5 Tips for Staying the Course to Graduate

You might start off high school and college with plans to take over the world. Welcome to the Elite Society of Awesomeness. We are happy to receive you.

It’s one thing to get started, but it is another to finish. The road is not easy, and there will be times when you are not sure you will be able to make it. You may want to give up. I want to give you a deeper understanding of why education is important. It’s not just a cliché, it’s a societal tendency.

With each level of education you achieve, the more money you will make and the increased ability to live the type of life you envisioned for yourself.

Unemployment rate and earnings by educational attainment, 2013

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey

If that didn’t convince you enough, the number of jobs that do not require a high school diploma are increasingly less. Most of the manufacturing and trades of the past are long gone due to technology and automation.

Despite the temptation to convince everyone to pursue a college degree, I’m more of a realist when it comes to opportunity. I would like any person who wishes to pursue a degree the ability to do so, but I know college is not for everyone. You can develop a great life by pursuing opportunities such as learning a trade, starting your own business, going into the military, or starting entry level at a company, and then gradually taking on more responsibility that would lead to promotion. There is no one size fits all, and each pathway to success has its own challenges and disadvantages. I encourage you to find the type of job you would like to have and go about completing the level of education needed to achieve that job, and stay the course!  Here’s how you can make it:

Prioritize Your grades

Your grades will impact so many things down the road related to your success, including scholarships, internships, or acceptance into college and/or a graduate or professional school program. Though you may not choose to go to college, prioritizing your grades teaches you time management, decision making, and discipline. It also improves your confidence level when you improve in difficult subjects.

Build Your Circle of Influence

Surround yourself with positive people who are going in the same direction that you are. The best way to do this is to get involved in organizations and clubs related to your academic and career interests. You also need mentors or other role models that can guide you in a positive direction about opportunities and resources.

Inform Yourself of Your Resources and Use Them Wisely

Life happens when you’re on the road to success. Everything does not go perfectly. As a result, there may be times when you need to reach out to a number of people, services, or tools offered by your school or college. Don’t be embarrassed or afraid to advocate for yourself. That’s why those resources are in place, and you are just as deserving as anyone else to use them!

Take Care of Yourself

If you fall apart, so does everything else. You need to make sure you are building a strong mind and body to keep going. Get enough sleep. Eat the right things. Listen to your body when you need rest. Find the best healthy form of stress relief.

Develop Communication Skills

Peer pressure is real. Sometimes, it’s not even your peers, but your family. You need to get better at being able to communicate to people what your priorities, limits, and why you cannot or did not complete something as expected. People may not understand initially, but if they genuinely care about you then they will come around eventually. Your communication will help them better understand what you need, teach them their own boundaries, and empower them to meet their needs in other ways. Regardless of how they take it, remember communication informs character. People show you who they are, you teach people how to treat you, and you can only control your own behavior.

These habits will help you stay the course to graduate. In addition, tell yourself everyday that you can make it to graduation. Doubt is not an option! Sure, routine is not easy, but with determination and consistent effort then you will achieve more than you imagined would be possible. There are few smiles bigger than those between a cap and gown. Say “Cheese”!