By Matt Flaherty

In order to get the most out of college, students have to put a lot of effort in their studies. In other words, you get what you put into college.

There are plenty of students who coast through their two or four years of postsecondary education and earn a degree; however, they do not receive much benefit other than being more mature. There are also many students who work hard to earn their degree, but after being in the workforce, they realize that their education did not give them the necessary skills to be successful.

Then, the college student graduates and starts working in an industry that their college supposedly prepared them for. The difference, then, is that there is no coasting. There are no professors who are willing to extend deadlines on their papers. The supportive social structures of sports, extracurricular activities and classrooms of college no longer exist.

College students certainly have to be able to manage their time well, but are they getting the most out of their dedicated study time? Student athletes benefit from being surrounded by like-minded peers, but what happens when they graduate and don’t have that same social structure anymore? College is a place where students get a new perspective on life; what if this new perspective changes your old relationships?

For most if not all college students, the transition out of school and into the workforce and their career is an exciting, yet stressful, time. So, what kind of skills and strategies can a college student start using and developing in school that will help them for the rest of their lives, regardless of what industry they work in?

College students are on their own to learn the concepts of time management, mindfulness and professional development. This column will serve as a starting point for students looking for these types of resources. To name a few of the resources that will be included, there are podcasts, young professionals’ networking groups in Greater Portland, morning and evening routines, and workplace communication tips.

Here is one productivity tip that has helped countless people with a smartphone. Whether you are studying for a big test, doing some reading or trying to unwind before sleep, your phone can be a huge distraction.

A simple trick for this problem is to put your phone on “Do Not Disturb” mode. iPhones and Androids have this feature, and silence all phone calls and text messages — no vibrations, and the screen won’t even light up. You can always change the settings to allow phone calls from certain people if you are worried about receiving an emergency phone call. In addition to that, if a person calls two times in a row, the phone will bypass its silence settings and ring in case it is an emergency.

This mode is useful for study time, but also helpful if you want to get some “me” time. I hope you find it useful!

Be on the lookout for this column in the next issue of The Beacon, titled “Tips and Tricks for a Better You.”