Discover how harnessing the flow state transformed my academic journey at York School of Continuing Studies. Learn valuable tips for achieving success as an immigrant student and mastering challenging assignments through focused immersion.
Finding & Unlocking the Power of Flow
My experience at the York School of Continuing Studies has been transformative, particularly in understanding the importance of the Flow state in achieving academic success. Deadlines were extremely tight, and despite the understanding and help of the professors, I realized how crucial this particular state of mind was for completing assignments in a short period of time. As an immigrant student in Canada, my initial focus was solely on studies, but I quickly realized that survival was more difficult and there were a lot of things I’d failed to consider before flying.
The Keele Campus Central Building During The June Summer
What is Flow? For me and millions of others, it is a state of extreme consciousness where one is 100 per cent focused on getting the job done and is completely optimistic with zero negative outcomes in mind. Psychologically, Flow, also known as being "in the zone," is the mental state in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process. In essence, flow is characterized by complete absorption in what one does, resulting in a transformation in one's sense of time. Flow is the merging of action and consciousness, finding a balance between skill and the challenge of the task. It requires a high level of concentration and, if used properly, can unlock the skill of performing miracles at will.
For a deep psychological outlook on the state of Flow
The Various Stages of Consiouscesness and Where the " Flow " Lies
The Anime That Activated “Flow”: Navigating Challenges at York
I found out about the state of Flow through the most unlikely source of them all: an anime called "Blue Lock." Blue Lock is a sports anime, and to help understand what it means to me and what I've learned from this seemingly unlikely source of an essential life skill, I'm going to set the stage. Blue Lock takes place in post-World Cup Japan after the country's defeat in 2018. The coach and game master of Blue Lock believes that the country's loss could be attributed to the lack of strong individual scoring ability, which he attributes to the country's strong cultural emphasis on filling one's assigned role and working as a cohesive unit. In order to win, Japan will need a revolutionary striker who possesses a strong sense of individuality and the ability to go beyond their assigned role on the field.
Inspired? Find out more at : https://gamerant.com/blue-lock-ego-sports/
According to Blue Lock, soccer is a sport that requires more than just following orders and fulfilling your assigned role. It teaches that originally, soccer was a sport with 11 strikers because every individual player's goal should be to do what they can to score. The one who takes the shot should be the player most capable of it. As the show puts it, to turn zero into one, a single player has to define himself as the striker, and flow is required to decide for yourself that you will be the striker. The other players will naturally evolve around the striker, taking up the other positions on the field to support the striker's efforts to score as many points as possible.
A famous quote from the show A group assignment that went well. FT My Amazing Peers
Every word that I’ve written in context to this show applies to my life at York as well. York is an amazing environment to test how dynamic and versatile you can be. Blue Lock helped me give words to what I was already doing. The most important lesson I’ll be taking away from this place is how easy it is for others to follow if I set an example, if I simply manage to lock in and do well. My standards my work rate and most importantly my state of “Flow” was elevated through the entire academic experience here. I realized how great of a job could be done if I activate my egocentrism and through my “Flow” be the one behind leading the group and individual self forward. Everything else will fall in place. I had to become the arrow that isn’t drawn but calls the bow to it. This was my experience.
Mastering Group Assignments: A Test of Flow
By now we’ve established how I knew my time for studies and assignments would be extremely limited because I had to work for a living and pay bills. Immigrant Troubles. Assignments are any which ways designed to be stressful—even if you are working with colleagues you know and understand. This time, however, the groups were assigned by the professor, and I found myself paired with a bunch of lethargic and unmotivated individuals. They were genuinely fun to hang out with, but as the final submission deadline loomed, we had accomplished nothing, and it didn’t look like we were about to. Now, I’m all about having fun, but I have a career and responsibilities that I cannot just shirk off. There was no way I could drop a course just because I didn’t want to work; that wasn’t me, and it couldn’t be me. I had to lock in and carry the entire team forward by hook or by crook. By the time I realized this, it was already too late—or so I thought.
Before the final presentation, I immersed myself completely in my work. I researched extensively. Once I set my sights on what I had to do, things started seeming easier. But it was only after getting the results of their work back from my group mates that I realized what I was in for. The entire thing was generated by AI, so not only were we on the edge of late submission, but we were also at the noose of an academic penalty. Three days before the submission, I zoned in so much that I started seeing my assignment even in the food I ate or on the posters of the bus I took. Things started coming naturally. I noticed that this state of flow was fluid; one thing helped me latch onto the other. There was no worry about the overwhelming task of doing the work of seven people by myself or the approaching deadline within 72 hours. Only the topic at hand mattered, and doing it well by my standards was my sole focus.
During this time, my friends perceived my behaviour as distracted and withdrawn. According to them, I was always lost, and it was extremely unnatural for them to see me this way. However, through extreme focus and hard work, I had the assignment ready within two days. I spent the remaining day preparing to present my work to the professor to ensure I had done it right. I remember those last 48 hours vividly. I shut myself off from all distractions, including social media, entertainment, and even casual conversations. My room became a war room, with notes, books, and my laptop scattered about. I worked tirelessly, taking short breaks only to eat and rest my eyes. The flow state took over, and I was able to synthesize complex information, create arguments, and design visuals for our presentation. I had managed to do it again thoroughly surprising myself. On the final day, I approached the professor with our work. I was nervous but confident in what I had accomplished. The professor reviewed the assignment and, to my relief, gave it a nod of approval. The sense of achievement was overwhelming. I had not only managed to complete the assignment on time but had also ensured it met the academic standards required. This experience taught me the true power of the flow state. It showed me that, with the right mindset and focus, even the most daunting tasks could be tackled effectively
Strategies to Enter the Flow State for Enhanced Learning
Life at York University’s School of Continuing Studies isn’t always this stressful. It’s a quaint and beautiful university that asks nothing more than the best you can give. My time here has been transformative, particularly in understanding and harnessing the flow state to achieve academic success. If it wasn’t for this place, I would’ve never realized that flow isn’t something that has to wait until the last moment to be utilized. I had been going about it wrong all along.
Flow is an innate skill that you must learn not just how, but when to use. To succeed at York, I had to use my mind and my time in an orderly fashion. When I saw through my own laziness, I started coming up with imaginary deadlines in my mind for my assignments before the actual ones. This helped me propel forward and hand in all my assignments approved and ready to go at least a day or two before submission. York gave me this mental calendar that I could tap into subconsciously and activate my focus and immersion whenever it was required. This was my way of doing things—my flow that needed the forge of an approaching deadline to sharpen the iron of my will. This was the power of my mind and using it was honestly fun. Notice how my definition of fun changed? Flow differs from individual to individual, and you need to find out your flow to perform your miracles.
Practical Tips for Maintaining Consistency in Your Studies
York's School of Continuing Studies taught me to harness flow not just in crisis moments, but as a regular part of my academic routine. I learned to:
- Create mental deadlines ahead of actual due dates
- Develop a subconscious academic calendar
- Activate focus using rational emotions and never wait for that last-minute fight or flight.
Being prepared is more than just completion, it's the confidence of knowing that your work is right by your standards. My work in the above example was filled with anxiety till the last moment. But ever since I adapted to Life at York using my dedicated mental timeline, my work improved drastically and more than that I did not fear nor was I nervous walking into any class knowing that I was doing right by my own time.
Advice for Future York Students
- Embrace Your Unique Flow: Everyone's flow state is different. Experiment to find what works best for you.
- Balance Work and Play: York offers a rich student experience. Enjoy it, but know when to switch into work mode.
- Utilize York's Resources: The supportive environment at York is designed to help you succeed. Take advantage of it.
- Set Personal Deadlines: This helps activate your flow state before the last minute.
- Eliminate Distractions: Create an environment that allows you to fully immerse in your studies.
Conclusion
These years and this time will never come back. The only way to live life is to work hard and play harder. Have fun. It's really simple. But what isn't simple, especially at a university is figuring out when the fun should stop and so for future students, my advice is to embrace the flow state. Find your zone, eliminate distractions, and immerse yourself in your work. Having fun is essential. The results will speak for themselves.
If anything York Support always has your back. Find More here.
York University’s School of Continuing Studies offers a supportive environment that encourages you to discover and harness your flow state. Whether through challenging group assignments or individual projects, the key is to stay motivated, set personal deadlines, and maintain a balance between skill and challenge. Remember, the key to success at York is finding your rhythm and flow. Embrace the challenges, stay motivated, and you'll find that you're capable of more than you ever imagined.
Alas, that's all I have for you all today. I’m Atharva Phulpagare, your fellow York School of Continuing Studies student. As an immigrant navigating a new academic landscape, I’ve faced my share of challenges. My journey has taught me the importance of effective time management and the value of immersing myself fully in my work. Through this blog, I hope to share my experiences and insights to inspire fellow students to embrace their unique paths to success. Feel free to find your own groove and adjust to any part of it to better reflect your voice and experiences!
What's your take on the University Life at York? What's your take on the State of flow? Let me know in the comments below.
