Let’s be honest: college is hard. Between classes, new routines and trying to find time for yourself, not fully understanding an assignment or not having enough time to study for an exam is inevitable.

There is no room for perfectionism or unrealistic expectations of yourself, and dealing with failure or setbacks is a learning moment in life. Anything from failing a test to misunderstanding an expectation someone has for you is okay as long as you’re doing the best you can. Learning takes time, and with learning comes adapting and understanding that failure happens.

College is designed to challenge you mentally and academically, so the next time you beat yourself up over that C in a class, remember there is still time to raise your grade. Being realistic about expectations helps relieve the idea of eventual failure. Having expectations for yourself is not negative until you overextend and set unattainable goals.

Coping with failure can look different depending on the situation. 

Sometimes you can deal with academic failure by brushing it off and trying again. Other times, it’s important to better your knowledge in the subject by spending more time studying or going to your professor’s office hours. I deal with academic failure by taking a step back and understanding where I must improve in the subject. 

There are multiple ways to cope with personal failures, such as letting it go or reviewing your actions and learning how to change. Personal failure can be more detrimental to your understanding of yourself, and remembering not to allow yourself to overthink the situation is one of the best things to do for your mindset.

It is important to recognize failure and understand there are ways to improve and try again. Giving yourself room to face challenges and accept defeat is a healthy mindset for a college student.