What to Do When a Plan Doesn’t Work Out

There are very few things in life that are certain. We always hope for the best, but there are just times when everything doesn’t go as planned. Life is going to throw curveballs at you from time to time, and knowing how to respond and adapt to these changes is crucial both in and out of college.

These tips will help you deal with the changes in your life and come out on top. Remember, change is inevitable. But it’s up to you to figure out what kind of impact changes have on your life.

Find the Silver Lining

One characteristic of positive people who adapt well to change is that they’re able to find the silver lining in nearly every situation. Maybe you didn’t get accepted to your dream school, but that doesn’t mean that your entire college career at another school will suck. Find the silver lining.

Instead of instantly thinking about all of the negative aspects that come along with change, spin your outlook and think of it positively. You and your best friend aren’t going to the same school? Use the change as an opportunity to make new friends and keep in mind that with text messaging and social media, you’ll still be able to talk to your best friend all the time.

 Look at the Big Picture

In the grand scheme of things, how much of an impact on your life does one change have? There are definitely situations where a change will have a lifelong impact, such as the death of someone close to you. But even in those situations, you have to think about the bigger picture.

Would that person want you to live miserably every day for the rest of your life? Or would they want you to celebrate the things they did while they were alive and live your life to the fullest? Think beyond just the current situation, and start thinking of things from a more holistic point of view.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

Change is tough. Luckily, you don’t have to go through it alone. Reach out to people that you trust, or even consider talking to a therapist of you need to.

There are some people who are great at handling change and prefer to handle it all on their own. But most people will find that it’s much easier to adapt to a change when there’s someone in their corner to help them along the way.

Embrace the Change

Going to college is a huge transition that can be overwhelming for a lot of people. If you’re going to school out of state, you’ll have to deal with separation from your family, new financial responsibilities, and being away from some of your old friends.

Instead of freaking out about how the in the world you’re going to make it through the semester, embrace the change and accept it as a new part of your life.

Learn from the Situation

Use change as an opportunity to learn something new. When you’re used to something in your life being the same for a long period of time, you’re forced to have a new perspective after things get shaken up a bit.

For you to learn from a change, though, you have to go into it with an open mind. To quote Winston Churchill: "A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

Relax

No matter what you’re going through, remember that it will eventually end and it’s just a part of life. Someone who has never experienced change hasn’t done anything worth doing. Being able to remain calm and avoid all the stress that comes along with change will help you get through it much better.

Your “Plan A” might not always work out, but that just opens up the door for something new. Sometimes we need a little change in our lives to grow.

The College Bucket List

Admit it: You already have a bucket list, that long catalog of stuff you’ve got to do before you kick the bucket. But if you don’t have a college edition of that same list, make one now and start working your way down it. Why? So you don’t miss out on any essential college experiences. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Road trip: : Isn’t this the first idea that comes to mind? If you’re looking for a good time, a road trip is pretty much old faithful. Just pick a faraway destination (say, a random fast food restaurant in a different state), get a pack of friends to squeeze into a car that’s on its last legs, turn up the radio, and go.

Sit in on classes you didn’t sign up for: To get the full college experience (on the academic side of things), why not sit in on a class or two? If there’s a course or two that look awesome but you didn’t want to sign up for, show up and take a seat, just once. What’s the worst that could happen? The professor asks you to leave? Chances are they won’t even notice.

Get on the roof: Whether it’s the roof of your dorm, the campus center, or wherever, there’s a way up there, and the view is no doubt amazing. Grab a couple friends and maybe a snack, find your way there (you might have to pick a lock or two), and appreciate it.

Karaoke: This should be on everyone’s bucket list no matter what.

Join a band: What student doesn’t love music? The answer: no student, because everyone in college loves music, and you’re not the only one who has a guitar or instrument lying around. So why not get together and see what you can do? Sad but true: it’s a lot harder to rock out when college is over.

Go streaking: Through the library.

Help out: Sometimes it’s not what you take, but what you give that has the biggest impact. So ask around regarding who or what needs some help in your community. It could be as simple as raking some leaves, painting a fence, or tutoring. Whatever it is, you’ll be glad you did it.

5 Life Lessons You Should Learn Before Graduating

If you’re graduating college (or will be soon), then consider this: at the very least you’re in your early twenties. You aren’t getting any younger and life is about to get far more real. In light of that, here are some life lessons to take with you when you walk across the podium with your diploma in hand:

Stay organized: Now that you’ve handed in an ungodly amount of term papers, sat uncomfortably while completing an innumerable amount of exams, and have slugged countless cups of coffee while cramming in some homework, chances are you might have learned a thing or two about how to organize your time. Now that college is almost in the rearview mirror, don’t leave those organization habits behind. Remember: the world only gets bigger as you progress, meaning you still need to keep track of your obligations and your time.

Keep looking for help: Whether you’ve sought relationship advice from a friend or have stopped by your professor’s office hours for help learning difficult class material, college has hopefully taught you that asking for help is often the best (and fastest) way to adapt or learn something new. With the real world on its way, you’re going to need a crash course on office life, renting apartments, navigating your student loan repayment, and way, way more. When encountering a new experience or something unfamiliar, keep your college spirit alive and look for assistance; there’s no shame in reaching out to make sure you get the job done right. Remember that the best resources you have are your professors from college, your friends (who will be going through the same thing as you), and your parents, who have years, and years, and years of experience.

Appreciate the small stuff: Any college student knows the perils of living and sleeping in the dorms—hot, stuffy, uncomfortable, and crowded. So remember: when you move on from college, be sure to appreciate the small stuff. Life may get real, and financially difficult, but at least you have a little more space, and maybe an air conditioner.

Friendships are meant to last: You’ve probably made some friends and have shared many bonding experiences with them. Don’t throw those memories away even though you might all be moving on to different places. Keep in touch with your friends and you won’t regret it. One truth most college graduates will tell you: it’s much harder making friends once you’re out of school, so it’s wise to keep some of the ones you have.

Keep looking for the next adventure: Just because college is over doesn’t mean you have to play the role of “boring adult.” Keep looking for facets of life that keep you excited to be human—travel when you can, eat good and weird foods, read more, watch old movies, or pick up a crazy sport like rafting or rock climbing. In other words: remember that life is short and you can’t take money with you when its over.