and try to be outgoing; you might even be surprised at how your circle of friends will grow if you come out of your shell and let people know you better.  Get to know your fellow students and find common interests; you’ll start friendships that will last a lifetime and, more importantly, acquire social skills that will come in handy once you graduate from college and enter the “real world” of career and personal relationships.   

© 2012 Alex Diaz-Granados.  All Rights Reserved