College plan Blog

Discover the trait likeable people are known for. Your college and career success depends on it.

In all of the 3 semesters Linda had been at school, she’d chosen classes that had “a bunch of jerks” in them. Hmmmm. . . Imagine that. In a year and a half of school, in meeting hundreds of people, Linda keeps running in to jerks.

Are there jerks at school? Of course, name a school that doesn’t have them. However, what’s up with Linda that she keeps finding them? Is she a jerk magnet?

Well, that could be the problem. Here’s some tough love. We see the world not as it is, but as we are. I don’t think Linda has had Psychology 101 yet, or she would have gotten this lesson.

We need to be the person we want to attract. Linda needs to lighten up and to become more aware of how she’s coming across to people. And, with respect, I told her so. We actually ended up spending some time together chatting more about this.

Let me give you an important insight and share with you: THE TRAIT LIKEABLE PEOPLE ARE KNOWN FOR.

Don’t you find it easy to approach and make friends with people who have a happy, upbeat attitude? Those who have something nice to say, who smile, and who are genuinely interested in what other people have to say?

Nothing attracts people more than being a positive person who sincerely enjoys the company of other people. Study after study tells us that the most important factor that goes into determining how successful you will be is how well you get along with people.

Happy people who like being around others and enjoy listening to them (more than making the conversation all about them) are likely to rise to the top of the success ladder and to stay there.

Look for the best in yourself, in your circumstances, and in others. You will find it.

“America’s College to Career Success Coach,” Crystal Jonas Bevans invites you to join her free TapYourGenius.com. Crystal Jonas Bevans is a highly sought after professional speaker and the author of four college success books including “College Success Your Way, What Your Professors Won’t Tell You and Your Friends Don’t Know,” and the “101 Series.” To find out about her books or programs for college students, visit TapYourGenius.com or call 1.800.716.9307.

Tags: attitude, college success skills, college survival, friends, positive attitude, positive thinking

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College tips that no one will tell you, but that are critical to your college success are the essence of my guides for college students, including my book “College Success Your Way” What Your Professors Won’t Tell You and Your Friends Don’t Know.” Some college students haven’t quite thought through some of the things they say on the spur of the moment. Here is one off-handed comment I’ve seen tighten the jaw of many professors. Be socially savvy and spare yourself (and your professor) this much ‘honesty.’ Never, ever admit that you hate the class. I do not care if you consider the admission, as one misinformed student said, “just being honest.” While just being honest is normally a noble trait, there’s no need to have full disclosure about something that might offend the person with the power to flunk you, or to make the semester very unpleasant.

Think for a moment about how many brain cells your professor has sacrificed on the academic alter to get her PhD (or Master’s, for that matter) in her chosen field.

Quite a bit, thanks for asking.

For years, she gave up watching television, spending time with friends, and reading books with no social redeeming value so that she could devote her time to study, write and research, days, months, and years on end to immerse herself in this particular subject.

Now, you’re going to moan and groan about how this course has nothing to do with your chosen career field, and you can’t for the life of you understand why anyone in her right mind would make her life’s work in this silly subject for Pete’s sake, and why, oh why, couldn’t you just take only those classes which have real appeal for you?

Let me give you some tough love here. A college education purposefully exposes

you to a well-rounded education. If you only want to study one topic, see if you can get into a trade school somewhere.

A balanced curriculum is one of the great benefits of advanced education. To complain about a class and go on about how you don’t see its value not only insults the person who has made it the nucleus of her work, it also makes it look like you don’t “get” the concept of higher ed. Such is not a great way to impress your teacher.

Raise your awareness about how your professor feels about her chosen career field. Too many clueless students have innocently stated that they can’t stand the class they’re in, nor can they fathom why they have to be subjected to the torture of taking the class when they can see no value to it.

What in the world would possess them to say such a thing right in front of the teacher? Not only right in front of her, but sometimes, right to her face? Who knows? Just don’t you be one of those clueless college kids who runs like a bulldozer over the teacher by going on about how stupid and useless the class is. It will only reflect poorly on you.

Your professor’s impression of you, like it or not, will be consciously or subconsciously in her mind every single time she grades one of your assignments or tests. Give her the opportunity to think the best of you.

So, if you don’t like the class, you’re probably not the only one, just keep it to yourself.

Author of four collge success books including “College Success Your Way, What Your Professors Won’t Tell You and Your Friends Don’t Know,” and the “101 Series,” Crystal Jonas Bevans is recognized at America’s “College to Career Success Coach.” To find out about her books or programs for college students, go to http://TapYourGenius.com or call 1.800.716.9307.