Ten College tips
Effective study habits are essential for achieving and maintaining a high GPA in college. More importantly, effective study habits help you to store information in long-term memory, allowing you to use the learned information in a novel setting.
1. Come to class every day. Now that you're not forced to go to class, it's so tempting to press the snooze alarm and go back to sleep—or to do just about anything else other than dragging yourself into that lame classroom. But here's the thing: if you want to do well in school, coming to class every day is the best possible thing you can do. If you're not in class, you're going to miss important notes—and even if you get the notes from a friend, the notes won't make as much sense. Plus if you miss class, you're going to have a hard time understanding how all the material fits together—whic h will be a huge problem when you have to write an essay explaining the material. Get into the habit from day one of coming to class all the time, and only miss class if you have an outstanding reason not to be there.
Study Tips
2. Pay attention in class. These days, there are so many things around to distract you—text messaging, Sudoku, the school newspaper, and all kinds of stuff that's more interesting than your professor. But there's no way around it—you're going to need to develop some strong willpower and just listen.
3. Manage your time. Get yourself a calendar and live by it. At the beginning of the semester, write down all your major assignments and exams so you know how you need to allocate your time. Every week, look at the calendar and figure out what you need to get done, and set aside the appropriate amount of time for each task.. Keep track carefully of everything you need to get done, and you'll find that college is not nearly as stressful as you feared.
Time Management For College Success
4. Don't get caught up in the drama. When you're living in close proximity to lots of people, it's easy to forget that the crisis in your group of friends matters little in the grand scheme of things. It doesn't matter that so-and-so said something to so-and-so about so-and-so. Years from now, you won't even remember what you were fighting about, so try to let the drama roll off your back.
5. Try new things and meet new people. College isn't High School Part II. If you want to do some of the same activities you did back then, go for it—but try some new ones too. And if you happen to be going to college with some of your high school friends, make sure you don't spend all of your time with them. You have this fabulous opportunity to experience new things and hang out with people you never would have met in high school, so take advantage of this.
6. Ask for help when necessary. In high school, teachers and guidance counselors notice when students have a problem and intervene. This isn't always the case in college, especially if you go to a large school. Plenty of help is available to students, but you need to seek it out. If you're struggling in class, make an appointment with your professor ASAP to go over your notes and get some help. Or find out what tutoring services are available on campus. If you've been assigned an advisor, see him or her regularly. In addition, if you're having problems with personal issues, visit a campus counselor or a dormitory residence assistance.
7. Learn how to balance work and fun. College is full of temptations. Even if you're not into drinking and partying, there will be endless opportunities to hang out with friends all night instead of doing your philosophy homework. There's no reason you can't have fun in college—but if you don't put your work first, you're not going to succeed.
8. Manage your money. At the beginning of every semester, figure out what your expenses are going to be, and create a budget. And if you have a credit card, use it wisely! Credit card companies are notorious for taking advantage of college students. As much as possible, pay off your credit card every month, and build up a balance only if there's an emergency. Money and College
9. Be safe. This is an important tip for everybody, but it's especially important for college women. As many as one in four young women are raped during their time in college, and most of them are raped by acquaintances or by a date. Be very careful about who you are willing to be alone with, and perhaps most important of all, be very careful with alcohol. Heavy drinking is a bad idea, but if you're going to do it, make sure it's in the company of trusted friends. And never leave a drink unattended, as someone could slip something into it. In addition, avoid walking alone at night, and take advantage of campus escort services.
10. Be healthy. It can be hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle when you're in college, but do the best you can. Try to eat well, and avoid regular late night pizza. Get a little exercise, even if it's just walking around campus. And don't deprive yourself of sleep!
Getting adjusted to college is a difficult experience for almost everyone, but you can do it! Make smart choices about studying, safety, health, and personal life, and you'll find that college can be an incredibly rewarding time of your life.