College Survival Tips ---- Playing by Yourself; It's not just something we learned in KindergartenAug 07 '05 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line One of the many survival tips that I can give you, is to find a way to enjoy the time you have to yourself.
There is an old adage, that if you aren’t happy by yourself, that you will never be happy otherwise. It’s up to each person how much stock you put into a statement like that, but it is very important to be able to have fun by yourself. You can’t always rely on those people around you to provide the entertainment, nor should you limit yourself to what your direct friends find to be interesting. It’s sometimes very easy to let our own interests take a back seat to those of the people around us, but it is not what any person should want to nor have to do. We are all different in what we find to be fun, and we all enjoy different kinds of engaging activities. For some it could mean just sitting back and thinking for a while, and for others it could be as extraverted as going out to a new club and meeting new and exciting people. Whatever that solo release happens to be, it is very important to have a variety of them when it comes to college life. Sometimes we can let ourselves get lost in the hectic schedules, and the non-stop parties, but there has to be that one thing, or those couple of things, that you just want to break away from the herd and enjoy doing on your own. What I provide here, are some examples that a college student could easily take on, and enjoy doing. Remember that not all of these are fun for everyone, but use this as a jumping off point to discovering what you enjoy doing the most. 1. Picking up a good book It doesn’t really matter what type of book it is you decide to go with, it just depends on what your interests are, and what you would enjoy reading about. You can chose anything, including romance novels, comic books, How To Books, mysteries, or even text books if that is your thing. Don’t worry about stereotypes about people who read, and just pick up a book that interests you. Find a quiet spot where you would be able to take time for your book, and go at it. You can get lost in your imagination for a while, before you have to come back to the real world, and you don’t have to worry about anything going on around you. 2. Playing Games One of the things that have become really popular for college students are online games, where you can log in and play people from around the world. Games such as War Craft, EA Sports Games, and Half-Life or Halo can take you into a world of competitive game-playing that can be fun and exciting. Those games get you into new worlds of characters, and can be very exciting for people who are into being competitive. You could also just go online to a site like Yahoo!, and play a non-threatening game of chess or checkers, and relax as you improve your skill level at games such as these and many others. Sometimes all you need after a rough day, is a quick game of something you love, and the thrill of a competitive fun environment. 3. Taking on Writing Some people, like myself, are more content to be introverted, and we find ourselves with a lack of outlets for our feelings and sentiments. What writing allows, is that opportunity to put out there, our innermost thoughts, and we get to actually think through how our minds are working. It is very therapeutic, and it can help us work through the hardest of problems, just by putting it out there for ourselves to see. The writing never has to become public, and can be as easy as keeping a diary or writing in a journal. Many people have taken that to the next step, by having online “blogs” where they can write about the experiences that they have had during the day, and can talk about interactions that they have had throughout the day. No matter what fashion you decide to go with when it comes to writing, it can be a very helpful, stimulating, and fun endeavor to undertake. 4. Exercising It may seem like the most basic of things that we can do on our own, but some people don’t realize how beneficial that it can be for you. If you are going through some stresses, and you just aren’t feeling right, exercise has the ability to cleanse your system of bad things. You can throw yourself into a work-out, and really use all of the negativity from your day as an advantage to your work out. It can be as simple as walking, running, or swimming, but taking on a physical activity that you enjoy can help burn of that stress. Not only are you helping out your mental state by doing this, you are also helping out your physical state. By having time set aside to do a little exercising, you can shed a few of those pounds that are accumulated at late night parties or all-night study sessions. Exercise is a great way to work through nearly anything, as long as you have fun doing it. 5. Volunteering With volunteering to help others, there are two main benefits that come from it. First there are the benefits that the people who you are helping get from your volunteer work. But secondary to that, is the feeling of accomplishment that can come to you by simply giving some of your time to benefit someone else. This feeling can help make an entire day worthwhile for you, and turn around even the worst of moods that you may have been in. The work doesn’t have to be extensive, and it is entirely what you make of it. If you are the person who likes to help others, well then dive into it, and you will receive more benefits from it than you can imagine. The goal is to do things for others, but in doing so we can feel better about ourselves and show that we do have something to offer to our community. Volunteer at an animal shelter, help out at a local hospice, or do any one of many things that are possible to volunteer for. Put yourself out there, and help those people that need it most. 6. The Miscellaneous Options You are never limited to the number of things available for you to do on your own. There are limitless options that you can undertake and the point is, that it is all about finding out what YOU like to do best on your own. The college grind can be tough on even the most grounded of students, and having that one thing (or a couple of them) that you can break away from everything else to do, can be the perfect antidote to any stressors that exist in the college life. Below is a brief list of other activities you may find fun doing by yourself, but at no time consider it a catch-all. Many of us have those simple things that we like to do by ourselves, but we keep private from the rest of the world. If they are helpful to you, and are fun to undertake them keep doing them! Otherwise take a look at what I have suggested as possibilities, and maybe there will be something in there that you enjoy doing! *Driving your car long distances and just singing out loud to the radio. *Turning up your music loud, and just dancing while singing in your own home. *Taking care of a pet. *Building something. *Sunbathing. *Going fishing. *Going Shopping. *Teaching yourself how to play an instrument. *Taking care of plants / Gardening (depending on whether this is available to you). *Tricking out your car.  |
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