Time spent in college or university is one of the most productive periods of your life. Besides offering you an opportunity to gain valuable knowledge on the subjects you care about, this amazing time also allows you to develop skills you will definitely find useful throughout life.

These skills are known as “soft skills.” This term is used to mark the qualities that can be easily transferred from one field of operation to another, proving that a person who mastered them is capable of adapting to different situations and circumstances.

Here is a list of top 5 such skills you can acquire while being a student.

1. Networking

Whether you are an outgoing person or as a quiet type, one of the first crucial skills you will learn during your student years is definitely how to make connections.

Regardless of your personal preferences concerning networking, time spent in college or university will show you that creating a broad network helps you get all the information you need. This can make an important difference sometimes, regardless of where the information exchange takes place: in front of an information board in the hall, within a student Facebook group, or via WhatsApp.

Building professional and personal connections is a skill that will not only help you become successful but will also assist you in creating meaningful relationships that can leave a positive mark on your life.

2. Research skills

There is no student without a paper due with deadline that seems impossible. Such a task may look like a burden now, but all the assignments you have to write today will undoubtedly pay off in the future. The ability to conduct good research (and back it up with concise, analytical thinking) is a skill that, once mastered, has the ability to move mountains.

3. Time management

The life of a student is a constant challenge, spent between preparing the papers you need to submit within deadlines, making sure you are ready for the exams, and yet, finding the time to hang out with your friends. What better opportunity to try to use this period for your long-term benefit?

Learning how to maintain your close connections successfully, take care of all the obligations, and still have some time left to enjoy yourself is a skill that everyone wants. It takes some trial and error, but the effort you invest in building your time management skills will definitely pay off big time. Not sure if you can do it on your own? Try it with the help of some of the most effective time management apps, such as Evernote or FocusBooster.

4. Patience

Good things come to those who wait. One of the most important skills that you will acquire as a student is definitely the underestimated power of patience.

Not everything in life goes as we planned it when we planned it, and the way it should. By the time you are in college or university, you have probably started to grasp that on a more serious, profound level. Learning to wait and not lose faith when things don’t turn out the way we wanted them right away is a skill that will, once you master it, turn your life around.

5. Persistence

Success doesn’t come without knowledge and capability, but its inseparable companion is a don’t-give-up attitude. It takes courage to stay persistent, and during your student years, you will surely have plenty of opportunities to see that for yourself. Persistence is a key ingredient for achieving greatness, and the time you spend as a student offers a marvelous opportunity to make it one of your strengths.

Final thoughts

There’s more to education than simply getting your diploma. The skills you acquire during this time can become effective tools, essential to making you truly successful.

In your pursuit of excellence, make sure that developing these top 5 skills becomes a part of your daily routine.

Lauren Adley is a writer and editor at Assignment Writing. She is dedicated to her family, work and friends. She is keen on reading, playing the guitar and traveling. She is interested in educational, marketing and blogging issues. Feel free to connect with her on Twitter and Google+.