Should resiliency be treated as a core study skill?

Resiliency is an attribute that allows us to withstand difficulty and overcome challenges with ease.

In the working world, being resilient also means being adaptable; a sign that you don’t allow certain issues to get the better of you. Instead, you plough on through the workflow like a trooper and speedily spring back into shape.

As you can imagine, employers love to see this skill in action, viewing it as a demonstration of maturity and an excellent work ethic.

And that helps make you employable! Source: Giphy

So, should resiliency be treated as a core study skill at university?

As The Globe and Mail  points out, the subject is being heavily implemented in youth summer camps across the world. It has quickly become “one of the qualities parents want most for their children”, allowing learners to confidently face day-to-day struggles and concerns.

By taking a pathway that instils you with real-world perspectives and opportunities outside the classroom, you’re bound to experience unforeseen obstacles you have to conquer at one time or another.

We think resilience is so important, we’ve put it right into our mission. Thrilled to speak to @globeandmail for this article on how outdoor adventure builds #resilience in youth. You can check it out in today’s print edition too! https://t.co/f7YeFAfMBP pic.twitter.com/Tj9HZ00mo3

— Outward Bound Canada (@OutwardBoundCan) July 17, 2018

This being the case, it’s time for us to revamp the traditional study skills format to inject a contemporary necessity firmly into the mix.

Instead of playing it safe and sticking to CV workshops, essay preparation seminars and presentation skills forums, universities should update their study strategies and make space for new academic approaches.

Of course, the basic framework should stay the same, but when choosing your future institution, ensure it’s staying relevant and changing up curricula to fit current industry trends.

Study skills should offer more. Source: Giphy

University is a crucial time in your life in which you develop practical expertise and direct your personal goals towards success.

But what happens if your aspirations and ambitions don’t turn out the way you’d hoped? Or what if your academic path suddenly changes and you’re now on a different route than first expected?

This is where resiliency thrives. Rather than allowing negativity to take effect, you’ll assess the situation and accept the new cards life has dealt you – which could potentially lead you to a much better outcome.

Strength and resilience are key study skills. Source: Giphy

How can I learn to be resilient through study skills? 

The way that a university chooses to teach resiliency is up to them, but there are three core elements to a successful study skills experience.

• Prepare for the unexpected

By presenting you with random tasks and spur-of-the-moment activities, an informative lesson into the art of resilience will allow you to problem-solve and to create quick solutions.

• Focus, relax and cool down

If you’re being taught how to deal with academic stress, you’re also being taught how to withstand situations of panic. In the case of an overdue essay, for example, or an instance in which your paper was marked incorrectly, you’ll know how to cool down, remain calm and focus on your next move.

• Explore lessons that have an adventurous twist

By escaping the seminar room or immersing yourself in a team-building atmosphere, your mind will roam free and so will your expertise. You’ll be put on the spot and will feel obliged to engage with the challenging tasks in front of you – a perfect way to build character!

With these three techniques in your arsenal, you’ll raise your resiliency game and feel ready to take on whatever life throws at you. This is an asset that stays with you throughout graduate life and into a lasting career.

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