This is a topic every student would love to understand because of the benefits embedded in the two. While some get distracted from their academics because of their social life, some focus too much on their academics without a break. The two extremes thereby miss out on one vital part of the balance. There is a need for balance to avoid lagging on both sides of life.
Academics is the day-to-day activities you engage in to excel in your course of study or chosen field. When you think of academics, what comes to your mind is school, writing materials, assignments, good grades, examinations, projects, etc. An academic period is a period seen as a consecrated period that must not be diluted with any other activities. Most times, your parents would have counseled you on why you should avoid every other activity outside your school work.
The question now is what a social life is. Since you have the basic understanding of social studies being the study of the interaction between a man and his environment. Therefore, social life is the life you live interacting with your environment to get pleasure. It is also a crucial part of every living being. You must interact with those around you, e.g., your classmates, housemates, teachers, friends, partners, etc.
Building on these definitions, it is important to have a successful mixture of the two raw materials to get a sumptuous meal. As a student, your academics are very important, and you must strive to stand out in it. Meanwhile, your interaction with others and relaxation period is also necessary.
Five Routers to an Effective Balance
There are ways to do things to get the best result. If you don’t want to do it in the usual way that yields no result, then you should do it in the best possible way. Here are a few practical steps to achieve the best balance system:
Understand Yourself
Why most students fail woefully when it comes to balancing because they are trying to compare themselves with another person. They either have a friend who is very social and does well academically or a friend who does well academically and is very antisocial. Don’t try to be someone else when it comes to YOU. Know what works for you and what does not work for you.
If you enjoy reading alongside socializing, it’s fine. But if socializing too much can kill your reading morale, then you should know how to prioritize. Understand the time you enjoy reading and doing academic work–early morning or late night. Also, know when your body wants to rest and interact with the environment–don’t force it.
Do the Two at the Right Time
Now that you understand that socializing is part of human nature, it is very important to know when to do it. Don’t surf the internet to gist with your friends when you are supposed to be browsing the search engines for assignments. There are times you’ll feel like you’re missing out if you don’t go out with your friends or check trends, but no, you won’t. Your learning time should be your learning time and social time should be your social time.
Have a Planner
Most students find it difficult to stick to a planner, some even forget about the planner over time. To successfully balance your academics with your social life, you need a regulator.
Your planner is like an alarm that tells you to take a break or withdraw from the break. It also helps to give you a contingency plan. For example, if you are supposed to be in class and the teacher refuses to show up, then you can decide to work on another assignment.
The importance of this router is to show you the stones that are not necessary for your meal. When you use a planner, you’ll know how to say NO to some unnecessary invitation.
Ask the Why Question
While studying hard to get a good grade, understand that, in the end, you’ll still have to use it to interact with those around you. After school, you’ll work with firms, bodies, and groups of people. So, build a healthy lifestyle while still in school. Go to that party because you understand the “why” behind it.
As a student, you may need to join groups and clubs where you rub minds together with great minds. People who will share with you the definition of real life. They’ll make you understand what you wouldn’t have gotten if you were to study alone.
Knit the Two Together
As a student, your social lifestyle must be in line with your academics, it shouldn’t distract you from it. Any lifestyle that is distracting you from your academics should not be considered. Your academic routine should alone have a positive impact on your social life.
You should be able to separate the two and also connect the two. Let the two terms shape your life positively and not the other way around. List the things you do that are not necessary, and fix positive socializing and academic work.
As a student, it may be impossible but when you set your priorities right, you can still achieve a productive one. The most important thing about balancing is understanding, setting realistic goals, and living a pleasant/fulfilling life. Don’t horde your skills because of your academics and don’t affect your academics because of lack of proper planning.
