Being successful at university isn’t all about performing well in class; you need to have some skill sets to help you breeze through university and help you become successful later on in life.
These soft skills cannot be learned from a classroom, but they can be achieved through sheer will and determination.
Responsibility.
If this is your first time away from home, it can be difficult to do things on your own. It might be hard at first, but being responsible will teach you how to become self-sufficient and will benefit you in the long run.
Assertiveness.
You need to learn to stand up for yourself, whether it’s for a debate in class or a fight among roommates in your student housing. Edmonton can be a challenging place to live in, which is why you need to speak out in a way that is not too aggressive nor too passive.
Time management.
You’ll be juggling a lot of things while at university. You need to stay on top of your classes, get a part-time job, create new relationships while maintaining old ones back at home. To avoid overwhelm, plan ahead of time and prepare a schedule to accommodate all these activities. Leave room for error, learn to say “no,” and be prepared to drop things if you have too much on your plate.
Stress management.
If you find yourself struggling in your studies and relationships, there are coping strategies you can learn. Eating healthy meals, working out regularly, and getting adequate sleep are some of the things you can do to manage your stress levels.
Networking.
You need to have good networking skills when you interact with your classmates, professors, and roommates in your student housing. Edmonton is a diverse city, so you’ll get to encounter people from all walks of life to practice your networking skills on. You can sign up for volunteer work or internship, or join a club or an organisation. These will help build strong interpersonal relationships with your coworkers and managers once you get a job after you graduate.
Learning to ask for help.
Do you have a tendency to do all things on your own? Then you need to learn that asking for help is a sign of strength, not an admission of failure. You can ask help from your roommates, classmates, and professors. If you’ve reached the point where you need professional counselling, the University of Alberta, MacEwan University, and Norquest College all offer counselling sessions you can take advantage of.
Leadership.
Being an innate leader will help you quickly climb the corporate ladder. To build leadership skills, take on the role of a leader in your university club, group study, or student government body. This will help you learn how to delegate tasks, resolve conflict, and provide constructive feedback.
Today’s competitive job market requires you to not only have technical knowledge, but to also have these soft skills. Learn them so you’ll thrive once you start looking for jobs and get hired.
