For many students, college is about just getting through the day, the week, or their degree. If this is the case, they most likely haven't asked themselves: "Why are you at college and how is it serving your bigger dream?"
Judy May Murphy, a success coach and author of "Your Life Only a Gazillion Times Better," wants college students to ask themselves these questions because the answers can help change their life for the better.
Murphy said students need to have bigger expectations for college than to get through classes with good grades.
"Habits start here (in college) to develop an amazing life." Murphy said.
Having bigger goals for yourself helps to develop a better attitude. Murphy gave the example that most people come to college with the goal of not gaining weight, the dreaded "Freshmen Fifteen."
Rather than focusing on what you don't want to happen, Murphy suggests thinking about what you want. Say that you want an incredible body and work towards it.
"In college you are dreaming too small for your day," Murphy said. "Focus on making the day as magical as possible and you can have a completely different day."
Many students make excuses for not working out, doing their homework, or participating in something because they think they are too busy.
"It's not even that you are too busy. Your day feels busy because you are not excited about what you are doing," Murphy said.
As a life coach, Murphy notices that when people are weak in a subject they tend to avoid it, it gets harder for them and the problem gets worse. To counteract the problem you should get excited about it.
"If you have to take a science class or math class and you hate it. Go to the professor and let them know that math isn't your thing and ask what are the best courses or the best way to do it." Murphy said. "Professors want you to learn!"
Murphy also suggested seeking out people who are good in math but struggling in English and see if you can tutor each other (or vice versa). In other areas where you are struggling, go to the person who's the best _ whether in sports, math, managing money or making friends and "find out what you can do to achieve the same thing."
The same philosophy can be applied to life after graduation. Most people who graduate or are planning to ask themselves how they are going to get a job and pay off their loans. Murphy suggested taking an alternate route by asking, "How can I live the most amazing life and contribute to society?"
Rather than going on an endless circuit of interviews to jobs that you aren't excited about, you will be doing something you enjoy.
Murphy gave the recent success story of the inventors of Google as an example: "They met in college doing what they love. When they graduated they didn't say `we graduated now we have to give this up and get real jobs,'" Murphy said.
"Focus on how to leave college out of debt and in great shape- physically, spiritually and emotionally. That way you won't panic when you leave." By working on making your life amazing in college, Murphy said you will be ready to continue it once you get into the real world.
Murphy gave this advice for college students to keep in mind: "Remember when you leave college anything is possible. You get to design your life!"
(Beth Ward is a senior studying journalism at the University of Maryland in College Park, and former KRT Campus intern.)
