4 Ways Poker Can Prepare You For Higher Education
4 Ways Poker Can Prepare You for Higher Education
People preparing for higher education pursuits are typically inundated with formal preparation options. There are tests, tutors, and study programs to explore; there are mentors and alumni networks to tap into; in some cases there are even interview and essay-writing coaches. Depending on the nature of the pursuit, any or all of these resources can come in handy — and we certainly encourage aspiring students to take advantage of them!
With that said however, there can sometimes be so much focus on the formal side of preparation that you might lose sight of how real-life activity is also preparing you for the next step. There are plenty of less academic things you might enjoy in the course of your day-to-day activity that can help get you ready for some aspects of the next phase of your education.
One activity that is surprisingly beneficial is poker. It may sound somewhat random, and we understand that this isn’t a hobby everyone has to begin with. But the truth of the matter is that poker is a game commonly cited for its ability to teach helpful habits and real-world skills. Along these lines, there are some benefits of the game that can supplement preparation for a next phase of higher education.
1. Maintaining Positivity
Chief among the mental skills you learn from poker is an ability to maintain positivity regardless of what happens around you. A lot can happen in a poker game or tournament that will put an amateur in a grumpy or negative mood: a lost hand, a careless bet, a testy exchange with another player…. But with experience, poker players learn to overlook these little annoyances and maintain their positivity. It’s the best way to stay in the game with a chance to win, and it’s a mental and emotional skill that absolutely carries over into real life. Whether you’re preparing for a round of interviews or getting started with your next level of education, this kind of outlook will serve you well.
2. Establishing Resilience
This idea is closely related to that of maintaining positivity. However, there’s a slight difference. Keeping up a positive attitude largely has to do with overlooking small problems or miniature misfortunes. On the other hand, maintaining resilience means experiencing stress or negativity and being able to work through it sensibly and constructively. It’s an absolutely essential skill in poker, and it’s another one that can help you in the process of pursuing and undergoing higher education. Unfortunate or annoying things are going to happen, and the more reasonably you’re able to absorb them and move on, the more successful you’ll be.
3. Developing Social Skill
The benefits of professional networking are a subject we’ve touched on in the past, and the process often starts with higher education. It’s at this stage of life that you should be meeting new peers and mentors, establishing connections, and forming long-lasting relationships when possible. There are of course a lot of different ways to develop the social skill needed to execute all of this. But it just so happens that poker can be about as effective a tool for developing social skill as there is. It’s a game that involves both friendly banter and social psychology, and which is ultimately more about reading and understanding other people than managing different hands of cards. Master the social dynamics at competitive poker tables, and you’ll likely find it easy to understand and interact with just about anyone in your day-to-day life.
4. Speeding Up Thinking
Another interesting benefit you can draw from poker is quicker thinking. This is actually a skill that’s not easy to develop through too many activities, but it’s one you’ll pick up gradually the more poker you play. Games can be played relatively slowly, but the process of assessing cards, monitoring other players, and making decisions is still something of a rapid-fire internal problem-solving process. It will make you quicker on your feet, so to speak, and this will only help in that next phase of life you’re aiming for. The simple fact of the matter is that people look to quick thinkers as decisive, proactive leaders. That’s not a bad way to be looked at, whether you’re going through applications and admissions or you’re establishing yourself in a new school environment.
Again, there are a lot of real-life activities and hobbies that can help you hone life skills to put to use in your next phase. But poker is one that provides a lot of useful benefits at once, and is too often overlooked.
