As the month of January continues to go by the majority of college students are on their winter break. However, the Spring 2017 semester will be here in a flash. Therefore here are two helpful suggestions and a list of six strategies to become a more mindful college student during the upcoming spring 2017 semester.

Become open to new perspectives:
People are unique and therefore they may have various perspectives about the world around them that you might not have. This is not a bad thing because by discovering and being open to new perspectives a college student can develop a more mindful attitude. This will help them to learn how to approach new concepts and ideas they will learn throughout the semester. In turn, this will make a college student become more aware about themselves and to understand that not everything in life is perceived the same way by everyone.

Become an active listener: While having a conversation with others do you tend to find that your mind wanders and it is not actively listening? Well, you are not alone in this scenario situation. Many people tend to wander off during conversations with others and they have trouble being an active listener. However, this action hinders the growth of being a mindful college student. So instead of zoning out and having your mind wander, it is best to actually listen to what someone says. When you listen to what a person says versus thinking of what you will say next you become a more active and mindful listener. This change will help you to become a more engaged and mindful college student because the more a person tends to listen to others the more they learn to become an empathetic responder in a conversational setting.

List of strategies to begin the Spring Semester on a positive note:

1. Take good class notes during lectures
2. Watch YouTube tutorial videos
3. Make flash cards with key vocabulary words or key chapter concepts
4. Form a study group with friends or fellow classmates
5. Create a semester schedule on your phone or put it on a piece of paper to keep as a visual reminder to keep track of time between the various semester commitments you have
6. Email or talk to your professor as soon as you have any questions

In conclusion, college is a time of growth in one's life and these are a few key concepts to incorporate into becoming a more mindful college student. Not only can these key concepts be developed during the upcoming Spring 2017 semester but these qualities will even help you to become a more mindful person for future, post-college endeavors.