No matter how good you were in school, a transition to college can sometimes overwhelm even the most diligent students. Once you are left virtually without supervision and forced to manage your own time how you see fit – the rules of the games change dramatically. And it can become a serious obstacle for young scholars. Maintaining discipline all throughout your college years is a very important task.
But, in some cases, the knowledge of how to actually keep yourself in order is not given to young students. They find themselves forced to improvise and scramble. And that can have a negative impact on their academic performance while they’re trying to find their bearings in this new world. You can hire someone to write a paper for you to lighten your load while you read this article to find out how to improve your discipline in college.
Make a Plan
It’s easy to go back on an abstract plan. Much less so when it is manifested in something like writing. So if you want to become better at following up on your schedule – create one. Don’t just think about what you’re going to do tomorrow. Get a piece of paper or a calendar app on your phone and create a checklist. The more detailed it is – the better.
Write down everything from time to items needed for that particular activity, to how long it will take, set up an alarm. The next day all of it will create pressure to take your plans a little more responsibly than usual. You can also check how accurate you were in your assessment. This will not only allow you to work on your discipline but also understand your own capabilities. It is a very important skill.
And if you can’t follow the plan – do everything in your power to correct yourself. You have to fit your goals, not the other way around. If your schedule for the day turned out to be unrealistic – you’ll be able to amend it tomorrow. Today – try to stick to it to the best of your ability. While it is not a good thing to do on a regular basis, it does teach you to deal with crises and unexpected situations.
Fall Into a Routine
You can not underestimate the power of habit. Once you fall into a lazy routine you might find it pretty difficult to start being proactive day after day. But keep in mind that the same thing works the opposite way. If you establish some active and responsible habits it will be much easier for you to maintain them. Not keeping to your routine will make you feel awkward and a bit out of it.
Naturally, you won’t be able to change your habits overnight. So start with something simple. Like taking a walk every morning. Or spending a specific amount of time studying a certain subject every day. Slowly but surely you will drill this action into your subconscious. Then you’ll be able to move to something more complex. Step by step, layer by layer you will be able to form your new way of life.
Get a Rival
Nothing motivates you better than some friendly competition. It’s easy to skip your studying when there’s no one around judging you. Find a friend and make a pact to keep each other in check. Make some sort of bet, a chore those who fail their tasks have to do. This weight of someone knowing about your missteps will help you keep focus for much longer than you’d usually be able to.
Even better – start a study group. One person urging you on is good. An entire group of people is even better. You can make a game out of it. Create a chatroom to post your daily achievements. Figure out ways to penalize those who slack off. Just make sure to not overdo it. It’s supposed to be fun after all. Keep a friendly spirit. No one is going to benefit from collective bullying.
In Conclusion
The fact that you are looking for ways to improve your discipline is already a sign that you’re moving in the right direction. Just don’t let your search for an answer become an excuse to keep on procrastinating. Start doing something – anything. Practice is a thousand times better than any amount of theory. You will be surprised how easy it becomes after you get used to doing instead of thinking.
It is not as hard as you might think. Discipline is about going on no matter what. Beating your urge to sleep in for a couple of extra hours. Beating your urge to go hang out with friends instead of studying for tomorrow’s exam. There’s a time for rest and relaxation and there’s a time for work. You already know where the balance lies. All you have to do is shape yourself to fit it.
