Week 25: November 2, 2024 | |
You will graduate and you will certainly learn.
So what makes the academics so stressful?
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Andrea,
As you were applying to business school, you saw the value of a strong academic record. Maybe your undergraduate GPA was lower than you wanted, and you vowed to do something different this time. Perhaps you thrived the first time and want to replicate your performance. Either way, as you begin a new academic experience, it is easy to focus on the school work you have to do as a way to evaluate the early days of your MBA.
It often surprises people most at schools where grade non-disclosure policies exists - logically, learning is supposed to trump grades, so why are others (and maybe even why are you) so concerned about academic performance?
To be clear, this email is not intended to say that you shouldn't care about grades, but to offer perspective that by this time next year, you'll be a whole lot less worried about them.
Happy studying!
The 100 Week Sprint team
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Got 5 minutes? Take a quick assessment of your top MBA priority at the moment. What takes up most of your time?
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Got 30 minutes? Reach out to a second year to get tips and insights about how to approach academics at school.
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Got an hour? Check out the University of California's SMART Tips to help you stay on track with academics. If academics are not your primary focus, consider shifting your time into the other involvements that will provide a unique differentiator.
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So why am I worrying?
For most people over the past month, there have been many, many changes. For some, it’s location. For others, there have been changes in your personal life. For all of you, you’re back in school, in most cases, for the first time in a while. With so much uncertainty, the first grades (or even case discussions) can be the first tangible indication of whether the experience is going well (or not).
So what can I do about it?
Quite simply: refocus on your goals. For most students, the primary goals at school focused on learning, career pursuits, meeting people, and/or trying new experiences. If you set aside time every week, even just 10 minutes, to focus on what you’ve learned, you’ll begin to see quick signs of progress. And if you find that you’re not making progress, you’ll begin to refocus! Find a friend (bonus points if it’s a second-year student) to hold you accountable.
If you find yourself worrying too much, reach out! There are great academic support services at every school – they won’t let you struggle on your own.
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Tips to manage your stress
Here is a simple four step framework for stress relief from our friends at HumanlyWell.
Each step involves activating one of four senses: sight, touch, sound, and smell.
Sight: Step away from your screens for a change of scenery. Look at a picture, change rooms, go outside or look out a window.
Touch: Time to stand up and move, even if it’s just a walk to the other room. Activate mindfulness to notice the sensation of your feet connecting with the floor. ⠀
Sound: Play your favorite song. Better yet, make a playlist of your favorite songs to listen to on your walk.
Smell: You can use a candle, lotion, or any scent that brings you joy. I keep a lemon essential oil at my desk since the lemon scent is known to be energizing for the body.
Next time you’re feeling stressed, leverage each step of this framework to shift into a more mindful and positive mental state. Mindfulness also helps reduce anxiety, improve cognitive function, and enhance mood and emotional response.
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