For many, starting college is a step out of their comfort zone. Most likely, you will be leaving your hometown and going separate ways with your childhood and high school friends. And confidence is what you need to ease into your new life. However, this is one personality trait many students lack.
So, is confidence a quality or a personality trait? Well, it is a debatable topic among researchers. But the point is, you can always work on confidence, develop it as a quality, and add it to your personality.
If you feel nervous and aren’t ready to start college life yet, here are eight proven ways to appear and feel more confident in college. And if you don’t have enough time to work on it because of your studies, you can rely on an academic help service and pay for homework to free up some time from dealing with all the assignments.
How to Be More Confident in College
Dress Well and Maintain Good Posture
Dressing well may be a cliche, but it makes a huge difference in how composed you appear. Because if you look good, you feel good, which in turn, boosts your confidence. Confidence comes from a sense of security and self-assurance.
Besides, it is human nature to treat well-dressed people with respect. In many real-life instances, people often feel intimidated by a neat-looking, sharp-dressed individual, giving them more respect.
A good posture is a cherry on top for someone who maintains a clean and tailored look. Good posture helps you appear even more self-assured and leave a lasting impression on people you meet.
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
The comfort zone is the worst place to be in. Getting out of this zone is uncomfortable at first, but achievers never dwell in a place that hinders growth. Challenge yourself to do one task each day that forces you out of your comfort. It could be asking a classmate to have lunch with you, standing up to answer a question in class, or addressing a group of people. Take out your bucket list and tick items off one by one. The more actions you will take, the more confident you will feel.
Take the Initiative and Strike Up Conversations With Strangers
You might feel uneasy initiating conversations as an introvert or a socially anxious person. But know that on the other side of fear is the chance of making great friends for life. So, in your pursuit of becoming more assertive, take the initiative in social settings. You can start by giving a simple compliment to a total stranger. Don’t expect outcomes just yet. Let the conversations flow naturally.
Sometimes your compliment may turn into a full-fledged chit-chat session, and sometimes a “thank-you” would be it. Don’t let this stop you from taking a chance. Be polite, respectful, and non-desperate.
Join a Club of Your Interest
Another way to put yourself out there and face your fears is by joining a college club where you can express yourself. It can be a musical, theater and arts, media and publication, book reading, or community service club.
A club based on your interests will help you surround yourself with like-minded people with common topics to talk about. You can take this opportunity to participate in club discussions, excel at expressing yourself, and make new friends in college.
Once you have a group of like-minded friends, you will start feeling more at ease in your surroundings and confident in your demeanor.
Seek Leadership Positions
In the series of “getting out of comfort zone,” one of the best additions would be seeking a leadership position in college. The work required to grab attention, show people your worth, and bag a leadership role will compel you to come out of your shell.
From networking with other club members to sharing ideas for the betterment of the club, you have to come into the limelight. Then you can run for a position when elections are held.
Once you start aiming for a leadership role, you will be surprised to see your confidence shoot up. You only have to challenge yourself and break the self-made barriers.
Don’t Compare Yourself with Others
The best way to lose self-esteem is by comparing yourself with others. You don’t need to put yourself down like that. Everyone is a different individual with unique challenges and backgrounds. By comparing yourself with them, you are only setting unrealistic expectations for yourself and harming your self-confidence.
Your only competition is your past self, and you should be determined to outgrow yourself. Set personal goals, build a routine, and reward yourself for small achievements. But don’t forget to enjoy your college life along the way.
Fake It Till You Make It
Although you should not take this advice too far like some people who, in order to fake wealth, start taking loans and living a life of luxury. Psychologists suggest that you should fake a quality, an attitude, or a personality trait until you achieve it. In this case, since you want to be confident, fake confidence till you feel self-assured in reality.
Maintain good body language, make eye contact while talking to someone, hide nervousness behind a smiling face, and look poised through your personality. With time, you will feel more comfortable in social settings, classrooms, and other college events naturally.
Let Go of Negative Self-Talk
If you criticize yourself before anyone else and drag yourself into the tank of hopelessness, you will see not only signs of mental struggles, but your body will start responding to it too. Negative self-talk fuels overthinking and anxiety, which lowers your esteem. It further results in pessimism and chronic fatigue, and disinterest in everything.
This is a situation you should try hard not to get into. If you feel such thoughts creeping in, distract yourself with good music, write down your thoughts, and argue why those are not right. You can also try to replace such thoughts with positive affirmations. You will have to force yourself consciously in the beginning, and eventually, a positive self-image will come to you naturally.
Summing Up
It takes conscious efforts to build a sense of self-reliance and surety. Confidence can be broken easily if it is fragile. But if you free yourself of “what others think of you,” you will not be bothered by others’ opinions. We are sure that the above tips will help boost your confidence in college and help you achieve ultimate academic success.
