Is there something that is holding you down and keeping you from taking off?

This extra burden can come in physical trash or mental garbage.  You know, all those old frustrations, angers, resentments, hurts, etc., still floating around and weighing you down.  For example, how many nights have you laid awake fuming with anger over something someone had done, even if you knew they didn’t mean it?  You get so weighed down with this mental clutter that you just get really angry.  The fire of this emotion consumes only you.

Wouldn’t you love to put it in a box and put it out at the curb for the trash collector?  How do you do that?

Many of us have suffered with this problem and overcome our attitudes. This is one of the hardest challenges that you will ever face. We allow our martyred attitude to rule our lives. This is just another form of self-pity and whining. Our attitudes set the tone for everyone around us. We often get our feelings hurt and just pout for days, weeks or years. Get over it. You are not hurting anyone but yourself when you do this.

When you can let go of the pain from our past and proceed with baby steps into a happy and peaceful life you will find yourself taking off.

It is time to release these things that have been holding you back and watch your worries go up in smoke. This goes for hard feelings and things that you have been putting on the back burner. Take care of this and let things go; this will give you the opportunity to begin enjoying your life and focusing on your future.

C.A.N. is here for you to ensure that you are up to the challenges that lay ahead.  If you would like to discuss the transition to college and how C.A.N. can be of assistance, please fill out the contact us page on our website. http://www.canstudentconsultants.com/

Successful college students employ different methods for keeping things organized. and staying motivated. 

Be motivated. Stay motivated to tackle the mess in your life. Otherwise, when the going gets tough, you will get sloppy. Make a list. Tack it up somewhere where you will see it when you start to feel unmotivated.

Using Planning to Stay Organized in College

Keep a planner. Use your planner to track classes, assignments, and social plans. If you have both a paper planner and an app, or multiple planners, the odds are that something will eventually slip between the cracks when you forget to write down your plans in both. Also, having more than one will take up a lot of your time.

Use the days-before-it’s-due system. In your planner, use red pen to mark the day an assignment is due. Write it out in blue pen in the two days ahead; black for three to five days ahead; and green for six to nine days ahead. That way, you will always see assignments coming up on the horizon and won’t ever be surprised by an essay that’s due tomorrow.

Schedule chores. Doing laundry, taking out the trash, you name it. Planning to do this every Sunday will keep your laundry from piling up on the floor, or your bin from overflowing.

Syllabus Tips for Staying Organized in College

Save all your syllabi. If your professor gives you a guide to what your entire semester is going to look like, don’t lose it.  Annotate your syllabi. Mark your syllabus with everything you need to remember.

Make an assignment list.

Using Daily Tasks to Stay Organized in College

Keep to-do lists.

Wake up at the same time every day. Waking up at the same time every day will help you to get into a set schedule.

Make your bed when you get up. Making your bed will keep your room clean and will keep you from crawling back in if you’re sleepy.

Figure out your most productive time. Figure out what time of the day you are the most productive.

Pack your backpack. Take the time to pack it with what you need to work that day. It is a great time-saver and you will not have the excuse to go back to your room and possibly take a nap?!

Plan your outfit ahead of time. This will save you time in the mornings.

Clean-desk policy.  At the end of every night, try to have a clear desk, with just your computer, lamp, or books on it, and no clutter. It will keep your room tidy and make it easier to find what you need in the morning.

Clean-floor policy. Ditto with the floor. Try not to have any clutter off of the floor during the week so that it is easier to get and find what you need.

Spend 5 minutes a day cleaning. Seriously, you will be amazed at what you can do in five minutes a day.

Have a system for taking notes. It doesn’t matter what kind you use– just make sure that you have a system and stick to it. It will make it easier to review notes later on.

Don’t question and don’t stop yourself while writing.  Let go of your inhibitions and don’t be afraid to write a terrible first draft. You can always edit later.

Use a timer. Work in bursts of time.

Work and play in different areas. Work at a desk or in a library and reserve your room or bed for hanging out and sleep.

Use the 8/8/8 method for balancing your life. It’s a way to divide your time to be responsible and still relax. Try to sleep for eight hours a day, spend eight working, and eight hours for the rest of your life – time with friends, eating, etc.

Supplies for Staying Organized in College

Give each class a color, so that they are easier to find and grab when you are on the go.

Keep binders, folders, and/or notebooks for each of your classes. Find out which one(s) work best for you and then do your best to keep them organized.

Tips for Keeping Your Room and Desk Organized in College

“If you take it out, put it back” rule. This is the easiest way to keep a desk clear.

Keep any “might needs” in your desk drawer, rather than on your desktop. Keep staplers, hole-punchers, etc., in your drawers rather than on the top of your desk. This will help keep your desk neat and organized.

Label loose cords. Use masking tape to label your cords with words like “camera,” “iPhone,” etc. This will help you identify them after you forget what they’re for.

Label your chargers ends with the same washi tape.

Keep a white board with reminders to yourself.

Self-Care Tips for Staying Organized in College

Sleep enough. I can’t emphasize this enough. Sleep is so important! Try to get between seven and nine hours of sleep a day, depending on your age and preferences, which will help you stay alert and happy during the day.

Meditation/yoga/mindfulness. Find something that makes you feel connected to yourself or your spirituality. Mental health is so incredibly important, not just for being organized, but for being a balanced and happy person. Take care of yourself!

Go easy on yourself. No one is perfect, and it can be incredibly difficult to stay on top of everything in your life. Do your best but remember if you mess up that it is okay to make mistakes. All that matters is that you are trying.

C.A.N. is here for you to ensure that you are up to the challenges that lay ahead.  If you would like to discuss the transition to college and how C.A.N. can be of assistance, please fill out the contact us page on our website. http://www.canstudentconsultants.com/

“For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned.” – Benjamin Franklin

The year 2020 wasn’t easy on most people.  As we anxiously looked to 2021 in the hopes that things would change, we put our energy, excitement, and enthusiasm into our plans.  Have things changed drastically since 2020 in your life or does it seem to be more of the same?  Does it seem that you can’t or don’t want to force yourself into anything because you have been stalled by what is happening in the world?

Something that you may want to keep in mind is that you can’t win if you don’t play.  Its okay to have a time of uncertainty, but that time is over.  Its okay to be scared, but don’t let it stop you from living.  It is time to be bold and decide how you will handle these world events and be able to be productive and further your life.

In ancient Greek folklore, a phoenix is a bird that regenerates or is born again. It is associated with the sun and obtains new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor.  It is time to arise from the ashes brought on by the events of 2020 and be the architect of your life in 2021.  What do you want to accomplish, be, know, or become?  Take the first steps by rising and conquering your future!

C.A.N. is here for you to ensure that you are up to the challenges that lay ahead.  If you would like to discuss the transition to college and how C.A.N. can be of assistance, please fill out the contact us page on our website.  http://www.canstudentconsultants.com/

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

There are so many reasons why you decide on one path and not another.  You are influenced by your thoughts, your environment, and your experiences.  Your motivation to achieve a goal stems from many things.  The following are some questions for you to ask early in the college decision process, so that you can better meet YOUR goals.

1. Why are you going to college?
   1. I am told that is the only way to get a better job.
   1. I am told it is the only way to make “good” money.
   1. My parents expect me to go.
   1. My parents never went to college and they have sacrificed so much to give me the opportunity.
   1. My siblings have gone, so I have to.
   1. It is expected of me.

If these answers ring true, proceed to question #2.  If none of these responses would be ones you would answer move on to question #3.

1. Great.  Now that we have the reasons you feel pressured to attend college, let’s get back to the original question.  Why are YOU going to college?
   1. What are YOU going to get out of it?
   1. Is this a goal of YOURS?
   1. Will it get YOU were YOU want to be in the future?

1. Okay, lets say that college is most definitely for you.  There are things to think about that will help you get to the place where you want to be…graduated from college.  Let’s think about a few things.
2. How are you personally responsible for your success in college?
3. How can you make the connections that will aid you in your success?
4. How must you adapt your high school skills to meet the needs to college life.

These are but a few topics that will be discussed in the next blog.

C.A.N. is here for you to ensure that you are up to the challenges that lay ahead.  If you would like to discuss the transition to college and how C.A.N. can be of assistance, please fill out the contact us page on our website. http://www.canstudentconsultants.com/

Why do we torture ourselves putting off our academic work?  You know exactly what I am talking about.

We have piles everywhere. Projects we need to do, but we don’t find the time to do them. Do you hear this “Poor Me” attitude?  All the piles of academic work are filling your life with guilt and this guilt is hurting your body and spirit. This is slowly and painfully taking away from our otherwise pleasant experiences. Do you over-extend yourself and get involved in extra activities….anything to get away from the work that surrounds you? Are you prepared to live this tortured existence? Do you want to sit on the side lines while everyone else enjoys life and you suffer with the guilt of not getting things done?  This guilt is draining your life energy.   If you dread walking in the door to face this wall of stuff and undone jobs, let’s figure out a way, together, to combat the guilt and surmount the mountain of work. 

Papers, project, and studying are the things you are avoiding.  The longer you do this the harder it will be to get a grasp on them and succeed. 

Right now, you are living a life of fear.  Fear is the opposite of caring for yourself.  Fear of being without… Fear of not being understood… Fear of not being loved. Fear is lack of faith in yourself. You create this fear, guilt and worry in your life. You put these obstacles in your path, so that you will not find the peace you deserve. Put your faith in yourself and start to get rid of this academic work.  I have given you the tools: All you have to do is listen and start with small jobs. I don’t expect you to get it all done at once, but you have to start somewhere. Many people need to see results immediately; this is our nature. If we don’t we give up and go back to our previous way of life.

I am here to tell you that your world did not get overwhelming overnight and it is not going to get fixed in one day. We are working on changing life-long habits; this is going to take some hard work and consistent routines. It will not be a cake walk, but as you start to see progress, you will be wanting to go full-force and that could work against us.

We work until we are burnt out and then we no longer want to tackle the academic work anymore because we are so tired. This kind of turnaround in your life is like going on a crash diet. You get on a roll doing your schoolwork and, before you know it, you are behind again. 

We are putting our future on a diet; a diet of behavior modification. I am teaching you a new way of tackling your academic work and it starts with establishing routines one habit at a time.

Anyone can do this. It is so simple; you just have to start.  Get you away from social media and the TV and begin your new way of looking at your life. NO MORE GUILT!  You have found the answer. It is within you. Your true spirit is being suffocated by not tackling your academic work. It is a matter of actively working toward your goal of an organized and satisfying academic life. You can do this by using the tools: Your routines, basic weekly plan, and other skills that C.A.N. can help you attain. Are you willing to work? Ask yourself if you ready to change your life. I don’t expect you to do all of this right off the bat. This is not a magic pill that I am giving to you. It is a recipe for Peace and you are the Chef. So, let’s get ready to for the biggest feast of all; a celebration of your love of yourself and your future life.

C.A.N. is here for you to ensure that you are up to the challenges that lay ahead.  If you would like to discuss the transition to college and how C.A.N. can be of assistance, please fill out the contact us page on our website. http://www.canstudentconsultants.com/

Do you feel like you are drowning?

Do you ever feel like you are drowning? You are going down for the last time and no one is there to save you. In fact the whirlpool is about to suck you into the dark abyss. This is how we all feel when we are living in CHAOS! You can’t even remember how you got into the dangerous waters in the first place!

I can tell you exactly how. Procrastination. You didn’t want to look at the problem so you put it off. You probably still don’t want to address the issues that are drowning you.  We do this every single day.

Everything is connected and one thing starts getting sucked into the whirlpool and the rest will follow. Unless you start to pull your own self out one bad habit at a time, you will find yourself in a perpetual cycle of missed deadline, poor grades, and disappointment.

Grab your life preservers!  Stop the insanity!  We need to stop putting off starting that project! We need to stop putting off reading that chapter!  We need to stop putting off going to the health center!  We can find a way and an excuse for putting anything off! We have to stop this right now! Just changing one thing will keep your head above water.

Your excuses are just another form of whining and procrastination.

You are not slow! You are a perfectionist! It is your perfectionism that makes you obsess about something that is quite simple. You are over thinking this. You don’t have to see the top of the staircase to take the first step!

The secret to getting moving is to set your timer and do 10 minutes or even 2 minutes! That is it! Then go onto the next thing on the list.

C.A.N. is here for you to ensure that you are up to the challenges that lay ahead.  If you would like to discuss the transition to college and how C.A.N. can be of assistance, please fill out the contact us page on our website. http://www.canstudentconsultants.com/

Stupid.  This word is spoken repeatedly as self-speak by talented students across the nation. I have heard it said many times and always find it jarring to my senses.  I hadn’t considered how the power of that word multiplies when it takes the form of self-speak. I hadn’t realized how much it scared me to think that such a damaging word might follow each student into their future aspirations.

Every time I hear someone say things like, “I just feel so stupid about . . . ” I believe you.  But, lack of awareness is not the same as ignorance. Ignorance is a choice.

We are constantly being presented with perspectives that we may have not fully understand.  The barrage of information can be overwhelming.  We cannot fully grasp everything which makes us feel overwhelmed and, at times, stupid.

We’re not stupid. We’re not ignorant. The biggest lessons with the most powerful punch are smack dab in the middle of the uncomfortable moments—always the clearest indicator that we’re present in a perfect storm of learning.

Feeling stupid is a gut reaction of fear that you are being judged and someone may be thinking less of you. Maybe they are.  Stupid can be such a divisive word. It’s harmful because it rejects the fact that you always had, and will continue to have, the capacity to learn.

Don’t worry. You’re a better person than you were a moment before, and it’s mostly because of the most real form of education.  So, please think twice before you use such a word to describe yourself, for if you don’t believe in yourself who will?

C.A.N. is here for you to ensure that you are up to the challenges that lay ahead.  If you would like to discuss the transition to college and how C.A.N. can be of assistance, please fill out the contact us page on our website. http://www.canstudentconsultants.com/

“The most important investment you can make is in yourself.” – Warren Buffett

You don’t feel like rolling out of bed for that 8am class.  You were too busy at your side job to complete your paper for class.  Your professor is so boring that you can’t’ keep your eyes open, let alone take good notes.

These all seem to be reasonable reasons for not doing well in class.  But will these reasonable reasons pay your tuition bill?  Each class that you miss is costing you money.  Each failing grade is costing you money.  That boring professor?  Well, the notes you didn’t take just cost you money.

Have you ever taken a look at your tuition bill? 

Let’s say your tuition plus room and board equals $23,215/semester (insert correct amount) now divide that by the number of credits you are taking, for the purpose of this exercise let’s say 12.  That gives us the answer of $1935./credit.  Most college classes are three credits so each class is costing you $5805.

Total cost per semester ÷ number of credits taking=cost per credit x number of credits/class=total cost per class.

Using the example numbers we used above, if you fail a class it will cost  you $5805.  Wow!  Not only do you have to pay for that class twice (because you do have to retake required classes) which will cost you $11610.  So not only will the class you didn’t like cost you a lot of money you will get to sit through it twice and it could possibly hold you up from taking other classes and change your graduation schedule.

Ouch!  This week let’s take a look at your expenses and find ways to cut expenses, eliminate procrastination, and remove distractions to your success.

C.A.N. is here for you to ensure that you are up to the challenges that lay ahead.  If you would like to discuss the transition to college and how C.A.N. can be of assistance, please fill out the contact us page on our website. http://www.canstudentconsultants.com/

The secret to getting ahead is getting started. The secret to getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into smaller, manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one. — Mark Twain

Have you ever had so much to do that you didn’t know where to begin? Just writing things down seems too overwhelming. How do you get from the feeling of being overwhelmed to the feeling of being accomplished? Baby steps are the key.

Blocking off time for uninterrupted focus is half the battle. The other half is avoiding distractions. Our current society of easy access to information and social media are huge distractions to getting work done. Start with blocking off small amounts of time with no TV, phone, internet, friends, etc. and focus on your assignments. As you become more accustomed to blocking off time, increase the duration of the blocks.

C.A.N. is here for you to ensure that you are up to the challenges that lay ahead.  If you would like to discuss the transition to college and how C.A.N. can be of assistance, please fill out the contact us page on our website. http://www.canstudentconsultants.com/

High School was one thing, but understanding the expectations of each professor can be challenging.  While a good amount of college students choose to not read their syllabus, I would like to stress that key information for successful completion of a course could be embedded in the syllabus.  The key to your success could be in your binder, and you haven’t read it.

It is true that a few professors don’t construct a syllabus in a way that it can be beneficial to you.  That is a very small percentage.  The majority will have things in there like:

Test dates

Assignment descriptions (sometimes they never mention the assignment and when you don’t submit it you get a failing grade!)

Pet peeves (pulling out your cell phone can get you a failing or lower grade just because they wrote it in the syllabus  — and you didn’t even realize that they saw you!)

Online assignments (sometimes there are assignments that are never discussed in class that you must do online)

Other expectations of professors range from being:

responsible for your education (not blaming others for poor performance, etc.);

highly motivated to succeed; 

attending class regularly;

completing all assignments;

collaborating with peers;

using available help to achieve academic success (tutoring center, etc.)

changing what you are doing if it is not working;

demonstrating a passion for learning;

managing your emotions;

having realistic self-confidence about themselves and their ability to succeed in college.

C.A.N. is here for you to ensure that you are up to the challenges that lay ahead.  If you would like to discuss the transition to college and how C.A.N. can be of assistance, please fill out the contact us page on our website. http://www.canstudentconsultants.com/