As an incoming freshman last year, I found it extremely helpful to develop a set of skills and characteristics that would benefit me in my years at Penn State Altoona. From that skillset and character traits I deemed necessary, I was able to pick out the two most important skills to obtain and the two most beneficial character traits. The skills include time management and a strong work ethic, while the character traits I intend to proclaim necessary are responsibility and a positive attitude.
I one-hundred-percent attribute all of my early success in college here at Penn State Altoona to the my revamped time management skills and work ethic, along with being responsible/accountable and looking for the best in all situations.
Managing Time & Developing Work Ethic
The first skill that I think students should develop while attending Penn State is time management. Time management is the ability to use my time wisely and be efficient with my actions. By managing my time well, I got to work ahead on assignments, spend more time thinking about the assignments, budget my time for other needs such as eating, sleeping, exercising, and socializing. The way I developed my time management skills was to get myself involved with many things on campus, being on an athletic team, and challenging myself to stay on top of my own schedule. Ways I developed my time management skills outside of campus include reading books like Kevin Kruse’s 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management and also reviewing articles. The article that left the greatest impression on me was What is Time Management? written by the Mind Tools Content Team. This book and article were extremely helpful in sharpening my time management skills.
The second skill I believe students should develop while they are at Penn State is a strong work ethic. I’ve always believed, I get out what I put into something. This is true regarding higher education. I would describe a strong work ethic as a desire to do everything in my power to achieve a goal. As a second-year student, this is important to me because I recognize that the more effort I put into something the better the product will be. This is not only true for schoolwork; this is also true for creating relationships while I have been at Penn State, practicing for the baseball team, and working out in the fitness center. For those reasons, I found it key to put in 100% effort in everything I do. The places I found the most success for developing a strong work ethic is finding motivation through Jocko Willink’s motivational videos and songs.
Responsibility & Optimistic Attitude
In my mind, when I think of which character traits are most important for one to develop while at Penn State, the first thing that comes to my head is to be responsible. Being responsible is to take accountability for myself and my actions. The best way I found to develop this skill is to hold myself to the highest standard possible and be tough on myself at times if I realize I’m not meeting that standard. Another way I was able to develop this skill was to observe others and surround myself with others who hold themselves to high standards because I tend to be an individual who conforms to those who I am with and surrounding myself with. Life lessons from parents have also been instrumental in my development of responsibility. Parents take experiences and help you realize what you can be doing better with reinforcement.
The net trait I believe was key to develop while I am at Penn State was a positive attitude. Looking at opportunities with a stellar attitude has opened up new point of views for me and has urged me to put myself out there. This new perspective has completely changed me as a person since high school. I have enjoyed so many new things by not turning my nose up at it with initial disgust. Just like with the character trait, responsibility, I found most success in gaining this character trait through videos on social media, podcasts, and even some articles online including one from Johns Hopkins, The Power of Positive Thinking. This article reshaped my views and has helped me realize what a positive outlook on life can really do for me. The sheer encouragement to have a positive outcome and the results others got with the attitude change has really driven me to see how important it is and ultimately drove me to make the change as well.
As cliche as it may sound, it is true, college is a completely different animal than high school. It requires changes in your lifestyle to be successful and these were a few I made. Being able to change for the better like this has granted me access to territories I never thought I would discover including the likes of succeeding as not only a student by making Dean’s List every semester so far, but also has been a direct feeder into my work output on the baseball field. I one-hundred-percent attribute all of my early success in college here at Penn State Altoona to the my revamped time management skills and work ethic, along with being responsible/accountable and looking for the best in all situations.
4 thoughts on “Skills, Characteristics Essential to be Successful”
My first reaction when I see this blog is noticing how organized it is. After reading this blog, I learned what time management is and how to apply it to my daily tasks through the article that is recommended. When high school ended, I knew college was going to be tough, but I never realized how much time and effort you really have to put into it. College is no joke and you have to learn these types of things and take it seriously. I wish you the best in your with your future. Good luck!
lmb6638
Very detailed, and well-organized article! I really liked the time management section, it’s something I talked about in mine and it’s something I’ve learned to get good at during my time here at Penn State Altoona. It’s tough to get all my assignments done, study, lift, go to practice, eat enough, and sleep enough sometimes so having good time management skills is crucial. I also agree with your point about college being a completely different animal than high school. It was tough going from having 2 online classes to having 17 credits in my first semester. Keep up the good work!
mom5950
Alex, I thought your article was intriguing. I enjoyed how you mentioned specific books and people that you listen to become better with your skills and traits. While we have different majors, it was cool to see that we both value specific skill sets, such as time management and a strong work ethic. I definitely will try your methods for becoming better with those skills. I learned new ways to become better and strengthen my mindset from reading your article. I can tell that using these methods, will have many benefits for you in the future, through jobs or life in general.
Louie Ruggeri
I agree with your statement in your blog that time management is the first step towards success. By prioritizing effectively, one can find themselves with surprising amounts of extra time. It is impressive to see how you have been able to balance both your academic and baseball successfully at Penn State. and I found it interesting when you mentioned how positive thinking has completely transformed your outlook and contributed to your success. It is obvious that good thoughts have a significant impact on our actions.
I hope that you continue to expand your knowledge and develop your positive traits during your time at PSU. Wish you the best of luck and much success in all your future endeavors!
Lujia Zhang