Enhance Your Personal Growth in College

Whether you are in your final year of high school or are thinking about going to college years after walking away from school, you are on the edge of a time of great personal growth. Not only will you be able to choose a major that fits with your interests and goals, you will have new experiences and be exposed to ideas you might never have encountered before. Below are some ways you can enhance your personal growth in college.

Be Prepared

College costs money. In fact, if you are going later in life, that could be one of the main reasons for the delay. Like many people, you may need to take out student loans. Funding prep starts by filling out a form called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which most people just abbreviate as FAFSA. This can help you identify what federal grants and loans you are eligible for. If you are not eligible for any help from the federal government, don’t despair. There are scholarship opportunities as well as borrowing for college with private student loans. In addition, you can prepare by visiting the campus. Some colleges may have programs in place that let you talk to current students or faculty. Find out as much as you can ahead of time so you feel prepared on your first day.

Be Open

All that preparation shouldn’t make you approach the next few years in a rigid manner. In fact, this is a time when it is important for your personal growth to be open. You should definitely be prepared to move outside your comfort zone. You can get away with plenty during this time that you couldn’t in the real world, so take advantage while you can. This is the time in your life when you can find yourself when it comes to social and political preferences.

Be Collaborative

College is also about learning to work with others. This doesn’t mean a constant stream of group projects although there may be a few of those. Instead, it is about helping others and allowing yourself to be helped when you need it, whether that is giving an upset acquaintance a listening ear, asking a professor for more guidance on an assignment or talking to a counselor. If you are living away from your family for the first time and with roommates, you will have to learn how to talk about conflicts and resolve your differences as well as how to work together to keep the apartment clean and make sure your bills are paid. These skills will remain valuable throughout your life.

Be Independent

It is important to learn to work with others and when to ask for help, but you also need to know when to embrace your independence. If you are just out of high school and are accustomed to texting your parents whenever you have a problem, think about trying to work it out yourself. Even older people may find that they struggle a little without their usual support system or routine. All of these provide opportunities to explore new ways of handling situations and personal growth.