7 Tips For Succeeding In College
By Aly Lindic
1. Keep a planner. Keeping a planner not only keeps you on track with your daily activities and obligations, but it also makes you actually feel a little bit closer to having your life together. Which, let’s face it, we could all use some of that now and again. We get off track in life and oftentimes feel like there is so much on our plates, but if you stay organized and mark down every little task or thing that you would like to do, it will help you — even if just a little bit. It’s worth it.
2. Plan to start assignments early. Yes, we all procrastinate. Is there any other way to “college”? However, starting assignments early can take loads of stress off of you. If you break it down into parts, you can assign those parts to certain days (in your planner.. you see what I did there?). That way, by the third day of small tasks, you are basically almost done with your project, paper, etc., and it didn’t even involve any late night cramming or up-all-night typing.
3 ^^^Same applies for studying for a test. Break it up into days. One day, make note cards; next day, go through the notecards a few times; third day, go through even less; and days after that, even less because you will start to retain the information and you will be better prepared.
4 Go to office hours. Even if just a few times a semester. It is WORTH IT to make the professors know your face, learn your name, and understand a little bit about you. They will see you as a driven college student who cares. It sounds cliche and you hear it all of the time but it really will impact your grade. It also has the potential to motivate you more because it has now made things on a more personal level. Going to office hours will, nine times out of ten, help your grade.
5 Go to class. It sucks, I know. It’s cold and rainy and walking ten minutes to another building sounds like the most terrible thing ever (my thoughts, today), but you get all of the important information in class. Seriously, every time that I am sitting in class I hear a new piece of information on upcoming assignments or help on future tests and I think, “I’m really glad I am in class today to hear this. I wonder what other little things I have missed by not being in class ‘that one time I was tired’” (You know what I’m talking about). You will feel so much more accomplished and better prepared by physically being in class.
6 Actually talk to your advisor. Your advisor is there to help you and ADVISE. Use that resource because they will help you get your whole education outline on track. They know exactly what you need and how to get you where you want to be. They want to help you.. it’s their job. Use that to let it open doors of possibility for your major and future career.
7 Don’t get discouraged. It can be a hot, messy, ice-cream and tear filled, stress ball of fun trying to figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life. However, almost everyone goes through it. Don’t let that get you down. Let it motivate you to figure it out by testing different possibilities. There is also no rush. You don’t need to start college balls to the wall knowing your direct path in life. That would be too easy. Take your time. You have time. Don’t stress. Breathe. You’re going to make it out alive.