Hi friends, welcome back to Absolutely Azanique. I know for myself, that far too often I feel like I can’t get “it” together and now I know I’m not the only one because a few people requested this post (Soul-Sistas, hey girl!) So let’s talk about it!
The first thing I discovered, many times after repeating this nonstop to myself, was that I had no idea what my “it” was. I just felt chaotic. Like everything was everywhere and everyone was no where to be found, ya know? Even though it took, what felt like 5ever, I tackled that feeling! Here’s how:
- Find your “it” – For some of us, your “it” could be school. Ranging anywhere from study skills, picking a major or getting to class on time. For others, your “it” is professional
development related such as creating the best CV, finding an internship or perfecting your elevator pitch. If your “it” is fitness, consider checking out my workout post: How to get back on your workout grind! The sooner you find your “it”, the sooner you will be able to take control. [Quote Insight:
What you don’t tackle, will tackle you
If you’re looking for books on overall self-help, health & fitness, faith, building your confidence or anything else in between, take a look at my new
Helpful Reading List with 30+ books!
2. Research– After you’ve narrowed down your “it”, take time to research possibilities or options to solve your problem. Try different study strategies such as recording lectures, only hand-writing notes, creating study groups, reviewing notes with/without music and studying/prepping for class in different settings. [I found this great post that talks about everything from planners, active listening and organization that provides addition links to the information provided: Good Habits for College Students] For career/professional development/majors try stopping at your university career center. Check out your college website with all the majors and their possible job opportunities that would come for a person in that field [WCIDWAMI].
Also, never be afraid to look online for help. 
There are tons of free resumes templates and resume builders online [Virtual Resume Review for ECU students]. There are mock interview questions for you to practice, social networks just for professional connections & relationships [LinkedIn] and tips on putting together the perfect elevator pitch [Elevator Pitch Tips.] I can’t tell you guys how many times I’ve been stumped for answers so I’ve used Pinterest (Maybe not for hardcore medical advice or something that extreme, right?) Basically, try different techniques and ask for help! [How to Slay the Job & Internship Hunt via FindSpark] There are tons of willing people and online resources, especially for college students. If you can’t find something in particular, feel free to email me & I’ll try to locate things: azaniquerawl@aol.com
3. Try things out- By now you have all these resources, different pieces of advice & strategies so put them in action. Take a week to try out your new habits. So if you’re changing you note-taking and learning techniques, vary between styles for the week then at the end of the week, make a summary of what you learned most/grasped the best with 
each technique then use that one!
If you’re working on getting back on your workout grind, try working out at different times of the day for a week and use different resources such as fitness classes (most campuses offer 1-week of free classes when the semester begins & communities offer cheap Zumba classes quite often) running outside, going to a gym (most places have free or very cheap 1-day passes) or using YouTube for videos. [Workout grind tips!]
If you are deciding on CV/Cover Letter/Resume styles– try 4 different set-ups, make sure each set matches, then take them to be reviewed. [Get your resume to stand out] Take them to your career center, to one of your friends/family members that works in HR (or just knows what they are doing), your mentor, favorite professor, boss/supervisor or anyone. An additional set of eyes will help pick up mistakes & be able to provide constructive feedback.
4. Reflect & Celebrate- Okay, so you’ve made it through your trial period. Now what? Well, based on the results of your trials you either move forward or go back to the beginning. Maybe you tried only 2 different study techniques but neither of those works – Try something new. If you hated working out alone, try grabbing a friend to come with you or make new friends in your workout classes. If recording lectures didn’t work for you, try handwriting and reviewing everyday instead of every week.
With anything you received feedback on, such as CV/cover letter/resume, take time to sort through all the feedback and make the necessary adjustments.
If you’ve succeeded and have been able to tackle your “it”, CONGRATS! Make it a habit to use whatever techniques worked well for you and don’t be afraid to change it up, if you feel something just isn’t clicking anymore.
One of the biggest things to remember is that change does not come over night. No matter what it is that you are not happy with, you have to work at everyday (or almost everyday) to really see results. Dedicate the time and effort, you will definitely reap the benefits!
Have a great week everyone, I would love to get your feedback on my blog thus far. To contact, please email: azaniquerawl@aol.com
[…] like you are falling behind, try a new studying method. I mentioned a few in my last post here: Getting it together! Try reaching out to your classmates and put together a study group or take advantage of your […]