The book that I picked for this project is called How to Win at College: Surprising Secrets for Success from the Country’s Top Students by Cal Newport. This book seems ordinary and instructional, but if you give it an honest try, you’ll discover a satisfying truth. When I was choosing a book to read for the remainder of the semester, I was motivated to find the right book. What is the “right” book you might ask? Well, I wanted a book that not only addressed the issues that college students face but was also relatable. We, as college students, are all aware of the hardships of being a college student. However, when these problems are discussed, they’re presented as easily resolvable. The reality is, some of these problems might be easy resolve, but the life of a college student is extremely complex and stressful. Oversimplifying the problem and providing basic solutions doesn’t really help. For me, that’s what set this book aside from the other books that I could have picked.

This book  addresses almost all the issues that college students across the country are dealing with. From procrastination to sleep deprivation, the book covers it all. Not only did the book address many different issues, but the author also provided many different solutions. The problem that I wanted to tackle was procrastination. I read this book in search of a way to train myself to do my assignments sometime prior to their due dates. With that being said, I made a goal to submit all my assignments at least a day before the due date.

How Did the Book Connect to My Goal?

According to the author of the book, one way to beat procrastination is to do some part of all the assignments the day they’re assigned. Whether it is setting up the temple for the paper due in three weeks, or preparing for the math exam that’s in two weeks, doing some work on the assignment the day it’s assigned gets you in the mindset to not procrastinate. This practice allows you to stay mindful of the assignments, regardless of how big or small the project is. It could be math homework that’s due in three day, it doesn’t matter. What matters is the practice of knowing what’s expected of you, when it is expected, and how much work awaits you. Ultimately, this allows you to use your time wisely and not to overwhelm yourself last minute, scrambling to put together an assignment that was meant to take time in a day or so. 

Strategies From the Book:

The main strategy I took from the book was making sure that I was using the time that I was given for assignments wisely. I decided that, as the book suggested, I would do something towards any assignment the day it is assigned. I also decided that regardless of the project, I would submit it at least a day before it is due. As I started doing this, I was tracking it using Carmen. Usefully, Carmen not only gives you the due date for the assignments, but also the submission dates and times. I used this tool to try my progress. 

Tracking My Progress:

For the assignments below, my goal was to finish and submit them ahead of the due date. Obviously I was able to do this, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t assignments where I was unable to submit the assignment a day or so before the due date due to circumstances. The pictures above don’t mean that I have completely overcome procrastination because that would be far from the truth. They mean that for a short while, I was able to achieve my goal. 

Tough Times

This strategy not only works, it also motivates you to keep going and to keep getting a head start on all projects. For me, it was working up until the cancellation of the semester. Prior to spring break, life, as we know it, was normal. However, we now live in unprecedented times. It’s crazy to think that we are living through a global pandemic. I think it is fair to say that life is no longer normal, and that fact is changing how our world functions. With all classes being moved online, I can honestly say that this is one hectic introduction to college as a first year student. 

Takeaways:

My first year of college hasn’t been easy, but nothing good comes easily. The harder you work, the greater the reward. This, among others, is one of the tips I learned from the book. This is one of the most insightful and helpful books I have ever read. Prior to reading this book, I knew what I needed to do in order for me to make it through college and graduate. I had somewhat of a plan, but as we all know, having a plan and carrying it out are totally different things. 

This book taught me that being successful in college is entirely dependent on the person’s willingness to put in the work. Most people believe that being a successful college student means that you’re reading a book and doing school work 24/7. As Cal Newport states, that couldn’t be further from the truth. You can have a successful college career while maintaining a healthy and fun lifestyle. This is one of the motivational factors that I got from reading this book. I was one of the many students who believe that being successful in college means you have to have no social life. The author convinced me that as a college student, you can do both. 

One of the very helpful tips in this book is having a system. This simple yet extremely helpful idea allows you to have a structured life as a college student. Having a system and a way of doing things makes your life a lot easier, and that’s what this book details.

Overall I learned many different ways to motivate myself to do what I need to do as a college student from this book. I learned ways to talk myself into doing work even when I’m really tired and not feeling like doing school work. This book helped me understand that to graduation, I have a lot of work to do. I’m not saying that I have completely overcome procrastination and not being motivated because that would be a lie. If I’m being honest, I have never been less motivated to do anything because of the environment we’re currently living in. I’m simply saying that I’m now better at understanding that doing what’s necessary is going to get me where I want to be. That’s why I appreciate and recommend this book.