Unlocking a Growth Mindset at University

How you see the world will impact what you do when you face challenges and obstacles. If you have a fixed mindset, you’re more likely to respond poorly to criticism, give up when times are tough, and feel threatened when others succeed. In contrast, if you have a growth mindset, you’re more likely to persevere, learn from your mistakes, and take inspiration from other people.

It’s clear that having a growth mindset will serve you well at university. A bad grade will push you to try harder next time, make better use of your study time, or seek out support from your professors — even if you’re feeling upset about your failure.

If you don’t already prescribe to a growth mindset, it’s time to change that. There are a few things to do.

1. Use the Feedback You Receive

Often, when students receive a grade for an assignment or exam, their professors also provide them with feedback about where they went wrong and how to improve next time. Many students only give this feedback a glance — especially if they received a low grade and are feeling frustrated by their performance. However, this means you’re missing out on a major opportunity to improve and avoid making similar mistakes in the future.

If your professor didn’t provide you with feedback or there’s not enough detail for you to understand what you should have done differently, take advantage of office hours. Most professors will be impressed by your initiative and will be happy to go through your paper or test in depth to provide you with productive criticism that you can apply to future work.

2. Celebrate Your Friends’ Achievements

Other people succeeding (even when you don’t) is never something negative. If your friends accomplish their goals — whether they’re elected to a student organization, land a great internship, or get accepted to a study abroad program — celebrate with them. This doesn’t reflect poorly on you. Remember, it may take longer for you to see success and your path may look completely different. Whatever the case, take inspiration in the achievements of those close to you.

3. Try Even When You’re Unsure If You’ll Succeed

There may be extracurriculars or electives you’d like to try but decide against because you’re unsure if you’ll do well. This is a fixed mindset. To unlock a growth mindset, acknowledge that you’ll never know until you try and you’ll be unable to improve unless you practice. Seek out new challenges and activities even if there’s a chance you’ll fail the first time.

4. Never Give Up

The most important aspect of having a growth mindset is refusing to give up. If you’re struggling at university, there are always resources to help you, including your academic advisor, the campus writing centre, and tutors. If you search for a solution, you’re sure to find one.

Part of unlocking a growth mindset is seeking out opportunities to make your life more positive. One way to do this is to move off campus and into great student housing. You’ll find apartments near Brock University at Regent. Upgrade to a private bedroom in a fully-furnished suite with conveniences like electronic locks, a smart TV, laundry facilities, and fast Wi-Fi. Take a tour to see the suites and onsite amenities for yourself.