OVERACHIEVER ADVICE FOR AN
A DAY IN THE LIFE:
Freshmen vs. Seniors
5:30PM 9:00PM
Write History paper in dorm room (online library books = new favorite resource) Skype with hometown friend (wonder how they already have a significant other)
10:30PM
8:00PM
Business night class (boring but major oriented. Maybe make a study group with other freshmen in Business Club?)
Fall asleep thinking about when biology project is due (two weeks)
Dinner (How much money is on dining card? Wait, fuck, how much money is on debit card?)
Netflix and snack (oncampus café open until 10, thank fuck, and the Kit Kats are half off)
Wisdom from an Academic Advisor
CARRIE BALDWIN
Academic Advisor at the University of Delaware Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics
Planning is a Major Key The number one most important skill in college is time management. Use a planner. If you’re going to try to do it all, first make sure there’s time in the day.
7:30PM
Math study group in library (fuck college math)
SENIORS
6:00PM
Biology homework (listen to 21 Pilots to make less boring than class)
7:00PM 6:00PM
FRESHMEN
Not to be mistaken for super-humans, overachievers somehow manage to do it all and do it all well. They believe rest is for the weak, and although it may have been a week since they got a full night’s sleep, they’ve found the perfect blend of coffee and 5-hour Energy to get them through that 12-page paper and their weekend trip to the mountains.
Just Say No Don’t be afraid to politely decline certain invitations. You don’t have to do it all. Do the things you enjoy and make time for yourself, and then forget the rest.
SAMANTHA CARDENAS
Senior at UC Santa Cruz, Third Year RA
Establish a Community Co-workers, friends, people who live in your dorm— find a different mix of people from different areas who will cheer you on, but also won’t be afraid to tell you to slow down.
Embrace Failure Don’t be so afraid to make mistakes. Prioritize sleep and fun, and try to focus more on friendship and less on the work you aren’t doing.
Don’t Schadenfreude Yourself You shouldn’t be wearing your misery like a badge of honor. Students love one-upping each other, saying “I haven’t slept in 72 hours” or “I’m taking 25 hours,” but it’s unhealthy and won’t bring fulfillment.
Advice from a Social Expert MANAGEABLE SELF-CARE • Take a bubble bath or a really hot shower. • Make your favorite comfort food; you’ve gotta eat anyway, so take a break from ramen. • Do something nice for someone. • Leave your phone and your friends and go sit somewhere quietly for a minute. SCHEDULING YOUR SCHEDULING • Google Calendar is your friend. Color code everything. • Make alarms for appointments and alerts for due dates. • Don’t write assignments on scraps of paper or the backs of receipts or other places they can get lost. This is why Google is your friend. (But your arm is a better option than your lunch napkin—your arm isn’t going anywhere without you.)
1:00AM
Fall asleep watching Netflix (Scrubs)
Tips from a Resident Assistant
IRON SHARPENS IRON • Hanging with other overachievers will keep you motivated to work at the high level that makes you happy. • Where others would say “That’s too much” or “You need to drop a class,” they say “I’ll spend Saturday in the library with you.” • When they become presidents, committee chairs and valedictorians, you’ve found yourself with friends in high places. (Though they’re thinking the same of you.)
ELAINE EGGERT
Vice President of Public Relations for the Panhellenic Council at University of Illinois
First Things First If you’re going to tackle everything, you’ll need to prioritize. Three nights a week, you may have to watch the sunrise from the library, but also make time to go out and let off steam.
Take Care To avoid getting too run down, make sure you take care of your body and mind. If you don’t, your lifestyle will eventually catch up to you.
Eye on the Prize It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. When it comes to doing college right, overachievers are serious #goals. Yes, you may be tired, and yes, you may not have eaten today, but everyone you talk to is secretly in awe of your superhuman strength. Remember that next time you need to borrow someone’s notes.
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